Chestnut cultivation at home. How to germinate a chestnut at home. For germination we need

On our planet, chestnut is one of the most ancient plants. Its main features:

It should be noted that not all varieties of chestnut trees lend themselves to home cultivation. Today, there are at least 30 known and common types of chestnut. However, only a few are recommended for home growing.

Variety	Brief characteristics
Japanese	It is famous for its high growth rate. Produces large edible fruits (about 100 g in weight). Fruiting begins already in the third year after planting.
Crenate	Shrub forms are absent. The tree grows thick, with a trunk 1–1.5 meters in girth.
Chinese softest	Grows up to 15 meters in height. It has beautiful small fringed leaves. The fruits, as in the previous case, are edible. They are popular among gourmets for their exquisite taste.
American	Resistant to unfavorable atmospheres and cold weather. A mature tree reaches 28-30 meters in height. The varieties adapted to Russia delight with sweet and large fruits.
Undersized	Shrub 1-2 or a tree up to 12-15 m with a rounded crown. Unlike most of the "brethren", it is rather unpretentious to the soil (it can grow even in conditions of moisture deficit).
Sowing	If the agricultural technique is followed, you can grow a tree 35–37 meters high. It has been established that this chestnut is a long-liver; the tree lives for 400-500 years. Nuts ripen with soft shells. And although the fruits do not have an exquisite taste, they are still suitable for eating.

How to choose the right nut for planting

Choosing the right chestnut nut for a successful planting

Only fallen nuts are suitable for planting.
Since not all of them will sprout, it is recommended to harvest at least 2 times more (for example, 1–2 trees will grow out of 5).
The material is suitable for use only if there are no soft spots, cracks or other damage.
Only beautiful-looking, firm and even chestnuts will germinate successfully. It is recommended to take them from trees with a strong, massive trunk. Pay attention to the size - planting unripe small nuts will not be successful.

When to plant and under what conditions to store chestnuts before planting

A good time for planting chestnuts is spring, or rather, the end of February and the first decade of March. The process of storing seeds has a number of nuances:

usually flows with losses, which is better to take into account in advance and make a safety stock of planting material;
some of the nuts will dry out by spring. Store your seed chestnuts in a bag filled with damp sand to keep the fruit from losing its germination.

Seed chestnuts should be in the sand for at least 2–5 months before planting. If you have stored them in regular paper bags all winter, remove them closer to spring and place them in wet sand. Close the container tightly, periodically opening the lid for ventilation, or make small holes. Some gardeners put chestnuts in a box of sand and drop it in in late autumn under the snow.

And yet, even with proper storage, the peel of the seeds hardens, and this will complicate the emergence of the young shoot. Artificial stratification will help to solve the problem:

the seeds are immersed in warm water;
withstand 5-7 days before planting;
be sure to change the water once a day.

The hard peel will soften after soaking, increasing the chances of nut sprouting. The chestnut is ready for planting when a white sprout has sprung up. The embryo is activated, now it is easier for the sprout to germinate.

To facilitate germination, the chestnuts must be soaked in water for 5-7 days prior to planting.

Sometimes nut seedlings are planted in the fall. This method also has its adherents. The plus of the autumn planting is that the chestnuts do not have time to dry out and there is no storage stage in the sand. However, stratification is still necessary to ensure the emergence of the shoots.

Landing

Requirements for the pot and soil composition

Chestnuts begin to germinate in pots with a capacity of 300-500 ml. The minimum rules that it is desirable to observe at the initial stage:

there are no special requirements for the composition of the soil - almost any soil will do, it is enough to purchase an ordinary garden soil mixture in a gardening store and fill the planting container with it;
place a thin drainage layer at the bottom of the pot;
when planting seeds, the substrate must be well moistened.

What depth to plant

Given the small volume of the pots, the prepared seeds should be approximately at the level of the upper third of the container. Chestnuts should be buried to a depth of 3 to 5 centimeters. Be sure to follow the recommendation, otherwise:

with deeper embedding, there is a possibility that the sprout simply will not come to the surface. The deeper into the substrate, the less oxygen and the colder the temperature of the environment. This means that a young shoot will not be able to overcome the thickness of the soil;
with a high embedment, the nut will dry out.

If all the rules are followed, the seedlings will appear in 2-3 weeks.

Conditions for normal nut germination

Fruit chestnuts have been grown in Russia for many years. During this time, the plant has acquired immunity and resistance to harsh climatic conditions. But the initial requirements for landing conditions remained key:

a sufficient amount of light - in darkened places the seedlings will grow stunted, the base of the trunk will also be weak. It is advisable to put pots with planted seeds on the sunny side of the apartment;
drought protection;
moderate soil moisture;
warmly. Protect the pots from hypothermia, and the plants that have made their way outside from drafts. A good temperature for seedlings is + 17 ... + 26 ° C.

Transplanting chestnuts into open ground

For a successful transplant, many nuances must be taken into account, including the depth of the pit

May is a good time to transplant chestnuts from pots into the ground. Every year the air temperature in May fluctuates, therefore, to choose the right time, it is necessary to take into account the additional subtleties of the transplant:

as soon as even warm weather is established and the threat of frost has passed, take action;
a little earlier, in April, it is sometimes useful to take out pots with seedlings outside, so that the plant adapts to the outdoor air and begins to acquire immunity.

It is necessary to pinch the taproot, then in the open field the plant will quickly develop a powerful root system.

Site selection and preparation of the landing pit

Keep in mind that the roots of the plant are located shallowly, and later grow horizontally, so the plant should not be deepened too deep. The depth of the pit for seedlings depends on the degree of development of the root system.
The tree prefers moderately moist soils - aridity, as well as swampy soil, is unacceptable for chestnuts.
Chernozems are preferable in soil composition.
A maturing tree will acquire a tent-like crown, which will give a dense shade - this is one of the reasons why there is no place for other (especially light-loving) plants near the chestnut.
Remember that chestnut is a tree of powerful growth, so an abundance of small "neighbors" in the root zone is undesirable. Close proximity to other plants will lead to soil depletion, chestnut will lose a significant part of its nutrients.

