In principle, all chestnuts are capable of germination as long as they are healthy. Some pests, such as the chestnut moth or the chestnut borer, damage the fruit, which then of course can no longer germinate. In addition, collected chestnuts are not of a single variety.

Chestnuts often germinate all by themselves

So if you collect chestnuts from a tree because you want to grow that particular variety, you may be disappointed in the first harvest. Because the genetic material is mixed by fertilization with another variety.

Under what conditions does the chestnut germinate?

The chestnut belongs to the so-called cold germs. This means that the seeds first have to be exposed to a certain amount of cold in order to be able to germinate at all. Fresh or moist chestnuts also germinate much better than dry ones. These should be watered for some time before sowing.

Can the chestnut germinate in the garden?

Just leave fallen chestnuts in your garden, and one or the other germ will definitely develop. You can plant the small trees in a different place next year. Sowing in the garden is also possible. However, chestnuts are very palatable to some animals, which could cause some seed wastage.

How to grow a chestnut from seed?

To determine if your chestnut seeds are disease-free, place the fruit in a jar of water. You can confidently dispose of chestnuts floating on top, they may have been eaten empty and are no longer able to germinate. Healthy chestnuts germinate very easily and reliably.

Place the fresh chestnuts in a nutrient-poor substrate. During germination keep the seeds moist but not wet. Place the culture vessel in the cold (refrigerator or freezer) for at least a few days. Alternatively, you can also cool the chestnuts before sowing. Overwintering in the garden is also possible.

The essentials in brief:

  • very good germination
  • cold germinator
  • Better not to let seeds dry out
  • only sow healthy seeds
  • keep evenly moist

tips

The chestnut is a cold germ. If you want to grow chestnuts indoors, expose the seeds to the cold for at least a few days beforehand.

Category:

Trees