Been doing some reading on how Chestnut trees, specificaly Dunstan Chestnut trees can be a great mast food source. Sounds like they bear much quicker than oaks (under 5 years). Tell me what you know about them. Sounds like the grow big nuts!!!
I have heard a lot of great things about them. They produce fast and live very long. They need more than one tree to pollinate so several are recommended. They bloom sometime in July I believe so there is no risk of frosting. I believe that they produce every single year as well. I hear that deer will gobble those suckers up, which I can't blame them because I go nuts over them too. Ive read that Dustans a resistant to blight so that shouldn't be a problem. I am going to plant quite a few chestnuts myself once i get a piece of property of my own. I also am waiting to hear about the results of the 15/16ths American Chestnut trees on how they do against blight. I had a thread about chestnuts myself this past year and it had some useful info on it...check it out if you want some more info.
"Sounds like the grow big nuts!!!" They must have originated from michigan! sorry, but.... I couldn't resist! these are on my to plant list, have a buddy who has some and the deer devour them.
Is it an early hunting season food source or just a summer? Where are good places to plant them. What about on an edge if a good plot? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
his drop in late September into October. They would do great along a food plot. (as long as they were in a spot where they got ample sun light) I have been looking at colossal chestnut also. if you plant some be sure and put them in tree tubes or fence them with five foot fencing so deer can't eat the tree off on you.
Brad, I planted 5 Dunstan Chestnuts last spring I believe not far from your camp, Wittenberg area. This is the northern edge of their range, three died do to I believe too much water, the other two I'm waiting to see if they make it through the winter which this year has been more normal than the past few. They're expensive trees so I'm not investing in more until I know they can survive. If I do more I'll buy seed and start them that way, I'll also be trying the Chinese variety since its suppose to be a bit more hardy and similar draw for wildlife.
Ok. Please keep me updated by shooting me some PMs as this progresses. I would like to know how it turns out. Do you have sand or clay soils by you? My land is about 20 miles west of Antigo so yeah I just a little to the northwest of you. Bringing up Wittenberg is making me hungry for bacon.
I'll let you know how they come out of winter, if they survive I'll be adding more. I have both sand and clay. 80 acre hardwoods thats has clay soils, 40 acres of swamp with some higher areas of sand. I potted them to start, that's when I lost 3, the last two are planted on the edge of a pond, in the soil from the digging process so a mix of sand and clay. Badgersett Nursery has a hybrid chestnut, can't call it Dunstan because Dunstans are patented. Badgersett is located in Minnesota so should be able to withstand a Midwest winter. I'll try these either way in the future.
Brad About ten years ago I planted 25 of them 4 or 5 survived the first winter none survived the second. I believe we are to far north for them. Dean
I have one tree on a fence line... our horse loves them but don't step on the shucks barefooted. I may have to order some the size of those pictured wow! I love them as well, roasted on a gas grill and chopped up in multi-grain muffins.
I went to Dr. Deers for his field day in March he has 2 of my planters ans was showing them and talking about them. Anyway there was a chestnut expert there and they produce quicker and the chestnuts are bigger and taste better to the deer. I did have his card and info but I lost it if I find it I will give you his info so you can talk to him.
Brad, none of my remaining Dunstans made it through the winter. Need to try another variety or rule chestnuts out of the equation in north central Wisconsin