It is advisable to plant chestnut seedlings near fences, leaving an approach to it from two or three sides. In the presence of underground wine cellars, chestnut trees are often placed on top - the roots grow shallow, and the shadow received from an adult tree will subsequently protect the surrounding soil from drying out and overheating.

Precautionary measures

If you plan to eat chestnuts, plant them away from:

railway tracks;
motorways;
industrial facilities;
sources of radiation.

Chestnut trees have a high capacity to absorb toxic substances. Ideal places for growing are a summer cottage, a country estate, a quiet city center in the absence of a busy traffic flow.

Seating chestnuts along the path

Landing scheme

Since we are talking about large trees, even the smallest species require sufficient space around them. Check in advance the descriptions of the characteristics of the variety of chestnut that is supposed to be planted. The minimum distance between seedlings is 3 meters.
If you plan to plant the grown trees in a couple of years, then in the first summer place them at a distance of 60–85 cm from each other.
Protect young plants from direct sunlight.
The depth of the planting hole should correspond to the root system of the seedling, on average from 35 to 60 cm.
The pit is about 55 cm wide, cubic in shape.
Trees are planted mainly in groups in one line. This is usually the perimeter of an area or an outline around garden paths and city sidewalks. A point planting of a plant is possible according to the interests of the landscape design composition on the site.
It makes no sense to place chestnuts in pairs, or even more so in the form of a plantation. Their shadows will overlap each other, interfering with the full development of first seedlings, and then adult trees.

Step-by-step instruction

In order to properly plant a chestnut in open ground, you must clearly follow the instructions.

The bottom of the excavated holes is covered with a drainage layer ~ 10-15 cm thick. Sand, crushed stone, pebbles are used in approximately equal amounts.
The near-root substrate is prepared from humus, sand and "native" lunar soil (proportions 1: 1: 2).
In soil with high acidity, slaked lime will improve root growth at the initial stage, it is enough to add 0.5 kg to each well, after mixing with the substrate. In the absence of lime, dolomite flour (it is sold in gardening stores) will give the same effect.
Immediately, the plant will need potassium and phosphorus-containing fertilizers, literally 1-2 handfuls of an adult per 1 root.
Holding the young plant by the stem, its root is immersed in the hole, and the root collar should be at ground level. At this time, hands are covered with a substrate from all sides. Slightly compact the top layer near the point of growth of the trunk.
To protect the fragile seedling from the winds, it must be tied to a peg. Prepare them in advance, set them at a distance of 5–7 cm from the root.
The height of the planting hole must be slightly increased so that the trunk of the plant does not become exposed when the soil shrinks.

Care

On average, chestnut seedlings gain strength during the first 4–5 years. If the above requirements are met, the tree will grow by 20-25 centimeters by the next season, but then it will begin to rapidly increase in all respects and will reach one and a half meters in height by the fifth year. Fruiting is expected in the 6-8th year of planting. But a lot depends on the correct care.

Watering and feeding

Initial watering. Water will be required immediately after planting the seedlings. Pour 3-4 buckets into each well.
Watering the first season. In order for young seedlings to take root well in their nests, make watering regularly. Pour enough water so that it gets 10 cm deep, but does not become waterlogged.
Mulch once a week. At the same time, the degree of moisture in the soil around the roots will be visible. Make sure that a hard earth crust does not form around the trunk, the danger of which is that the aeration of the root soil deteriorates, and the risk of bacterial contamination increases.
Regular watering of the growing chestnut. Excess moisture is just as dangerous as drought. Against the background of dry weather, 1 bucket of clean water per 1 square meter is enough for a growing tree. m area. Frequency - as the soil dries out (it should remain moderately moist).
Autumn feeding. Diluted in water nitroammofosk (10 liters 15–20 g), once a fall.
Spring feeding. An aqueous solution of urea (10-15 g of powder is needed for a 10-liter bucket), once per spring.
Mullein in summer. Dilute 1 bucket of raw materials with 5 buckets of water, mix thoroughly. For seedlings 2-5 years old, 1 liter of liquid is applied at the root 3-5 times a year, more mature trees require 2-5 buckets of mixture over the same period of time.
Fortified mature trees mulch... This is done immediately after watering. Sawdust or garden humus is recommended for mulching.

Crown formation

The crown of young chestnuts begins to form from the age of 3:

it is cut off by a quarter of its height in the spring;
in this case, you need to slightly trim the side branches, and shorten the central "conductor";
then the scheme is repeated regularly;
from the age of 8–11 years, the crown of a mature tree needs more close attention - it grows, the length and thickness of the branches increase. At the same time, frequent pruning helps to stimulate its growth. The plant acquires an unprecedented aesthetic beauty and becomes a leading player in landscape design.

Preparing for winter

Mulching chestnuts with dry leaves

If chestnuts do not need special preparation beyond the age of 7-10 years, then a special approach to seedlings on the eve of winter. What you need to do without fail:

as soon as the first cold weather comes, the seedling needs to be mulched with dry leaves - they will protect the root system from freezing;
the addition of humus will enhance the effect, a thick layer of organic matter will become a reliable protection against frost from the outside, and also feed the roots before hibernation;
outside, a young tree is wrapped with insulating materials. For this purpose, dry felt and an outer layer of film are suitable (otherwise the fabric will get wet and cause the bark to rot).

Warming chestnut with dry felt and foil

In regions with a temperate climate, barrel insulation with materials is not a mandatory measure. This recommendation applies to the conditions of Siberia and the Far East. And also for situations when an abnormally cold winter is established with high air humidity.

