Update #53: Chestnuts into the Fridge!!

John puts 354 Chestnuts into the fridge for a nice winter’s cold-stratifying nap. Are YOU starting any Chestnuts from seed this year?!

[@pixaxeprepper384]

We have 8 trees on our property in SE Virginia. I just picked up hundreds of seeds. I have potted 25 seeds and leave outside to go through the winder. By spring, I shall see it growing. I have 10 acres and open field behind us. Like to fill in the back with chestnuts mostly for wildlife. Deer have a rough time through hunting season and at 68 years old and combat veteran, I am tired of seeing death. So, wild animals have some food. Apple trees also provide a favorite for them. My garden is 1 acre, I see possums, rabbits, skunks, snakes, squirrels, bald eagles, hawks, owls, and plenty of others. I sit out back with coffee and the skunks, squirrels, possums, and deer walk up right to me and say thanks. Chestnuts are a great food source for all. BTW, planted persimmon, asian pears, and peach trees also. All for our friends that slither and have 4 legs. They are about 30 feet high now.

[@johnsangl]

Sounds like a slice of paradise! Nice job! I still harvest an animal here and there but definitely appreciate Nature and work to maximize my land’s food potential for wildlife. I’m gonna get some Asian pears too!

[@CountryViewAcres]

I got mine in the mail and did the same thing. I got my video posted this morning. I left a link to your channel in my description. Your videos have helped me. Thanks.

[@johnsangl]

Thank you & good luck!!

[@sirikank.hatfield550]

I really interested in growing the chestnut trees. we have two of them in our Fram property already. I picked them out from the ground under the tree. and doing some study about American chestnuts. I am going to try out I have some great seeds already. I am glad to see the VDO you posted. I thought the seeds can't be put on top of each other.. Haha silly me thank you.

[@johnsangl]

If you already have a couple growing on the farm, that's a good sign that others will grow well too. Good luck growing more chestnuts!

[@jimdent351]

Last fall I picked up a bunch of seed from the grocery store and put 10 in the fridge for stratification. I checked them the other day and saw that a couple of them had sprouts that were 1/8 inch long, and there was a couple more that was starting to crack in the part of the seed when the sprout comes out. Having said that I think I'll be getting at least 5 of the 10 to grow. Now, my question is knowing what kind of tree will I end up with if the seeds were imported from Italy? Any ideas? Thanks

[@johnsangl]

Most likely Sativa - you’ll have blight issues if you’re East of the Rockies. Fun experiment to try though!

[@jimdent351]

@@johnsangl Yes I am East of the Rockies in Southern ON Canada. We do however have surviving American Chestnut trees in my area. The one tree is estimated to be more than 70 yo, and is a strong healthy tree. This leaves me hopeful that these chestnuts might produce healthy mature trees. Several years back I was at a pumpkin farm not far from here and as we rode in the wagon around the farm the tractor stopped to show the kids the pumpkin field, and proceeded to point out the 2 chestnut trees that were standing in excess of 15 feet and were heavily loaded with burrs. We were told at the time they were Italian chestnuts. I've since learned that there isn't necessarily such a thing and are probably just European Chestnuts. I'm hoping these ones I got are the same thing because I know those trees I saw at that farm were doing really well.

[@onevision23]

Hi John as always I appreciate the videos. Deep South Homestead sent me over to say hi.

[@johnsangl]

Thanks for the kind words! Good luck growing!

[@loredana8716]

How long do you keep them in the fridge and do you ever moisten the peat moss again?

[@johnsangl]

I typically keep them in the fridge until late March.

[@candlelightbeesgardening]

Do people really eat chestnuts that much? I'm still figuring out why people like them so much. As a grower I like that anyone grows anything though. And the idea of how to sprout trees is very cool. Curious what the fail rate of the seeds is? (And would other tree seeds done the same way have similar success rates or different?)

