Horse chestnut will bloom in Siberia. Grow chestnut from seeds in the Urals

Horse chestnut is a perennial plant (tree or shrub), planting which on the streets, in parks and individual plots helps to purify the atmospheric air. As studies by Swedish scientists have shown, about 20,000 cubic meters can be cleaned from car exhaust gases with one copy of this breed. m of air. The article talks about the rules for planting and caring for this wonderful plant in open ground conditions. Breeders have bred various decorative varieties of chestnut, photos of some of them are presented on the site page. The methods of its reproduction and the frequency of fertilization are also highlighted.

Varieties and varieties of horse chestnut

Common horse chestnut reaches 30 m in height. It has large palmate leaves and pyramidal racemes with white-pink flowers. As you can see in the photo, ornamental plant varieties can have a variety of crown shapes - in the form of a ball, column, pyramid, or with branches pointing downwards, like a weeping willow. Their flowers can be not only white, but also yellow, pink or red, be simple or double. The leaves of the tree may be green, variegated or golden.

Flowering chestnut tree

In addition to horse chestnut, the most common are the following: plant varieties:

• California chestnut. The birthplace of this variety is the western states of America. Trees reach 10 meters in height, are characterized by an erect trunk, white-pink flowers are collected in inflorescences, the diameter of which can reach up to 20 cm.

California chestnut

• Chestnut flesh-red. This variety is most common in Ukraine, in the Crimea and in countries located in the south of the Baltic states. The height of the trees can be from 15 to 25 m, the fruits are rounded, the flowers are painted in dark pink or dark red, the leaves are dark green, leathery, and do not tolerate drought.

Chestnut meat-red

• The chestnut is yellow. The natural place of growth is the eastern states of America. It can reach 30 m in height, the crown has a pyramidal shape, the leaves are finely toothed, wedge-shaped, with a yellowish tint on the underside. This variety is the most cold-resistant of all types of chestnut, its flowering begins 15-20 days later than the common chestnut.

chestnut yellow

• Small-flowered chestnut. It is a shrub reaching 5 m in height, creating dense thickets. Grows in the southeastern United States. Its leaves consist of 5-7 leaflets, the underside of which is pubescent and has a grayish tint, the flowers are pink-white in color.

Small-flowered chestnut

• Red chestnut (pavia). It occurs in the eastern states of the United States in the form of a tree, the maximum height of which is 12 m or a shrub, no more than 6 m in height. The flowers have a bright red color, the surface of the fruit is smooth, without bristles.

chestnut red

• Japanese chestnut. Reaches 30 m, has a straight, narrow trunk, from which spreading branches extend widely. The stipules of this species can be quite long, sometimes reaching 16 cm, the inflorescences are yellowish-white, the ripening fruits are pear-shaped.

Japanese chestnut

Planting seedlings

For planting horse chestnut seedlings, well-lit areas with loamy soil are most suitable. The distance from the future tree to other objects - buildings or plants - should be 5 m. This will allow its crown to develop well. Chestnut roots are quite sensitive to stagnation or lack of water in the soil. You can improve the quality of clay soil by adding sand, sandy - by adding humus or mature compost. Soil with an acidity of no more than 7.5 is suitable for growing horse chestnut, acidity can be reduced by adding quicklime.

When planting a chestnut tree, leave enough space for the crop to grow.

Landing sequence:

1. A hole is dug with sides of 50-60 cm.
2. If the soil is clayey, a layer of sand or gravel 10-15 cm thick is poured onto the bottom, which will help remove excess water.
3. The seedling is installed in the pit in such a way that after watering and subsidence of the earth, the root neck is at the level of the surface of the pit.
4. The voids between the roots of the seedling and the walls of the pit are filled up with a pre-prepared earthen substrate, including slaked lime (if the soil is acidic), rotted manure and dolomite flour.
5. Abundant watering of the plant, installation of a prop, which will provide support for the young tree during powerful gusts of wind.

Advice. In order for the seedlings to take root well, it is necessary to monitor the soil moisture during the first week after planting, preventing it from drying out.

tree care

After planting during the first years, horse chestnut seedlings require the following care:

horse chestnut sapling

• periodic top dressing;
• regular watering in dry weather;
• loosening the soil with subsequent mulching of its surface with peat, wood chips or sawdust to improve the flow of air to the roots and prevent the growth of weeds;
• decorative varieties with a beautiful crown shape need annual pruning, in other varieties dried or damaged branches are removed.

Advice. To protect the roots of young seedlings from severe frosts for the winter, the surface of the tree trunks should be insulated with a layer of fallen leaves. Wrapping with one or two layers of burlap will help protect the trunk from the appearance of frost holes. If the trunk is damaged by frost, it is treated with an antiseptic and a layer of garden pitch is applied.

Using fertilizers to feed trees

Horse chestnut is fed in spring and autumn. On a bucket of water in the spring take 1 kg of mullein, 25 g of ammonium nitrate and 15 g of urea. For top dressing in early autumn, it is enough to dissolve 15 g of nitroammophoska in 10 liters. A good fertilizer is humus or compost, which can be applied in a 10 cm thick layer to the soil under a tree before digging the soil in the autumn.