How to grow chestnut bonsai at home

Home bonsai is originally a dwarf, undersized, small-leaved chestnut tree. Information about the genetic properties of the plant can be found in encyclopedias or consult with the specialists of the botanical garden. They will tell you whether it is worth starting a project and whether it will be successful.

Please note that the fruits of the decorative chestnuts are inedible. In addition, home chestnuts rarely grow to ripening nuts, because bees are engaged in pollination, and they are inappropriate in the apartment. Self-pollinating varieties have not been bred by breeders, since they are not of particular interest (the whole "highlight" is in the crown, and not in the fruits).

Home-grown dwarf chestnut

Standard care:

prepared seeds are planted in pots in the fall;
plants are kept on the sunny side in a warm room;
after a year they begin to form a crown;
pruning should be done twice a year (in spring and autumn), off-season adjustments are also permissible - only if the plant is growing rapidly;
fertilized according to recommendations for a specific type of bonsai;
regular watering that does not allow excess water.

Diseases and pests

The cultivation of chestnuts is greatly complicated by diseases and pests. Threats are present even in cases where the gardener looks after his charges in good faith. The main thing is not to get lost when a problem is detected, but to take competent measures to eliminate it. First you need to know what pests and diseases can infect the chestnut tree.

Table: problems that chestnuts may be susceptible to

Problem	What types are susceptible to	Symptoms	Fight and prevention
Tree mite	Fruit, decorative	The leaves affected by the mite turn red, dry out and crumple. Then they die off.	For prophylaxis, the tree is treated with a frequency of once every 2 weeks with phytover (10-15 ml per 10 l of water) or karbofos (75-90 g per 10 l of water). In advanced cases, the plants die.
Chestnut moth	Mostly decorative, less fruiting	The insect infects the leaves, after which they fall off in the summer. By autumn, the tree comes weakened, it may not endure the winter period and die.	The fight is effective if the affected areas are sprayed with Lufox 105-EC. The concentration depends on the age of the plant, this information can be found on the packaging of the product. It destroys both larvae and adults.
Powdery mildew		Fungal disease. White, grayish or dark spots appear on the leaves. Sometimes with a tinge of "rust". Leaves dry, turn yellow or black, fall off.	Prevention: inclusion of phosphorus fertilizers in the tree's diet, treatment of plants with fungicidal compositions.
Hole spot	Fruiting, less decorative	Occurs due to fungal cultures. Many small holes appear on the leaves, the greens darken, the leaves die off.	Means of protection - Borodsky liquid with a strength of 1-3%. 10 days after the beginning of flowering, the plant is sprayed every 2-3 days until the signs of the disease disappear.

Do not use toxic drugs that can harm pollinating bees. Otherwise, the tree will not bear the expected fruit. Regarding the fruit species of chestnut, toxins are dangerous in any case, because ripe nuts should be safe for humans. Damaged fallen leaves must be burned.

Photo gallery: chestnut pests and diseases

Growing chestnut trees takes a lot of effort. But all of them are rewarded with interest if you take proper care of the plant. Being in favorable conditions, seedlings of decorative chestnuts will delight you with a stylish exterior, and fruit species - with delicious nuts with a rich content of nutrients.

Many townspeople like to walk along the alleys where chestnuts are planted, someone loves to feast on the sweet fruits of noble varieties of nuts. This gives me an idea of how to plant walnut chestnuts at home.

Step-by-step instructions for growing

Growing a chestnut from a nut at home is a rather painstaking business, it requires special rules:

You need to collect the fruits in the autumn, when they reach the peak of maturity, fall from the trees.
In order for the nut to start germinating and the tree to be hardy, stratification will be required. If you need to sow nuts in the fall, you will need to place each fruit in a container with a moist, cold environment. To do this, sprinkle the nuts with wet sand, put them on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator or in the basement for 9-12 days. Stratification will help the fetus break through and start growing.
If the planting period is planned for the spring, then you need to know how to grow a chestnut from a nut. To do this, for the winter they need to be left stratified in a warm environment. Fruits must be poured with warm water and left for 5 days, if the water cools down, you will need to replace it with a new one. In such an environment, the shell of the nut will soften, and the embryo will swell.
To germinate an edible chestnut, the cultivation of the fruit should take place at a depth of 3 cm, and the diameter of the hole should not exceed three nuts. If the chestnut is planted in the fall, the ascent process will occur two weeks faster than with the spring planting. It should be remembered that it is the spring planting that provides the tree with resistance to cold weather and good strengthening in the soil.

Planting chestnuts in winter

If you know how to grow a chestnut at home, then you can get a stronger tree in the first days of spring. If you collect nuts in the last months of autumn, then they will have already undergone natural stratification. Thanks to this, they can be planted in pots and looked after as for ordinary indoor flowers. With the arrival of January, you can start planting a tree. Be sure to add some sand to the planting hole, trim the taproot, and water regularly to help the chestnut develop a strong, hardy root system. It is better to protect the planting site with a small fence so that the young seedling is not damaged by animals and the wind.

The easy way to grow

There are rules on how to germinate a chestnut at home, when followed, you can achieve a good result in growing a tree.

In order to weed out weak fruits, you can use a simple method. In autumn, there are many fruits near the chestnut tree. You need to collect them in a heap, cover with a dense layer of foliage and leave to winter. Thanks to this method, the nuts will undergo natural stratification and begin to sprout on their own. At the moment when all the snow melts, it is necessary to remove the foliage and collect all the sprouted nuts, transplant to the right place.

It should be noted that the way to grow the edible chestnut and the horse chestnut is practically the same. Therefore, if it is necessary to grow a noble variety of nuts, the rules of stratification and planting must be followed the same as with wild chestnuts.

