Growing a chestnut tree yourself can be quite a rewarding task, but it is quite time consuming. That being said, collected seeds will not necessarily get you the chestnut you want. Because the seeds are not pure.

Chestnuts can be grown from germinated seeds

Is it worth growing a chestnut yourself?

Breeding a chestnut is certainly not financially rewarding, but it is definitely a test of patience. Many years will pass before you can harvest the first chestnuts. However, many garden lovers still enjoy growing their own plants.

How do I grow a chestnut myself?

You can only grow a pure chestnut from cuttings. Seeds from your garden will always carry the genetic traits of both parent plants. However, it is questionable which properties prevailed in the seeds you collected.

In the spring, cut off a few strong, healthy shoots that are about 20 to 30 centimeters long. You should have several pairs of leaves, but only leave the top four. Remove all other leaves.

Place these cuttings about five centimeters deep in a pot with potting soil. With the help of a rooting powder, you can accelerate rooting. Keep the soil slightly moist. But if it is too wet, the roots will begin to rot before they are strong enough to feed the little chestnut.

Transplant the homegrown chestnut

After a few months, at the latest after the first winter, it is time to transplant the young chestnut, either in the garden or in a large container. Dig a planting hole for the chestnut and put some compost in it.

Put in the chestnut and fill the remaining hole with soil and water your tree. Transplanting is less advisable in summer, not at all with an older chestnut, your tree will hardly survive that.

The essentials in brief:

  • best grown from cuttings
  • Rooting powder not absolutely necessary
  • 20 to 30 cm long cuttings
  • 5 cm deep in potting soil

tips

Growing a chestnut yourself requires a lot of patience and perseverance.

Category:

Trees