Reproduction of horse chestnut

Reproduction of horse chestnut is easiest to produce by seeds, planting root offspring, rooting cuttings or cuttings is less popular. The fruits of the plant are stratified before planting.

Propagate horse chestnut seeds

To do this, prepare a wooden box, fill it with moistened sand. Chestnuts that have fallen from a tree are placed in warm water for several days, changing it daily, and then placed in a box of sand. The box is placed in a cellar or other cool place. After the May frosts, with warming, the fruits should be planted in a prepared place to a depth of 10 cm.

Advice. Shortening the tap root of a 2-year-old seedling by one-third will result in the development of additional lateral roots and the growth of a lush spreading crown.

Horse chestnut pests and diseases they cause

The main pests of chestnut:

By planting a chestnut tree near your home, you can improve the urban atmosphere saturated with exhaust gases, which is unfavorable for health, and give a beautiful look to your yard and street. From the collected inflorescences and tree bark, you can prepare medicinal products for external use. The shade of the tree will protect well from the summer heat, and the powerful crown from gusts of wind.

Horse chestnut: video

Flowering horse chestnut: photo

The chestnut blossoms for two weeks

Chestnut is a beautiful sprawling tree culture 20-25 m high.

For two weeks, it pleases with its flowering, and by October it gives fruits that have many useful properties. The tree is quite unpretentious and does not require complex care.

Landing

Location selection

The chestnut has a wide crown. Prefers to grow in bright places, tolerates shade well, but does not bloom well without exposure to direct sunlight.

For normal development, there should not be any buildings or plants within a radius of 5 m from the chestnut tree.

Timing

Seedlings are planted in early spring or November, and germinated nuts are planted in early May or left in the ground since autumn.

Soil preparation

The chestnut tree has a shallow root system.

So that the roots do not rot and the water does not stagnate, the tree is planted in moderately moist, neutral or slightly acidic loose soils with good drainage. Suitable chernozem or loamy substrate mixed with lime and sand. You can add a little clay to the sandy soil.

Features of planting seedlings

When growing chestnut, there should be no plants within a radius of 5 meters from the seedling

Dig a hole in a cubic shape, 50-60 cm deep and wide.

At the bottom, lay out a layer of sand mixed with crushed stone, 30 cm thick. This will provide drainage.

If necessary, add humus to the soil mixture, with increased acidity - dolomite flour.

When planting a seedling in a hole, make sure that the root neck is at the level of the soil.

To avoid exposing the trunk, make the planting hole 10 cm higher. After planting, water the tree with plenty of water (3-4 buckets).

Install supports around the seedling on four sides - this will protect the fragile tree from gusty winds.

reproduction

Chestnut is propagated by cuttings, layering, root suckers and seeds. The latter method is more often used; it is not difficult to grow a tree from a walnut.

Features of seed reproduction

Fully ripe fruits are suitable for germination. Whole and undamaged nuts that have fallen to the ground are used.

Seeds germinate only after stratification, which can be carried out in natural conditions - at the end of autumn, plant the collected fruits in open ground and warm them with dry leaves on top. Many seeds will germinate in spring.

With this method of reproduction, there is a risk of damage to the walnut by rodents.

For artificial stratification, the fetus is placed in a tightly closed container filled with wet sand in a cold place for a period of two to five months.

Five days before planting, the fruits are soaked in warm water, which is changed from time to time. This softens the hard skin of the nut and promotes further germination. Treated chestnuts are planted in the ground to a depth of 8-10 cm.

Grow a chestnut from a nut in late autumn

At the end of winter, chestnut nuts can be planted in pots, and in May they can be planted in open ground, pinching the taproot, which will allow the plant to develop a strong root system.

In the first 3 years, and in colder regions - 5 years, the tree is grown in greenhouses, putting it outside for the summer.

You can find out about the species of fast-growing trees here.

And you can find out how to properly care for thuja at this link.

Care

Care in the summer period consists in weeding, shallow loosening of the earth, top dressing.

Young individuals need regular watering, adults - only in the hot, dry season. Watered in the evening.

top dressing

The tree is fertilized in early spring with this solution: for 10 liters of water - 1 kg of mullein and 15 g of urea.

autumn- 15 g of nitroammophoska are mixed into the same volume of water. For fertilizer, the near-stem circle is also mulched with a layer of 10 cm of wood chips, peat or peat compost.

pruning

Chestnut is formed in the form of a stem tree with a main trunk. To make the drooping branches look better, the trunk should be at least 2-3 meters in height.

The central trunk with evenly spaced branches is formed from the main shoot, which is maintained as long as possible.

When the crown is formed, the tree practically does not need pruning. In early spring, cut off damaged and dry branches.

In summer, if the crown has grown excessively, young shoots are removed. All summer cuts are covered with garden pitch.

Winter care, preparation for winter

The tree is frost resistant.