Chestnut is an amazing tree, it is considered the most ancient type of nut, delicious, very useful for the human body. This is the only variety of nuts that contains vitamins of group C. To plant such a tree at home, you need to know how to germinate chestnuts from a nut, follow all growing rules. Observing them will ensure the germination of a strong, hardy tree, which will delight you with its tasty and nutritious fruits.

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The beautiful sight of a blooming chestnut fascinates many people. Folk omens say that the tree has healing powers and brings good luck. If you need to improve the energy at home and decorate your garden plot, learn how to plant a chestnut and make it grow and develop quickly.

What are chestnuts

In our country, you can find two types of chestnuts. The first variety is ubiquitous. This is a horse chestnut. It is easy to grow it near the house, in gardens, squares, along roadsides. The tree has a wide crown, a massive trunk and large leaves, somewhat reminiscent of a hand in their outlines. In May, the branches of the tree are covered with large flowers, similar to candles, from which green round fruits with thorns emerge. In autumn, the green balls fall off, crack into three parts, freeing the brown shiny core.

Those who believe in omens collect the horse chestnut, because, according to popular belief, its fruits bring good luck. So that fortune does not leave, you need to put three nuts in your pocket and carry them constantly with you.

The second variety is the noble chestnut from the beech plant family. In central Russia, it is difficult to grow it, because the tree loves a humid climate and warmth. It has thin narrow leaves, fruits are in round prickly capsules. In autumn, they open, and from them 1-4 small nuts, which have a sweetish delicate taste, fall out.

If you believe in ancient signs, it is these fruits that are able to attract money. You only need to carry 2 nuts in a bag next to your wallet and never leave them at home.

Growing from seeds in the garden

Planting a chestnut tree near the house is a responsible business, despite the fact that it does not need special care. Many gardeners are interested in how to plant walnut chestnuts.

In autumn, pick the ripe large fruits under the tree.
For planting at the end of October, you need to prepare the seeds in advance. Pour them into a deep container with coarse sand, put them in the refrigerator for two weeks, or lower them into the basement.
After such a stratification procedure, you can start planting a nut in the country.

If it is planned to deepen the seeds into the ground in the spring, then the chestnuts need to be prepared in a different way. When the tree has removed all of its fruit, harvest the best seeds and store them in your basement. In the spring, 5 days before planting near the house, place the chestnuts in a bowl and cover with warm water. Pour the cooled liquid several times a day and add warm one. Thanks to this, the shell of the nut will become soft and the embryo inside it will swell.

In the spring, dig holes 20 cm deep and place the nuts in them. Sprinkle with earth and water thoroughly. A young sprout will quickly appear above the soil surface, and after a few years it can be transplanted to a permanent place.

The chestnuts collected in the fall can be used for a talisman. Spread out 2 fruits on each cupboard and open shelves in the house. Ancient omens claim that this way you can attract happiness.

Horse chestnut is undemanding, it does not need regular complex care. It grows beautifully in a flowerpot on a windowsill.
How to plant a chestnut so you can see the shoots quickly?

To do this, in the fall, after stratification of the seeds, prepare a pot, fill it with a thin layer of drainage, potting soil from the store and dig in the chestnut at a depth of 5 cm.
Water thoroughly and place on the sunny side of the house.
Such care will ensure germination, and in the spring the tree can be transplanted. Find a spot for him near a fence or on a wide lawn.

Some folk signs do not recommend planting a horse chestnut from a walnut on your own. Ancient beliefs say that a tree planted in this way takes health from its owner. Believe in omens or not, everyone decides for himself. If you wish, it is not difficult to grow a chestnut near the house with seedlings.

Planting seedlings

It is easy to get a young two-year-old tree in a special nursery. Rooting of a seedling is allowed in the spring, at the beginning of May, or in the fall, when the leaves fall from the trees.

Choose a suitable site in the country. It is important that the distance between the trees is at least 3 meters, otherwise the chestnut will not be able to fully develop, despite proper care.
Dig holes 50 cm wide and deep. Connect the earth from them with humus and river sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Stir and add 500 g of slaked lime and dolomite flour each. This soil is ideal for chestnuts.
Pour a thick layer of expanded clay on the bottom of the pit. You can use pebbles or broken bricks instead. Sprinkle with prepared soil and put 200 g of nitrogen-potassium fertilizer on top.
Fill the hole with 2 buckets of water, place the seedling and cover it with earth, gently tamping it down with your hands.
Water the tree again and sprinkle lightly. The mound will gradually settle under the influence of the rains.
To prevent the fragile branches of the seedling from being damaged by the wind, install a support near it and tie it up.

Now you know how to plant a chestnut near your house. This is not difficult. The tree can be grown in any soil, but it will be better to bloom in loamy black soil. This is a frost-resistant plant, the trunk of which must be covered only in very severe cold.

How to care

Caring for a chestnut tree in the country does not require special skills. Loosen the soil in time, get rid of weeds. It's enough.

Moderate watering will help to grow the tree correctly. If the summer is very hot, water it once a month with 7-10 liters of water. Above all, don't moisturize too much. The chestnut has a powerful root system that penetrates deep into the soil and supplies the plant with water.

In the spring, it is advisable to trim the upper shoots by a quarter of the length. From this procedure, the crown will form thick and lush.

When the horse chestnut blooms, rest more in the shade of the tree. If you believe in the signs, a blossoming flower that has fallen from a branch onto a person guarantees good luck and happiness in the current year.

To grow chestnuts, you need fertilizer. Care will not be complete without it. Top dressing is done in early spring. For her you will need:

15 liters of water;
20 g of ammonium nitrate;
1 kg of manure;
15 g of urea;
25g nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus fertilizer.

The components will need to be mixed together and the soil is moistened with a solution.