[@johnsangl]

Some people love them, some people tolerate them, some people hate them. Some cultures use them in large quantities. Fail rate of sprouting seeds can be as low as 1 or 2% and as high as 100% depending on how well mold is controlled. I expect about 10% seedling mortality each of the first 3 years. If you get trees thru the first 3 years, they are likely to grow to maturity.

[@peterarmstrong4330]

Have you tried cloning chestnut trees? Do you always start from a seed. Can it be done?

[@johnsangl]

U can do leaf cuttings or graft.

[@johnmatherne6823]

I had to watch this one again since I am going to do this with nuts from my best tree that was loaded. I gifted a dozen nuts to a neighbor who had lost a big tree and the other tree wasn’t getting pollinated. He told me the deer would hang back in the woods and when they heard the burrs and nuts fall they would come eat them up even in the middle of the day. My goal!

[@johnsangl]

It won't take long until you bring your dream into a reality!

[@yedidyah-jedshlomoh1533]

@@johnsangl I started about 100 last year. I have 12 pounds this year. I hope yours turned out well.

[@johnsangl]

@@yedidyah-jedshlomoh1533 They have turned out very well - harvesting chestnuts currently from the Orchard that I started!

[@yedidyah-jedshlomoh1533]

@@johnsangl Wonderful!

[@candlelightbeesgardening]

I want to comment here. I'm in a different area than you guys, but out by the Rockies we usually only see the deer really early in the morning or sometimes before sunset. I thought by saying this you might have more window of opportunity to try to see the animals around you.

[@edglass9912]

After the chestnuts are collected how long before you can stratify them. I live in central Virginia and we are picking them up now. Can I proceed to stratify them now? Thanks for your video. Ed from Lynchburg

[@johnsangl]

Some people have suggested letting them dry for a couple days and then putting them straight into stratification. Others put straight into stratification. I've done both & not noticed a difference in mold problems or in germination. I'd stratify now.

[@edglass9912]

Ok! Thanks for letting me know! Ed from Lynchburg

[@awake2freedom380]

How many months do you leave the chestnuts in the fridge. And when to check to see if they have sprouted.

[@johnsangl]

From Late October thru mid-March.

[@theCodyReeder]

So weird watching thees so soon after they come out. Anyway I just bought some seeds!

[@johnsangl]

I find there is less mold w the earlier ordered seeds. I get them in the fridge ASAP!

[@theCodyReeder]

@@johnsangl so bit of an update I got all of my seeds put in peat moss and in the garage for cold storage about a moth ago, no mold yet, yay! on that note after doing my video on the carboniferous I've realized why the peat will hinder fungus growth; Its acidic! like, acidic enough to kill a lot of plants... but chestnuts like acid so I'm not worried.

[@johnsangl]

Good to hear you have no mold!!

[@rayhitt5564]

What temperature do you have your fridge set on?

[@johnsangl]

As close to freezing without freezing…

[@xX4estXx]

Awesome! I'm stratifying Chinese chestnuts and American chestnuts this winter. Do you know how to plant seedlings in already wooded areas? I have woodland with some open canopy, enough sun for tree starts I would say. Any advice would be appreciated!

[@johnsangl]

Trees will need genetics that resist blight and that will likely make the trees shorter than your dominant wooded areas. They will be unlikely to successfully compete and become productive in that setting. American chestnuts can compete but will get blight and die back. The GMO American Chestnut is probably your best bet and isn’t released yet. You can still try though- that’s part of the fun!

[@xX4estXx]

@JohnSangl is it the blight resistant species just naturally shorter than the American? Chestnuts require full sun, so they won't exist happily as understory, right?

[@pittsburghatecore]

Is there a certain way to position the seeds? Flat side up/down etc?

[@johnsangl]

I put the flat side down. If it’s a middle hit w two flat sides, it doesn’t matter, just pick a side.

[@skybrochu3737]

How big should the container and if I don't have a container that is not a air tight container should I poke holes

[@johnsangl]

Definitely need to allow for a little air movement or you'll run into significant mold issues.

[@daltonv5206]

I'll be doing this shortly! Can't wait! Starting out with ten nuts. Let's see what happens

[@johnsangl]

Good luck!!