Only young trees need additional protection in the first 2-3 years after planting. Their trunk circles are mulched with a layer of fallen leaves 20 cm thick, and the trunks are insulated with burlap. In the event of cracks in the bark due to severe frosts, an antiseptic is applied to the damaged area and covered with garden pitch.

As the tree grows older, the winter hardiness of the tree increases.

Pest and disease control

Most often, chestnuts are attacked by chestnut (or mining) moths, tree mites and powdery mildew.

Chestnut moth primarily damages the foliage of a tree

When attacked moth diseased chestnuts shed their leaves in mid-summer, and new foliage and flowers grow in autumn. As a result, the tree is very weakened and may not survive the winter.

In the fight against this pest, special chemicals help. For example, the drug Lufox 105 EU, which destroys the insect at all stages of development.

Leaves that have fallen as a result of illness during the summer and autumn are collected and burned, as the moth lays larvae in them.

Chestnut often affects a fungal disease - powdery mildew.

On the upper side of the leaves, a white-gray bloom or rusty-brown spots form, the leaves turn yellow and quickly fall off. The disease is treated with fungicides. They also process a tree for preventive purposes, and also feed them with nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers.

To prevent the occurrence tree mite chestnut is treated with karbofos or fitover every two weeks.

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Varieties

For temperate climates, varieties such as American chestnut, European and horse chestnut are most suitable. They are resistant to sub-zero temperatures and are quite unpretentious.

American chestnut, also serrated, has brown bark, yellowish shoots, on which there are many long lenticels.

The leaves are large with sharp teeth. Nuts are edible, covered with fluff, sweet in taste. The tree develops quickly, but requires a lot of sunlight.

European sowing chestnut has brown bark and ribbed reddish or olive shoots. The branches are covered with glandular hairs.

The leaves are oblong with sickle-shaped teeth, covered with a grayish fluff below.

Male dense spikelets-inflorescences reach 35 cm in length, female ones are short and knocked down. The fruits are edible, covered with a prickly shell.

Horse chestnut is very decorative. It has a spreading dark crown and cone-shaped inflorescences.

Leaves with long petioles, five- or seven-fingered.

The fruits are inedible, round, hidden in prickly pericarp. This variety prefers to grow in loamy soils mixed with lime. Horse chestnut is an excellent natural air filter.

Photos of chestnut varieties can be viewed in the gallery:

Application in landscape design

As part of the overall picture, the chestnut tree fits perfectly into the image of a park area among spruces, pines, birches and acacias. Beautiful decorative alleys are planted from a group of chestnut trees.

In garden design, chestnut tree looks best as a single planting in the middle of a lawn.

Growing chestnuts is fairly easy. With proper care, a few years after planting, you will be pleased with a beautiful majestic tree that will ennoble the site, hide it from the sun in its shade on hot days and deliver aesthetic pleasure.

Jul 14, 2015Elena Timoshchuk

Chestnut- a tree with a thick trunk, dense foliage and a chic crown. It can reach a height of 30 meters. Prefers the most lit places, but it can also grow in the shade. It is considered a beautiful park plant. Its flowering begins in May and lasts about a month. Then the fruits appear. It is resistant to diseases and various pests.

Place to land

For planting a plant, a place is prepared in advance. It needs space and maximum illumination. It is desirable that its distance from various buildings and plants should be at least 5 meters. The earth must contain nutrients.

Taking into account the large horse system of an adult tree, the planting hole should be at least half a meter in circumference. Fertilizers or humus can be added to the soil to enrich it with nutrients. Preparation for planting begins in the fall, and the planting itself is carried out in the spring.

When and how to plant a chestnut in open ground?

There are 2 landing methods:

1. seedlings. For this, biennial shoots are used. Boarding process:
   • In the ground, create a hole at least half a meter in size in advance, add special fertilizers to it;
   • At the bottom of each hole, lay out a drainage of about 20 cm;
   • Fill the drainage layer with prepared soil and pour plenty of water;
   • Plant a seedling;
   • Fill with earth and compact it well.
     At the end of planting, you should get a mound about 20 cm high. It is advisable to fix the planted seedlings at a support to protect them from strong winds.
2. fruits. This method is very popular with gardeners. Boarding process:
   • Ripe autumn fruits should be stored in a cold place until spring in a container with sand;
   • Before planting in the soil, the nuts should be soaked in water for 5 days. This is necessary for the formation of the embryo;
   • Prepare a landing site. The depth of the hole should not exceed 5 cm;
   • Plant the fruits, cover them with earth and water.

The best time for planting is spring. Plants planted at this time of the year are fast growing and of good quality.

chestnut care Growing a chestnut tree

Caring for a tree is easy. But certain knowledge will definitely come in handy:

• Seedlings must be tied to a support for protection from adverse weather conditions;
• Young trees need to be watered abundantly to strengthen the roots;
• It is necessary to loosen the soil around the plant every season;
• Dried branches are removed annually in the spring;
• In adult plants, you need to form a crown by cutting branches.

The soil in which the chestnut grows must be fertilized. To do this, use compost or manure. You can prepare a special solution: add 20 grams of nitroammofosk to 10 liters of water.