Diseases and pests

Horse chestnut is hardy and rarely gets sick. But still there are a number of diseases that the tree is susceptible to.

Powdery mildew. This is a fungal disease in which a white bloom appears on the leaves. They dry, turn black and fall off.
Red-brown and brown spots. The symptoms of the diseases are similar. Leaves deteriorate, covered with black dots and spots.

Collect fallen leaves and burn to keep the disease from spreading. Remove affected branches in time, heal wounds that appear on the trunk, and avoid waterlogging. If the disease persists, spray the crown with fungicides according to the instructions.

The insect is very tenacious, conventional pest control methods do not help. The moth is taken inside the sheet plate, which protects it from the effects of chemicals.

Treatment with systemic insecticides shows good results. You will need a powerful sprayer to wet the crown. Remember to wear gloves and a respirator to protect your hands and lungs.

You can completely rid the tree of moths with special injections. This new development is quite expensive and not everyone can afford it. But if you have a lot of chestnuts growing in front of your house, it is better to invite a specialist so that he correctly gives the plants an injection of a systemic insecticide.

So, the chestnut is definitely worth growing near the house - according to ancient beliefs, it protects people, absorbs all negative energy. From this, headaches disappear in households, mood improves and strength for new achievements appears.

Chestnut is useful for young girls. In the old days, under a flowering tree, they made cherished wishes. Signs claim that the voiced dreams have always come true.

Horse chestnut is widespread in many European countries. Since the 17th century, it has been used to decorate the palace parks, gardens and alleys of the city. Considering that the tree tolerates subzero temperatures well, gradually the chestnut began to be grown in Russia, it is especially popular in the southern regions. How to grow horse chestnut on a personal plot and is it possible? The tree is tall, with a spreading crown, however, if you pick up a decorative variety in the nursery, you can enjoy the beauty of the flowering chestnut even in a small summer cottage.

Choosing a variety of horse chestnut for growing in the country

The wild form of the horse chestnut is a tall tree up to 30 m high, and its powerful and well-developed root system can occupy a plot of land up to 5.5 m in diameter. Therefore, for lovers of landscape design, breeders have bred several decorative low-growing varieties, the height of which does not exceed 5 m. The most popular types are presented below.

Horse chestnut common Aesculus hippocastanum. A tall tree (up to 25 m), looks most impressive in single plantings, serves as an excellent decoration for parks and squares. The flowers are large, white in color.
Horse chestnut Aesculus carnea (pink). Not very tall tree (up to 9.5 m), used for the improvement of parks and squares. The foliage has a deep dark green color, the flowers are small, pale pink.
Horse chestnut Aesculus carnea Briotii (pink). An unpretentious tree with a spherical crown, reaches a height of 15 m. The flowers are large, collected in inflorescences, the color of the petals is from red-pink to rich crimson.
Horse chestnut Aesculus parviflora Walt (small-flowered). Asking the question of how to grow a horse chestnut in a summer cottage, it is worth giving preference to this particular species. It has the shape of a shrub and reaches a height of only 5 m. Inflorescences are small, snow-white with stamens, which are decorated with a bright pink "pea". The plant is thermophilic and requires special attention.

Choosing a place on the site for growing horse chestnut

When planning a landing, the site is prepared in advance. The tree needs space and ample sunlight. It is best to plant the seedling on the southeast or southwest side of the garden, 5 m away from other trees or buildings. The soil should be moderately loose and nutritious. Clay and sandy areas should be avoided. If the soil does not meet the requirements, then it is diluted with a suitable substrate. For example, river sand is added to heavy loam.

How to grow a horse chestnut and properly prepare a planting pit? Considering that the root system grows over time by several meters, a large pit is prepared, about 100x100x80 cm, where 80 cm is the depth. To make the soil more nutritious, rotted manure, compost or humus are added to it (2 garden buckets are enough). Preparatory work is carried out in the fall, during the winter the soil will settle, organic matter will partially begin to decompose, and in the spring it will be possible to start planting chestnuts.

Growing horse chestnut from walnut

In nurseries, you can choose a suitable seedling and plant a small tree directly on the site. However, some gardeners prefer to start from scratch by growing a seedling on their own from a nut. This process is fascinating, but it requires a lot of effort and time.

It is known that the fruits of the chestnut are enclosed in a dense, thorny shell. In autumn, they fall to the ground and hibernate under a layer of snow. In the spring, with the onset of warmth, the seed germinates, the outer shell bursts and a green sprout breaks through. So the reproduction process takes place in nature, but how can a gardener grow a horse chestnut? In the fall, you need to stock up on planting material. If there is a park or square with growing chestnuts nearby, then nuts can be collected there. Otherwise, the seed will have to be purchased in specialized stores or ordered online. It is better to take nuts with a margin - 10-15 pieces, in case some of them do not germinate or die at the seedling stage.

The acquired planting material should be carefully examined. Deformed, burst and rotten specimens are not suitable. Next, the nuts are placed on a damp cloth and covered with a similar piece of cloth, after which they are placed on a flat plate. The container is removed to the cellar or refrigerator on a shelf for storing vegetables. As soon as sprouts appear, the nuts can be planted in individual pots with soil mixture for growing seedlings or on a peat tablet.

How to grow a horse chestnut from a nut? In winter, it is best to store pots with sprouted seeds in a dark and slightly cool room, remembering to moisturize the soil. In the spring, the pots are transferred to a lighted room, and with the onset of warm days - to the garden or to the balcony. It is better to grow young seedlings for the first 2 years at home, storing them for the winter in a cellar or on a warmed loggia.

