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Post by chummer16 on Feb 12, 2017 19:48:55 GMT -6
Here are the bur oaks I planted. I thought I beat the system by finding 12 year old trees. Not so. I was hoping for acorns by now but I don't think it is going to happen. I have higher hopes for my hazelnuts from SNL. They are rated for zone 3. I have 20 of them unprotected for two years now. So far the deer have not touched them. Hoping for nuts this year.
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Post by nhmountains on Feb 12, 2017 19:58:59 GMT -6
What year were the bur oaks planted?
I'm guessing there'd be a lost year while they reset their roots. They'll put on some girth and be producing soon. I opened up two northern reds that size in my main orchard yesterday. I couldn't cut them. They'll be producing in 3-4 years. Same with yours now. We opened one up the size of yours 3 winters ago. It produced acorns this year.
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Post by nhmountains on Feb 12, 2017 20:01:06 GMT -6
I have wild beaked hazelnuts that produce nuts but, something eats them all around the first week in September. They're they one weekend and gone the next.
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Post by smsmith on Feb 12, 2017 20:08:29 GMT -6
Your hazel looks quite a bit different than the native hazels here
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Post by nhmountains on Feb 12, 2017 20:09:39 GMT -6
I'd still give those burs time. They may be setting their feet. The other issue those is even if they live they may be susceptible to late frosts that knock out the nuts for that year but, if they do produce you'll have a hotspot on the good years for sure.
If you want to try just planting acorns I can get you northern reds and white oaks acorns for next fall. They'll grow if you plant them in those new cuts. You may not see them produce nuts but somebody down the road might.
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Post by nhmountains on Feb 12, 2017 20:11:04 GMT -6
Your hazel looks quite a bit different than the native hazels here Yeah mine are more bush like. His look tree like.
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Post by chummer16 on Feb 12, 2017 20:27:17 GMT -6
What year were the bur oaks planted? I'm guessing there'd be a lost year while they reset their roots. They'll put on some girth and be producing soon. I opened up two northern reds that size in my main orchard yesterday. I couldn't cut them. They'll be producing in 3-4 years. Same with yours now. We opened one up the size of yours 3 winters ago. It produced acorns this year. They were planted in 2013. I think I planted 9 of them across the back of a field. They get full sun so hopefully they grow at some point.
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Post by chummer16 on Feb 12, 2017 20:30:25 GMT -6
Your hazel looks quite a bit different than the native hazels here They were a hybrid that SNL had before they sold. Many of them started to send up suckers this year so I think they will give up the tree form and revert to a shrub in the next couple years.
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Post by chummer16 on Feb 13, 2017 13:05:55 GMT -6
Chummer, I'd send an email to Greg Miller at Empire Chestnut in Ohio and see what he thinks about your area. He's got connections and knowledge and should be honest with you. I'm guessing with my Dunstans overall I'm getting a 20-30% survival after rate after 2-3 years but, that's with leaving them unprotected. I've had better luck with cages and aluminum window screen than tubes. I'm guessing my oldest which are actual seedlings from Chestnut Hill in Florida are going to produce burs and catkins this year. They are planted on a north facing slope and initially were in a lower light location. I think early spring thaws can cause damage to chestnuts when followed by a cold snap. Do this 4-5 times each spring and there'll be dieback. I think tubes may mimic this and cause issues when in full light when they are younger So my theory was to lessen the spring thaw effect and keep them more dormant until true spring. It's worked except they don't grow as fast as others. They were planted spring of 2011. They are now 8' with good girth. I kept them low light for 3 years while their roots got planted. Then opened a little in 2014 and more in 2015. This should be the year they take off I hope. I gave a friend some that produced catkins and burs after 3 years but, it was in full sun and more south of mine. If I were you I'd either plant seeds or buy bare root and get 10-15. Baby them at home one year. Clear a spot. Get cages and plenty window screen and plant them after babying them for a year or even two. I wouldn't tube. As for your deep snows that may cause lower limbs to be broken off as the leaves may allow more snow and ice to attach and rip them when it clings. www.empirechestnut.com/catalog.htmNH, thanks for the lead. He recommends the wildlife hybrids as my best chance. He thinks I could expect 50% survival rates for the tundra area I will be planting. I can live with those odds so I will be ordering some.
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Post by nhmountains on Feb 13, 2017 13:53:41 GMT -6
Chummer,
They have a tendency to branch out low (see my photos) if you prune them to a central leader and can get that leader above your snowpack then your odds will be better. Otherwise I think the weight of the ice and snow will break those lower limbs. So if you pampered them at home for a year or two you'd be at 7-8' and then more ready for your snows.
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Post by chummer16 on Feb 13, 2017 14:02:25 GMT -6
Chummer, They have a tendency to branch out low (see my photos) if you prune them to a central leader and can get that leader above your snowpack then your odds will be better. Otherwise I think the weight of the ice and snow will break those lower limbs. So if you pampered them at home for a year or two you'd be at 7-8' and then more ready for your snows. I have some 7 gallon root trapper bags I can use. Unfortunately with my apples I have learned how easy snow pack rips young branches off.
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Post by kabic on Apr 21, 2017 17:36:35 GMT -6
Yesterday when i took a short break from Turkey Hunting, I cleaned out the leaves I had inside and around the cages for winter mulch. The question now is, do I leave them totally encased in the screen or should I fold it down?
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Post by nhmountains on Apr 21, 2017 18:27:07 GMT -6
I'd put a cage around it if you have one. That should put on a lot of growth this year.
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Post by smallchunk on Apr 22, 2017 7:10:54 GMT -6
It looks like both of my American chestnuts have made it through the winter
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Post by kabic on Apr 22, 2017 7:20:02 GMT -6
I'd put a cage around it if you have one. That should put on a lot of growth this year. It has a cage (photo earlier in this thread), I took it off to clean out the leaves.
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