Diseases and pests

The chestnut tree is considered the least susceptible to various pests and diseases. But, nevertheless, there are several diseases and pests that have a detrimental effect on the plant.

Foliage diseases

Trunk diseases Pests

• Pests in the roots. They may be beetles and larvae of the May beetle that damage the leaves and roots of the tree;
• sucking insects. They use the juice of shoots and leaves for food. These insects include: thrips, aphids. Maximum damage to a tree can be caused by scab. As a result of its impact on the chestnut, the number of leaves decreases, the branches dry up;
• leaf-eating insects. They tend to eat the leaves of the plant.

How to deal with diseases and pests?

To control pests and treat various diseases, special tools are used that are suitable for combating certain diseases. In order to identify the problem in a timely manner, it is necessary to constantly and carefully monitor the tree.

Proper care in the right conditions will help reduce the risk of disease. If dried branches appear on the plant, they must be removed immediately.

Types of chestnuts

All types of this plant can be divided into 2 large groups:

1. horse chestnut. A common tree that can often be seen in the parks and gardens of the city. It has a huge crown, large leaves. Its fruits are shaped like a round box with sharp spikes, inside of which there is a seed;
2. noble chestnut. This group includes trees with edible fruits that contain 2 to 4 seeds. It is very difficult to grow such trees in Russia, since they need a suitable subtropical climate for their growth.

In total there are about 30 types of chestnut. There are several of them, the fruits of which can be eaten:

• Japanese chestnut. His homeland is Japan, China. The peculiarity of this species is that it grows quickly and its first fruits appear already in the 3rd year. The size of the fruits is the largest among all types of chestnuts - up to 100 grams in weight and up to 7 s in diameter;
• Chinese chestnut. Reaches a height of 16 m, has spreading branches and medium-sized leaves. The flowers of this species can be of different shades, and the fruits have an unsurpassed taste and are often used for cooking;
• European (sowing) chestnut. Tall tree, has a crown of a neat regular shape, yellow inflorescences. Its life span can reach 500 years.

Chestnut is a beautiful chic tree. It is very important to know all its features and rules of care. Then it will delight more than one generation with its appearance.

The beautiful view of the flowering chestnut fascinates many people. Folk signs say that the tree has healing powers and brings good luck. If you need to improve the energy of your home and decorate your backyard, learn how to plant a chestnut tree 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 horse chestnut. It is easy to grow near the house, in gardens, squares, along roadsides. The tree has a wide crown, a massive trunk and large leaves, somewhat reminiscent of the shape of a hand. In May, the branches of the tree are covered with large flowers, similar to candles, from which green, round fruits with thorns appear. In autumn, green balls fall off, crack into three parts, releasing a brown shiny core.

Those who believe in omens gather 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 with you all the time.

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

If you believe in old signs, it is these fruits that can 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 matter, despite the fact that it does not need special care. Many gardeners are interested in how to plant a chestnut tree.

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

If the seeds are planned to be deepened into the ground in the spring, then the chestnuts need to be prepared differently. When the tree has got rid of all the fruits, collect the best seeds and store them in the basement. In the spring, 5 days before planting near the house, put the chestnuts in a bowl and cover with warm water. Pour out the cooled liquid several times a day and add warm. Due 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 put nuts in them. Cover with soil 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.

Harvested in autumn, chestnuts can be used for a talisman. Arrange 2 fruits on all cabinets and open shelves in the house. Ancient signs say that this way you can attract happiness.

Horse chestnut is undemanding, it does not need regular complex care. It grows well in a flower pot on the windowsill.
How to plant a chestnut to quickly see seedlings?

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

Some folk signs do not recommend planting a horse chestnut from a walnut on your own. In ancient beliefs, it is said that a tree planted in this way takes away the health of its owner. To believe in signs or not, everyone decides for himself. If you wish, it is easy to grow a chestnut near the house with seedlings.

Planting seedlings

It is easy to buy a young biennial tree in a special nursery. Rooting of a seedling is allowed in spring, in early May, or in autumn, when leaves fall from the trees.

1. Choose a suitable plot 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 competent care.
2. 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. This soil is ideal for chestnuts.
3. At the bottom of the pit, pour a thick layer of expanded clay. Instead, you can use pebbles or broken bricks. Sprinkle with prepared soil and place 200 g of nitrogen-potassium fertilizer on top.
4. Fill the hole with 2 buckets of water, place the seedling and cover it with earth, gently tamping with your hands.
5. Water the tree again and lightly spud. The mound will gradually subside under the influence of rains.
6. To prevent the fragile branches of the seedling from being damaged by the wind, place a support near it and tie it up.

Now you know how to plant a chestnut near the house. There is nothing difficult in this. 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 needs to be covered only in very severe colds.

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.

Properly grow a tree will help moderate watering. If the summer is very hot, water it once a month with 7-10 liters of water. The main thing is not to 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 to a quarter of the length. From this procedure, the crown will form thick and lush.

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

To grow a chestnut, you need fertilizer. Without it, care will not be complete. 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 moisten the soil 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.

