You probably know the horse chestnut as a street tree. It is powerful and imposing, but can also be planted well in a large garden. However, do not confuse this tree with the sweet chestnut, it belongs to a completely different plant family.
The horse chestnut likes bright locations
The best location
Like the sweet chestnut, the horse chestnut also prefers a sunny location. Even if you plant a small tree, you should remember that a horse chestnut grows very large. A height of up to 30 meters is normal, depending on the variety, and the crown then has the appropriate dimensions.
Give your horse chestnut enough space and do not plant the tree right next to the house wall or on a high wall. A distance of at least eight to twelve meters should also be maintained to the neighboring chestnut or other trees.
The texture of the ground
The horse chestnut does not make too many demands on the soil, but it does have its preferences. If possible, plant the tree in volcanic, loamy-sandy or loamy-gritty soil with adequate potassium and phosphorus. Good permeability prevents persistent waterlogging. However, fresh moisture does the horse chestnut quite well.
The best time to plant
Ideally, plant a horse chestnut in late spring. Frost should no longer be expected, a freshly planted tree is still sensitive to this. So it's best to wait for the ice saints in May.
Correct planting
Once you have found a suitable location for your horse chestnut, dig a sufficiently large planting hole. It should be about twice the diameter of your tree's root ball.
Loosen the ground well, add plenty of compost and, if necessary, some potassium and/or phosphorus. Do not put the horse chestnut deeper into the ground than it was before and water the tree well.
The essentials in brief:
- look for a sunny location
- Planting hole twice as big as the ball
- add compost
- plant as deep as before
- pour on
tips
The horse chestnut does not like to move too much. Therefore, give it a place that is large enough for the mature tree.