Planting a chestnut seedling

Seedlings grown at home or purchased from a nursery are planted outdoors in spring. The most favorable time is the second and third week of May. Knowing how to grow a horse chestnut from a nut, it remains to become familiar with the technology of planting in the garden. A hole is dug in the prepared soil, which should be one and a half times larger than the root system of the plant. In order not to injure a young chestnut, it should be removed from the container together with an earthen lump. After planting, cover the remaining space with soil and compact slightly. At the end of the work, the land is watered and mulched with wood chips, humus or peat.

To protect the young, fragile chestnut from gusts of wind, drive 3 strong pegs around it and carefully tie the trunk.

Features of horse chestnut care

Only young specimens need special care; adult trees are already able to take care of themselves on their own. How to grow a horse chestnut from a seedling? At first, the tree needs to be watered regularly, adult specimens need watering only if the summer is dry and hot. After watering, the soil must be loosened and, if necessary, weeds are removed.

in the spring, a solution is prepared at the rate of 5 liters of pure water, 500 g of cow dung and 7-10 g of urea;
in the fall they use nitroammophoska - 7-9 g are diluted in 5 liters of water.

Fertilizing regularly will ensure the tree grows well and blooms well.

In order for the crown to form a beautiful, regular shape, at a young age the trees are cut off, leaving 5–7 skeletal branches. However, radical pruning should not be carried out, since the procedure slows down the growth of the tree for some time. Further pruning is only for health purposes. Every spring, dry and broken branches are removed, if necessary, the crown of decorative tree species is corrected.

Despite the fact that horse chestnut nuts are not edible, the tree will bring a lot of positive emotions to its owner. Chestnuts are especially beautiful in spring, at the height of flowering. These amazing trees can completely change the look of the garden, giving it sophistication and sophistication.

Video how to plant a horse chestnut

When the chestnuts are blooming, it's safe to say that it's warm and it's time to boldly take off warm sweaters and put on light dresses. An equally beautiful sight when brown glossy fruits begin to fall from the trees. If you find such a sprouted fruit in the spring, you can safely plant it and expect shoots soon. Growing chestnuts from walnuts is not that difficult and you can try it.

How to plant walnut chestnuts: a quick guide

In the autumn, as it ripens, we select the planting material. It is best to take a freshly fallen chestnut.
Place the workpieces in a humid and cold environment. Take a small container and pour river sand into it. Place the planting material there and refrigerate. This procedure will ensure greater endurance and successful germination when planting chestnuts with nuts. The preparation takes about two weeks. This method is suitable if you plan to plant seeds in the fall.
If you want to plant in spring, then we put the planting material on the upper shelf of the refrigerator for the whole winter and place it in a warm environment before planting. To do this, we put our chestnuts in warm water for five days. Remember to constantly change the water as it cools. This leads to the fact that the shell begins to soak and the embryo swells, awakens.
To grow chestnuts from walnuts, prepare the planting site well. The planting depth should not exceed 3cm or three diameters of the nut itself. Too deep a deepening will slow down germination, and too deep will dry out the planting material. It is worth noting that spring shoots will appear later on the day of the week than autumn ones. But when planting in spring, the tree has time to prepare for frosts.

How to sprout chestnut from a nut: alternative methods

There is an easier way to grow chestnuts from walnuts. You can harvest in late autumn, when nature itself has prepared the fruits for planting. Then plant them in flower pots in early January. You can water the crops like ordinary indoor flowers. In the spring, we plant the sprout in a permanent place and water it periodically. Be sure to trim the taproot before planting walnut-grown chestnuts. This will help form a strong root system.

The third way is even easier. In the fall, after the foliage has fallen, cover the fruits that remain under the tree with it.

How to plant walnut chestnuts

In the spring, after the snow has melted, dig up the leaves. You will definitely find at least one nut sprouted. You just have to take ready-made planting material and plant it in a prepared place. In a couple of weeks you will see the first shoots.

Horse chestnut: secrets of successful cultivation

After planting, caring for the tree should be thorough and regular. The first step is to provide moderate humidity and watering, good lighting. Do not expose the seedling to direct sunlight, as this will destroy it.

If you have already decided how you are going to grow chestnuts from walnut, prepare everything in advance. If this is a pot method, then dig up some soil from the place that will be permanent for the tree and pour it into the pot. If this is planting directly into the ground, then stock up on organic and inorganic fertilizers and apply them to the soil one by one.

Planting chestnuts with nuts should be carried out in a place where there are no other trees at a distance of three meters. Remember that the rest of the plants wither next to the chestnut, so this should be a resting place away from the garden. The soil can be any, but the seedling will take root best of all in loamy soils with a limestone content.

It is also quite possible to grow independently, for example, a cedar from a nut or an oak from an acorn.

We grow chestnuts correctly

What could be more beautiful than lush chestnut blossoms, consisting of many white candles in spring? Lovers of the beauty of nature, as well as people who recognize a healthy lifestyle, should definitely get this wonderful tree in their garden. The fruits of the chestnut are used both for food and in the treatment of folk remedies - it all depends on the variety of the tree. It is widely used for landscaping gardens, squares and parks, since the chestnut is highly decorative, regardless of the season.

Chestnut is called the "sun tree" because its fruits literally absorb the energy of the sun. Trees prefer to grow in open areas. Those wishing to plant this tree need to know how to care for chestnuts at different times of the year.

Types of chestnuts

There are about a dozen types and varieties of chestnut. They can be divided into two large groups:

Horse chestnut. This is a well-known tree that we can find almost everywhere: in gardens, parks and squares, or just on the street. This tree has a voluminous crown, petioled leaves, large, rounded in outline and similar to a human brush. The fruit of such a chestnut is a spherical box, which is covered with thorns. When the fruit reaches maturity, this box opens with 3 leaves. The seed is usually single, brown and shiny.
Stomach. In another way, this type of chestnut is called "real" or "noble". It is a plant whose fruits can be eaten. It belongs to the beech family; it develops especially well and bears fruit in subtropical climates. It has a slightly different form of fruits and leaves. The fruits of the tree contain 2-4 seeds. On the territory of Russia, a tree with edible fruits is very difficult to grow, due to the unsuitable climate. But the fruits of such an edible chestnut can easily be purchased in stores.