[@daltonv5206]

@@johnsangl ten pure American seeds went into the fridge today

[@aarongoeppner413]

Been sending this link to my buddies that wanna grow their own trees!

[@johnsangl]

Thanks! It’s definitely the cheapest route and you can get more varieties as well if you trade w people or buy from multiple sources.

[@3dmachine]

Hi John first thanks for your great informative videos and second i just want to know for how long the seeds will start sprouting inside the fridge?

[@johnsangl]

It usually takes 2.5-3 months for the root to begin emerging from the nut. By the time I put them in soil under lights to begin sprouting, the root is usually 1.5-2 inches long.

[@frankgolesic6278]

Have tried the same the same thing with walnuts . Stratifyed in fridge Nov1 , but no activity in any seed I have planted . Should I be seeing a root or some activity by now ? Do they have to be out of fridge for any activity to occur ? Would appreciate any help , brand new to this !

[@johnsangl]

If no root, just keep them in the fridge, they'll eventually poke out a root. Plant them then.

[@salchiaramonte6324]

How long do they stay in the refrigerator, then what ??

[@johnsangl]

You can watch my videos on planting the seeds each Spring for all of those details! You can keep them in the fridge for anywhere from 2-3months out to some people keeping them for over a year before planting.

[@frankm3027]

Hey John do you wash the seeds before putting them in the containers? I’ve cold stratified about 100 seeds for CROPK and had to throw two out after a month due to a small amount of mold.

[@johnsangl]

I don’t wash them. I expect to lose a few every year due to mold.

[@jamessteffens8337]

Whare can I or should I buy seeds. Jim80

[@johnsangl]

It’s a little late for this year - Options to buy seeds are Route 9 Cooperative in Carrollton, OH, Chestnut Ridge of Pike County - IL, Red Fern Farm - IA or HARC - MO. There are other good options, these are the ones I have experience with.

[@andrewsimmons6663]

I tried this 2 mos ago but used soil not peat. Just checked fridge and no roots yet.Any advice?

[@johnsangl]

Wait longer. Some of mine take until May to start putting out roots. Most sprout a root by early Feb, though.

[@mtnmanrab]

my wife put some chestnuts in a plastic container in the refrigerator and They sprouted so we planted them. That's all you need to do is put them in a plastic container in the refrigerator and they will sprout

[@johnsangl]

True. They are not hard to sprout. If you want long-term replicable success with minimal molding issues year-after-year, you’d probably want a better plan.

[@candlelightbeesgardening]

Does the plastic bag or container get H2O just from the fridge saturating in there? Or... how? It sounds like people don't put much water in there...?

[@branchingoutpermaculturewi4766]

love the video. im having trouble getting my seed to sprout in the fridge. it could be two things temperature and moisture your thoughts on this as i would like to be successful this year i have 100 nuts to stratify. im in nanticoke ontario off of lake erie zone 6b

[@johnsangl]

Buy seeds as soon as they are available, you'll have less mold if the nuts are fresh. You need a *little* moisture, but not a lot. Best of luck!

[@cboyd1017]

What is the process after you put in fridge? How long should you keep em? Should they be checked for sprouts?

[@johnsangl]

I check every 3-4 weeks to ensure no mold has developed. Watch a video about that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHfPgnyVoMZohqs I used to put the Nuts under lights in February but they become too leggy and I get tired of taking care of them that long. Now I start them in Early April(our last frost is mid-May). Video of that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6qakot6j9KAgLc Then I begin hardening them off outside. Video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYfamHygabSaqJo

[@larryroberts8607]

You check for mold periodically. Do you remove all the chestnuts and then replace them? The mold issues I had this year had developed just in one bottom corner of the container.

[@johnsangl]

Seems like there are always a few bits that go bad over the winter. If they’re really moldy(lots of dirt stuck to them), I toss them.