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

To prevent the spread of the disease, collect fallen leaves and burn them. Remove affected branches in time, heal wounds that occur on the trunk, and avoid waterlogging. If the disease does not recede, spray the crown according to the instructions with fungicides.

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

Good results are shown by treatment with systemic insecticides. To wet the crown, you will need a powerful sprayer. Remember to wear gloves and a respirator to protect your hands and lungs.

You can completely rid a 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 to properly inject the plants with a systemic insecticide.

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

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

Foreword

An edible chestnut, as opposed to a horse chestnut, can produce not only a shade, but also tasty fruits, sometimes up to 2 centners from a tree. In this article, we'll take a look at the different types, as well as give you tips on how to take care of them.

There are 10 species of this crop, which also includes their hybrids, and various varieties were bred only from individual representatives of this group, since this is a very slowly growing tree. By the way, one should not confuse an ordinary or noble chestnut from the Beech family, the fruits of which are edible, with a horse chestnut, since the latter belongs to a completely different Sapindov family. However, we will consider the planting of most species, since, one way or another, they can be useful.

Chestnut at their summer cottage

For example, horse chestnut, being completely inedible, is of considerable value as a medicinal plant, and for this reason alone it is worth planting it on your site. Also, this culture is of considerable interest to gardeners, as a source of shade, thanks to the lush crown, the chestnut tree is very good for ennobling the site. By the way, an adult tree can have such a wide crown that it will cover tens of square meters with its shadow, this must be taken into account when planting.

Representatives of this subfamily live up to 500 years or more. Such a long-liver is known as the Chestnut of a Hundred Horses, under which about 300 years ago, according to legend, a detachment of 100 knights, along with their horses, took shelter from the rain - this tree is more than 2000 years old. The period of growing up also indicates slow growth; this crop begins to bear fruit approximately 25 years after planting. But the plant begins to cast a thick shadow from its wide leaves after a few years.

So, before buying seedlings, you need to know what exactly you are going to root in your area. In particular, whether it will be an edible crop or an ornamental one with medicinal properties. Therefore, further we will consider the existing species of chestnut from the Beech family, and we will tell about plants similar to it, including the name, separately. As previously mentioned, there are 10 main types of noble or, otherwise, real chestnut. By the way, the listed names are tied to only one species - sowing, Castanea sativa.

chestnut seedling

It was this plant that became the ancestor of many varieties: Azerbaijani Large- and Small-fruited, French Storm de Lilyak, as well as Lyon and Neapolitan. And these are just the most common ones. Of the European varieties, Lyon and Neapolitan are considered the most popular, since their nuts are the largest and reach from 20 to 50 grams, and for elite plantings and 60 grams. Also, many varieties were bred from such species known to gardeners as American (aka Jagged) and Gorodchaty (aka Japanese), but they are common within the ranges near which the selection was carried out.

In general, the American chestnut is considered a very hardy winter-hardy plant, it grows quite quickly, adding up to 1 meter per year, although growth slows down over time, reaching 35 meters, and by the age of 80 the tree already needs to be cut down. In other words, this species is not a long-liver, but its fruits are edible, and the harvest can be obtained quite quickly after the rooting of the seedlings. Japanese chestnut grows on the islands of Japan, where about 100 varieties have been bred, as well as in some regions of China, it reaches 15 meters in height and produces large nuts that are popular all over the world.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the Softest chestnut, aka Chinese, it bears fruit already 5–7 years after planting, which makes this species very popular with gardeners. The height of the tree reaches 20 meters, and it is usually not picky about soils, since the Chinese chestnut originally grew in mountainous areas with stony calcined soil. The fruits of this species have excellent taste and are popular in many countries. In China, the Henry chestnut also grows, which for some time has been bred in England, since it does not require special care.

This plant is tall, reaches 35 meters, the crown is very sprawling. But the fruits do not differ in large sizes, each shell often contains 1 nut about 1.5 centimeters in diameter. Another Chinese species that grows in the highlands is the Shogo chestnut, which has been cultivated in the central regions and partly in the eastern provinces.. In fact, it is just a tall shrub up to 5 meters, less often - a tree with several trunks and a sprawling blood tree, about 10 meters high. The nuts of this tree also do not differ in large sizes, in the shell there are from 3 to 5 pieces, ranging in size from 1.5 centimeters in diameter.

Another species that is not very tall is the Low-growing chestnut, often used to produce hybrids, such as Castanea × neglecta, obtained by crossing with the Toothed species, and Castanea × fleetii, by crossing with the Japanese. The elongated fruits of this tree are quite large, each shell usually contains 1 nut about 2.5 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter.

Let's start with perhaps the most famous one, namely the horse chestnut Aesculus or "stomach", which has nothing to do with beech trees. Moreover, if all the plants that we talked about above have edible fruits that can be fried, stewed and used in confectionery art, then ornamental acorn nuts can only be used for medicinal purposes. The fruits are arranged in green spiky shells one by one. In principle, you can eat such nuts, they are not poisonous, but they have a rather noticeable astringent bitter aftertaste.