Planting a tree

If you decide to acquire this medicinal tree, you should remember that it prefers leached loamy black soil. The advantages of chestnut are that it is quite unpretentious to air pollution, winds and is quite frost-resistant. There are several ways to plant walnut chestnuts or using seedlings.

How to plant chestnut seedlings

Before planting chestnuts, remember to allocate at least 3 m of free space in diameter for each of the seedlings. Otherwise, this tree will not live up to its expectations and will not delight you with a beautiful spreading crown and good fruiting.

It is more convenient to use 1-2 year old seedlings. First, you need to prepare grooves in the ground, about 0.5x0.5x0.5 meters in size. The removed soil should not be thrown anywhere, it is better to mix it with sand and humus (ratio 2: 1: 1), and then add half a kilogram of dolomite flour and the same amount of slaked lime. In each hole, you need to pour 200-250 grams of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer.

A drainage layer 15 cm high should be placed at the bottom of each hole. This can be ordinary crushed stone mixed with sand. You can use pebbles instead of rubble. After that, sprinkle the drainage layer with a mixture of earth and humus prepared for planting. Spill the hole well with water and place the seedling in it. Then fill the hole with soil, gently tamping it with your hands.

The planting mound should be raised about 15-20 centimeters above ground level, because it is necessary to take into account the natural subsidence of the soil under the influence of precipitation. If you are planting large-sized chestnuts, then it is correct to place the root collar of the seedlings 8-10 cm higher than the planting mound. It is not necessary to overestimate the seedlings of low-growing varieties.

To avoid severe damage to your future beautiful tree during windy weather, do not forget to attach the grown seedlings to the support. After the planting procedure, water the plant with warm water.

So, it becomes clear when you can replant the chestnut: either in the fall or in the spring.

Planting chestnut seeds

If there are no seedlings available, then there are simple ways to plant a chestnut from a fruit, namely from its seeds, which look like nuts. They will grow well in the open field and without much interference from the outside.

As a rule, planting chestnuts in autumn is very popular among gardeners, although this plant can be acquired in spring.

Planting chestnut fruits in spring

You can plant a chestnut in the spring, you just need to collect the fruits that have fallen in the fall and store them throughout the winter at a temperature of 5-6 degrees, having previously covered them with sand. As soon as it is time for spring planting in open ground, the overwintered nuts should be prepared by immersing them in warm water for 5 days. As a result, the shell of the chestnut fruit will swell and the so-called embryo will form inside. After soaking the fruits in warm water, you can start planting them.
With this method, one-year-old chestnuts will grow by about 20-25 centimeters in a year, and at the age of five they will already be about 3 meters in height. In principle, the knowledge of how to plant walnut chestnuts is absolutely not complicated and every summer resident and gardener can do it on their own.

Planting chestnut fruits in autumn

If you are still going to plant a chestnut in the golden season, then it should be remembered that transplanting a chestnut in the fall requires certain processing from the fruits. After you have collected the nuts fallen in the fall, you need to carry out the procedure for stratification of the fruits. In other words, it is keeping the seeds of the tree in the cold. To do this, put the nuts in an open cardboard box, sprinkle them with sand and put them in a cold basement or refrigerator for 10-13 days. The most optimal air temperature for this procedure is 5-6 degrees Celsius. After successful stratification, you can safely place cold-treated seeds in open ground.

The grooves at the chestnut planting site should be well shed with water, and then deepened by 6-7 centimeters. Seeds should be placed in grooves at a distance of 10-15 centimeters from each other. After that, you do not need to bury them, you can simply cover them with fallen spring leaves. We can assume that after this your future tree is completely prepared for wintering, and green shoots will appear in the spring. Your task will be to thin out the emerged seedlings, leaving the strongest plants.

How to care for a chestnut

You have already chosen for yourself a suitable method of transplanting a tree, decided on the season, but questions still remain. For example, you are probably interested in the question - how to care for a chestnut? There is practically nothing difficult to maintain this tree in beauty and health in your garden.

Each season, you need to loosen the soil around your tree several times, and water the plant as needed (for example, in a too hot summer). The main thing is not to overdo it. It should be remembered that as the chestnut germinates, its own rather powerful root system is formed, which supplies the tree with the necessary amount of moisture.

At the onset of autumn, cover the peri-stem circle of the tree approximately 10-12 centimeters thick with any suitable materials: fallen leaves or sawdust, dry grass.

If you dream that your chestnut has a lush, spreading deciduous crown, then, as soon as spring comes, arm yourself with garden scissors and give your growing plants a small "shortening haircut". Prune the topmost branches of the trees to a quarter of their length.

Fertilize the chestnut tree once a year. This is best done in early spring. Then your plant will thank you with mesmerizing flowering and spreading foliage for such a beneficial care of it. For fertilization, take a 15 liter bucket and dilute 20 grams of ammonium nitrate in it. After that, add 1 kilogram of fresh manure, 15 grams of urea and 20-25 grams of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer to the solution. Organic compost can help improve the structure of the soil in which your chestnuts grow.

Healing properties of chestnut

Not only because of the beauty and thick shade, this plant is grown. The analgesic, antithrombotic and venotonic properties of chestnut are often used in homeopathy to treat many diseases. Even healers in Tibet, many years ago, believed that some varieties of chestnut are a very effective remedy for the treatment of varicose veins and thrombophlebitis. The pharmaceutical industry makes many medicines by adding horse chestnut extract to their preparations.

Chestnut seeds have good anti-inflammatory properties.