[@_jurist]

Don’t necessarily want to tell you how to do what you’re doing but I think if you would get a spray bottle, put a handful in give it a couple sprays put a handful and give it a couple sprays put a handful in give it a couple sprays and so on it would be a little less messy and I think you get a more even wetness.

[@johnsangl]

I appreciate the tip - however, if you’ve ever worked with pure peat moss, you would know that your method would fail miserably. Peat resists absorbing water which is why I have to mix it thoroughly first. Also, the goal is not to get more moisture. I carefully control moisture from the start to avoid mold. Thanks for watching.

[@_jurist]

JohnSangl okay, Have you tried saw dust? Another guy uses it and buried the nuts in a bucket. 😐

[@johnifly]

@@johnsangl A GREAT way to get peat moss to suck up water, I boil water in a pot and once boiling, I take it off the burner and pour so much in a smaller bag of peat moss and mix it up, then pour more in and mix it up. Do this several times and the peat moss will EASILY soak up boiling water and then I close the bag up and let it sit overnight. Next day the peat moss will be moist and ready to use! ;-)

[@milanstraka1107]

Hi John! Do you have any experience as to whether it is better to plant the large nuts or nuts that are sold as nuts for platning? there is a different in price and I wonder if there are any benefits? Thank you!

[@johnsangl]

I’ve only planted the XL and wildlife tree seeds. Couldn’t really see a difference at this point.

[@MrMockingbird1313]

Hi John, This is an excellent video. When you transplant into pots and then into the field, does ph become a problem? Do you add suphur to keep the root area acidic?

[@johnsangl]

My soil is perfectly acidic (pH 5.5-5.8) for chestnuts so no problem there.

[@moemulkey2264]

👍

[@sfetterly6200]

Would you recommend buying chestnut seeds or getting them from the government agencies???

[@johnsangl]

I think having a mix of sources is good. I’ve only grown seeds from Chestnut Ridge of Pike County and those from my own orchard so those are the only ones I’ve had experience with. What government agency were you thinking?

[@frankm3027]

How often do you check on the seeds? And how long typically before you plant them?

[@johnsangl]

I check them monthly while in the refrigerator. I start them under lights in late March/early April and plant in the orchard or nursery about 3 months later.

[@Rytoast99]

Great process! This is a dumb question cause I know you’ve said it somewhere but how long is the minimum amount of time required to cold stratify the chestnuts?

[@johnsangl]

Not sure the minimum, but I put mine in the fridge in mid-October and sometime later in January the root starts poking out. They’re ready to plant at that time. I hold off until early April to reduce the amount of work though.

[@stevenholton438]

Also known as Vernalisation!

[@andrewbaumgartner6962]

Is it okay to freeze them instead of putting them in the refrigerator?

[@duynamvlog]

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[@johnsangl]

Gumamit ako ng Google Translate at hindi ko pa rin naiintindihan ang iyong komento.

[@c.a.martin3029]

You're planning on adding 300 more trees in your orchard or selling these trees? You'll soon need specialized equipment to pick up all those Chestnuts, or a dozen migrant farm workers.

[@johnsangl]

I will be planting some & selling some.

[@thehawknelsonfreak]

Interested in starting a weed farm?

[@johnsangl]

That’s funny! Not sure I’m good enough to compete commercially and definitely not ready to go to jail 😬.

[@thehawknelsonfreak]

@@johnsangl bet you won't

[@johnbalasa711]

why go to trouble ,when you can planted directly in outside in the designated place ,or pots,let nature do the job,it working for me.

[@johnsangl]

Whatever works for you. Not saying my way is the only way. Starting indoors gives plants a head start when you live in Northern climates. Also can protect from rodents eating your seed.

[@drewjohnson4673]

Natures squirrels will thank you.

[@RodneyJKemp]

Probably a good idea to use sterile gloves when handling seeds

[@johnsangl]

I’ve never considered that. I do wash my hands with soap and water before starting. I have over 95% germination so I’ve never looked for additional ways to do it. They would keep the dirt from underneath my fingernails though!

[@winterszhuzhupets2]

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[@mrThoreKarlsson]

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