Aesculus horse chestnut flowers

Because of this, the kernels are usually only fed to large livestock, and animals are accustomed to such a diet for quite a long time. But the nutritional value of horse chestnut fruits is comparable to wheat. As the main food for livestock, chestnut is unsuitable, only as an additive, for example, in the form of flour. But the Australian chestnut, which is actually called Castanospermum australe, that is, Chestnutspermum, should not be eaten at all even by livestock. The fact is that the fruits of this plant, like the shells of the pods, are very poisonous. Yes, nuts, very similar to chestnuts, appear and ripen in peculiar, very large pods. The tree is considered indoor, although sometimes it grows up to 3 meters, if the freedom of the roots is not limited in any way.

Its decorative effect is associated with very large bright red flowers, the dimensions of which reach 4 centimeters only in length. There is another ornamental tree whose crown is similar to the leaves of the true Castanea sativa - this is the Red Chestnut, a hybrid whose parent form was Horse. This plant has very large inflorescences, up to 20 centimeters in size. And another tree can be confused with Castanea due to its appearance. This is the Guinea chestnut, with the same spreading leaves, but belonging to the Malvaceae family.

Remarkably, out of 45 species of this plant, 3 have edible fruits, very large shells of which, up to 25 centimeters in length, contain seeds that vaguely resemble chestnut nuts in appearance and taste. Many lovers of indoor trees Guinean chestnut, which is also called Pachira (Pachira), is very familiar, it is grown in large pots, twisting trunks branching above the trunk into a tight braid. The plant is moisture-loving, and it needs constant care. Pachira's closest relative is the baobab.

First of all, let's remember that almost all species from the Beech family grow very strongly, since they live for 100 years or more. As a result, the crown of such a tree will cover a very large area. And, if you plant several plants side by side, they will eventually begin to interfere with each other and fight for space, both with branches and with a root system that is very shallow and develops mainly horizontally.

Planted chestnut seedlings

Therefore, it is better to keep the distance between plantings in the range of 15 to 30 meters, depending on the spreading of the species, however, some undersized species require a gap of only 3 meters. You can grow a chestnut both from a nut and from a finished seedling; grafting a cutting on a relatively mature tree up to 5 years is often used.. For sowing, take only nuts that have fallen from the branches, and that are not damaged by caterpillars and insect larvae. After carefully removing the broken spiny shell, put the seed in a hard woody shell in water so that the shell swells and becomes soft.

Half of the nut should be above the surface of the water, it is best to soak the seeds in a shallow bath, putting gauze on the bottom. Change the fluid regularly so that it does not stagnate for a long time. Chestnuts will germinate in 2 weeks, after which they can be placed in pots or boxes with a substrate, which is a mixture of humus, fertile soil and sand, in proportions of 1:2:1. When the sprout rises and releases 3-4 leaves, it can be transplanted into open ground and begin careful care of the future tree. If the tap root is shortened by a third during planting, the entire root system will begin to develop powerfully in breadth, which will positively affect the viability of the plant.

To plant a seedling, you need to dig in the spring, in mid-May, a hole with sides of 50 centimeters and approximately the same depth. Pebbles are poured at the bottom to create drainage, and then the substrate, which is described above, is used to obtain shoots. You can add a little, up to 500 grams, of dolomite flour to the backfill if the acidity of the soil is too high. In general, you need to fill the hole halfway. Next, we lay the complex (potassium-nitrogen-phosphorus) and place the roots of the seedling in the remaining hole so that the neck is above the soil level of the site. You need to fill it with soil that has been extracted from the deep layer, as, however, this is always done when planting any kind of trees. We do the same with the finished seedling.

Natural Castanea, like species similar to it, including Horse Chestnut, are in great need of moisture, since their roots do not go deep into the ground. As a result, without watering, this crop will simply dry out, and this is especially true for young trees. At least 1 bucket of water should be poured into the near-stem circle of the seedling every day during the dry months. If it rains a lot in your area, no special care is required, just make sure that the soil does not dry out in clear weather. Immediately after planting trees, they should be watered little by little for the first week to keep the ground constantly moist. During each season, loosen the soil 3-4 times, providing access to the roots of oxygen and water. At the same time, as the tree grows older, it is recommended to expand the near-stem circle, since the roots will grow far to the sides.

Be sure to mulch the soil above the roots after each loosening, using peat or sawdust for this, this will keep the soil aerated for a long time and prevent moisture from evaporating too quickly after watering.

Nitroammophoska for feeding chestnuts

Like other fruit crops, all types of edible chestnut need mandatory annual soil fertilization and regular top dressing. So, every autumn, during the pre-winter loosening of the soil, be sure to add nitroammofoska, which is enough for only 15 grams for each bucket of water. Accordingly, at least 10 liters must be poured under each barrel, 15 can be, but no more. In the spring, it is necessary to provide the chestnut with organic matter, for which it is necessary to knead 1 kilogram and 15 grams of urea for each bucket of water, after which this solution is poured into the trunk circle. For each next tree, repeat the operation.

Fragrant inflorescences and a spreading crown of this tree can decorate any area. That is why the relevance of using chestnuts in landscape design is growing every year. Many gardeners love this tree for its unpretentiousness and healing properties of the fruit. Our article will tell you how to plant a chestnut, as well as form a neat beautiful tree.