Decoctions from horse chestnut seeds have a tanning effect, increase the stability of capillaries and prevent the formation of blood clots in the vascular system.

Horse chestnut extract helps to increase the tone of the vessels of the venous type and accelerate venous blood flow.

Since the chestnut fruit helps to improve blood clotting, it is not recommended to use it as a medicine for people with stomach ulcers or gastrointestinal bleeding.

For a variety of respiratory conditions, doctors often prescribe chestnut seed powder. Also, this powder has long been used in folk medicine as a wound healing agent, especially for boils, burns and abscesses.

The plant is also used to treat other diseases.

How to plant and grow nut chestnuts

For example, for hemorrhoids, digestive disorders, rheumatism, gout, neuritis and other diseases, folk healers recommend tinctures and ointments from the components of this tree.

Basically, these medicinal properties are mainly possessed by the horse chestnut variety. However, edible species are low in fat and carbohydrates and are a favorite food for vegetarians. The fruits of this chestnut have a pleasant taste and a wide range of nutrients. Many different dishes and desserts can be prepared from them. Residents of France even have their own holiday dedicated to this wonderful tree, and consider chestnut dishes their own national product.

More information on the topic: http://vseorehi.ru

Step-by-step instructions for growing

Growing a chestnut from a nut at home is a rather painstaking business, it requires special rules:

You need to collect the fruits in the autumn, when they reach the peak of maturity, fall from the trees.
In order for the nut to start germinating and the tree to be hardy, stratification will be required. If you need to sow nuts in the fall, you will need to place each fruit in a container with a moist, cold environment. To do this, sprinkle the nuts with wet sand, put them on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator or in the basement for 9-12 days. Stratification will help the fetus break through and start growing.
If the planting period is planned for the spring, then you need to know how to grow a chestnut from a nut. To do this, for the winter they need to be left stratified in a warm environment. Fruits must be poured with warm water and left for 5 days, if the water cools down, you will need to replace it with a new one. In such an environment, the shell of the nut will soften, and the embryo will swell.
To germinate an edible chestnut, the cultivation of the fruit should take place at a depth of 3 cm, and the diameter of the hole should not exceed three nuts. If the chestnut is planted in the fall, the ascent process will occur two weeks faster than with the spring planting. It should be remembered that it is the spring planting that provides the tree with resistance to cold weather and good strengthening in the soil.

Planting chestnuts in winter

The easy way to grow

There are rules on how to germinate a chestnut at home, when followed, you can achieve a good result in growing a tree.

Chestnut is an amazing tree, it is considered the most ancient type of nut, delicious, very useful for the human body.

How to plant walnut chestnuts in your area

This is the only variety of nuts that contains vitamins of group C. To plant such a tree at home, you need to know how to germinate chestnuts from a nut, follow all growing rules. Observing them will ensure the germination of a strong, hardy tree, which will delight you with its tasty and nutritious fruits.

Chestnut in St. Petersburg is not common, but the more attractive are chestnut alleys against the background of maples or lindens. I also really wanted to grow a chestnut on my site, but I have never seen chestnut seedlings on sale. Then it was decided to grow a chestnut from the fruit, especially since there was an abundance of them on the trees.

“Scrolling through” the Internet, I was able to find only an approximate description of the procedure how to grow a chestnut from a nut - this is the fruit of a chestnut.

How to plant and grow horse chestnut

Therefore, she acted rather intuitively.

It turned out to be easy to grow a chestnut from a nut, but it took a lot of time for germination and rooting of the fruit. Therefore, if you have good patience, let's get started.

It is necessary to start working with chestnut in the second decade of October.

Pick chestnuts from the ground. Clean the seed from the pericarp and choose for planting: the darker in color the nut is, the better. But choose fruits not empty, light and soft, that is, spoiled, but heavy ones with a shiny and hard shell.

Where I looked at the chestnuts, there were few nuts on the ground; they were collected by a neighbor and divided among all comers; I got three nuts. In 2013, I started growing chestnuts from fruits.

I soaked the chestnut fruits in a solution of Zircon for a day.

A day later, on October 11, I found a place in the garden in a flower garden with perennial flowers and good garden soil, without fresh fertilizers; a piece of land is illuminated by the sun almost all day. I dug a hole and filled it with a mixture of ash, dolomite and sand. No fertilizers!

I planted three chestnuts: I simply laid them out in a triangle, gently pressing them into the ground, as if planting winter garlic, that is, to a depth of 2-2.5 times greater than the height of the nut. Sprinkled with the remaining sand and covered with a thick heap of fallen leaves.

The chestnuts survived the winter safely in the garden, which means they underwent natural stratification. On March 23rd I dug up the chestnuts, one of the fruits had already cracked shells and a sprout was visible.

Chestnut, 2nd season after planting

I planted all three chestnuts at home in plastic pots, and did not cover the top of the nut much. Potted soil was purchased for growing any plants, but I added loose humus to it.

I was very surprised when the chestnuts began to grow very quickly: in just a little over a week they already had tall stems with a five-leafed leaf at the top, and after three days a second leaf appeared.

Home care for the chestnut consisted only of watering.

In mid-early May, I transferred the grown plant to a closed veranda to prepare it for planting in the garden.

She planted all three chestnuts at the end of May, covering them for the first time with plastic jars with open lids. The place was sunny without stagnant water.

For the winter, while the chestnuts are gaining strength, I cover them with spruce branches.

To date, a year and 4 months have passed since the chestnuts were planted in the garden. In the photo above on the right is one of my chestnuts. All this time, they are undergoing acclimatization: the foliage is still giving little, increasing the root system. In the spring I feed them with nitrogen fertilizers, in the summer I keep the soil moist. I haven't seen any pests or diseases on the chestnut yet.

As you can see, growing a chestnut from its own fruit is not difficult, although laborious, but very interesting.