There are about ten main varieties of chestnuts. They are divided into two large groups: horse chestnut and real chestnut (stomach). The fruits of the first variety are famous for their medicinal properties and are often used in the preparation of pharmaceutical preparations and for traditional medicine recipes. Extracts and infusion of horse chestnut are effective in the prevention and treatment of thrombosis and thrombophlebitis, as well as diseases of the venous system.

The fruits of a real chestnut, although less healing, are quite edible, and in some countries are considered a delicacy. It is more problematic to grow this type of tree in our conditions, so it is better to learn more about the rules for planting horse chestnut.

Soil preparation

Planting chestnuts, like any gardening job, requires knowledge of the basic requirements of the culture. These trees look equally good in single and group plantings, decorating any landscape. At home, a chestnut tree is usually planted as a separate tree, because for its comfortable growth it is necessary to leave a lot of free space: about five meters on each side. If a group planting of chestnuts is carried out, the distance between the trees should be three meters or more.

Other cultural requirements should also be taken into account:

1. The landing site should be sunny. In the shade, flowering may not be as plentiful and long.
2. The tree tolerates cold well, but it is better to protect it from strong drafts.
3. The soil is preferably neutral or slightly acidic.
4. The soil at the landing site should be sufficiently loose, with mandatory drainage. Stagnant water for chestnut roots is detrimental.
5. Too dense soil is diluted with sand; a little clay can be added to loose soils. It will retain moisture and contribute to the normal development of the root system.

It is best to plant chestnuts in early spring or mid-autumn. Planting is carried out in two ways: seedlings and seeds. It is necessary to choose the preferred option on an individual basis, both of them give almost one hundred percent survival rate.

Planting a chestnut seedling

Planting a chestnut seedling is carried out in spring or autumn. Spring time is more preferable, because before the onset of winter cold, the tree will get stronger enough and take root in a new place. To do this, it is desirable to select sprouts aged two to three years, without visible damage to the bark and deformed trunk. Chestnut transplantation can be carried out up to the age of ten, but an older plant will not take root during autumn planting.

Landing algorithm:

• It is necessary to dig a fairly large hole, 50 × 50 cm in size.
• A layer of sand is poured at the bottom of the pit, which performs a drainage function. On too dense soils, you can use pebbles or crushed stone mixed with sand.
• Then a seedling is planted in the hole. To form an even, beautiful trunk, a peg is driven in at the same stage. It will serve as a support in the first three to four years of growth, so it must be placed at a distance of at least 15 - 20 centimeters from the trunk.
• The hole is covered with soil mixed with a bucket of humus. For additional top dressing, half a kilo of dolomite flour and lime is added to the mixture.

When burying a seedling, it is necessary to ensure that the basal neck rises 8 to 10 centimeters above the surface. It is necessary to make a small mound around the stem, because over time the earth in this place will sag a little. After planting, it is necessary to water the seedling with warm water.

Planting chestnut seeds

A horse chestnut fruit that has fallen from a tree can be used to grow a tree. In this case, the fruits have already reached technical ripeness and are suitable for further reproduction. Further information will tell you how to plant a chestnut in a country house from a seed.

The main subtleties of such a landing:

1. For planting, only large and ripe chestnuts are suitable, which are ripe enough and fell out of the seed box on their own.
2. The fruits must be stratified. To do this, selected seeds are placed in a cardboard box, and the box itself is placed for two weeks in a dark, cool place. Suitable cellar or refrigerator.
3. The natural stratification of seeds in the conditions of "wild" growth takes place during the wintering of seeds under the leaves, so you can use planting material collected in the spring.
4. After stratification, chestnuts must be soaked in warm water for 5 days. This is done so that the peel softens a little and the spitting of the sprouts passes faster. Water must be changed every day so that harmful microorganisms do not multiply in it.
5. Seeds are planted in pre-prepared soil to a depth of 10 centimeters. The distance between landings should be at least 20 centimeters. In the future, thickened plantings are thinned out, leaving the strongest specimens.
6. After planting the seeds, the top layer is mulched with dry leaves, grass or humus.
7. The first shoots may appear in two weeks.

Autumn planting of seeds is less preferable, because chestnuts are willingly eaten by rodents. In the spring, no one is immune from this scourge, but due to the appearance of other food, the seeds are less dangerous.

Germination of edible chestnut seeds can be seen in the attached video.

Further tree care

Chestnuts are unpretentious and practically do not require the participation of gardeners. At the same time, in order to form a beautiful spreading crown, it is advisable to carry out annual pruning, and for normal growth and fruiting, it will be useful to learn the rules of feeding.

Care tips:

• Watering needs regular, but not excessive. In the first three to four years, further growth depends on this, but then this criterion is not so important, because thanks to the voluminous root system, the chestnut finds moisture on its own.
• Top dressing is carried out once a year in early spring. To do this, you can prepare a nutrient mixture consisting of 15 liters of water, a kilogram of fresh manure, 25 grams of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers and 20 grams of ammonium nitrate and urea. Pour the resulting mixture into the mulched root zone little by little so as not to burn the roots.
• As a uniform application of fertilizers, mulching of the root area with humus and rotted manure is used.
• Forming pruning is carried out in the spring, while young shoots are shortened by about a quarter of the length. Despite the fact that the chestnut crown is lush, it also needs to be thinned out to prevent strong thickening. In this case, there is a high probability of damage by fungal diseases, as well as the loss of an attractive appearance.
• Young sprouts need winter shelter. To do this, three to four pegs are driven around the tree, onto which a tarpaulin or other durable fabric is wrapped. It is not advisable to use plastic wrap, because this can lead to rotting of the shoots and the development of fungal diseases.

Planting and growing a chestnut at home is not difficult, because it is a very hardy and resistant tree. For this, ready-made seedlings or self-assembled planting material are suitable. The main nuances of planting, as well as the rules for further care, are covered in the information of our article.

Chestnut

Chestnut - a native tree

There are two versions of the origin of the horse chestnut species epithet - horse. The first interprets it as a hint of the inedibility of the fruit, in contrast to the sowing chestnut. The second connects with the horseshoe-shaped trace that remains on the branch after the chestnut leaf has fallen.

Chestnut - tree - traveler

Half a century ago, horse chestnut in central Russia was considered an accidental heat-loving guest performer. Indeed, at that time, it seems, like a bather, he only timidly tried the water with his foot. But at the same time, the capital of Ukraine, generously decorated with chestnuts, already considered him her own and composed songs about him.

Toli has really warmed up here, toli the chestnut has acclimatized and hardened, but over the past decades it has firmly established itself in the territories previously forbidden to it. Chestnut blossoms are now in our country too - a familiar picture of spring, although it still flows less abundantly than it happens in warmer climes. At the same time, it practically does not freeze slightly, bears fruit every year, which gives real hope that further seed generations will make it possible to isolate even more winter-hardy plants. So it is not at all excluded that soon there will be reasons to compose songs about him, which we have about cherries and apple trees, also, by the way, aliens.

Amazingly, the horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is so widespread in cultivation that scientists have had great difficulty finding its original habitat. It turned out that the natural range of this tree is represented by only a small area of ​​wooded mountains in the Balkans. Meanwhile, this species is considered a local plant almost throughout Western and Central Europe. It is quite common in our country in the European part of Russia, especially in the center and in the south.

Everything in a tree should be impressive

Attention to his person is not surprising, even in warm Europe, where the tree diversity is high, the horse chestnut is valued as an outstanding park tree. A powerful stocky trunk, with muscular branches going obliquely upwards, also works on its appearance; and large five-seven-fingered leaves, up to 25 cm in diameter. The bark of young trees has an attractive grayish-beige color with brown streaks. Even small chestnut seedlings look extremely impressive: their shoots are unusually thick, and the buds, similar to the tops of medieval spears, are famous for being the largest in the tree world. The tree as a whole also looks extremely representative, near the mosaic of leaves, from a distance the silhouette of the crown. And even in winter, the chestnut is unusually spectacular with its massive trunk and unique graphics of the branches. It should be mentioned that an adult chestnut tree in Europe reaches a height of 25 meters and in a mature state in open places has an umbrella-shaped crown raised on a low trunk. In our middle lane, it is no longer so large, and 15 m is the limit for it. Further north, the chestnut can take the form of a low (5-6 m) multi-stemmed tree.

The trunk of a maturing tree is gradually exposed from below, so that under its crown you can walk freely. At the same time, the crown itself is evenly thick, and a fleeting downpour simply flows off it like on a roof, leaving you dry. If, standing at the foot, raise your eyes, you can trace the entire trunk almost to the very top. This is because the main part of the leaves is located on the periphery of the crown.

Chestnuts are blooming again...

But the most decorative period in the life of a chestnut is its flowering. In this, none of the large trees of the middle lane can be compared with it. Indeed, chestnut, unlike birch, maple, linden, oak, ash or elm, has real, very large (about 2 cm in diameter) white-pink flowers, moreover, collected in extraordinary inflorescences - panicles, densely, in the manner of candles placed on the outer surface of the crown. Our chestnut blossoms in early May and blooms for up to 25 days, after which, in place of the flowers, spherical (up to 6 cm in diameter) fruit-boxes with a prickly pericarp, or more correctly, a plush, are tied and gradually poured. Inside, the fruits are divided into chamber-sectors, in which 1-3 large red-brown seeds are hidden.

It is impossible not to say about the twin of the horse chestnut - the real chestnut. It is this tree, also called the sowing chestnut ( Castanea sativa) or noble chestnut, has "exclusive rights" to be called chestnut. The horse chestnut only resembles it in its fruits, but their leaves and flowers are completely different. Botanically, they even belong to different families, horse - to horse-chestnut, and real - to beech. At the same time, in terms of the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe range and popularity, the sowing chestnut significantly surpasses its rival, and the reason is simple - its fruits, unlike the horse chestnut, are edible. We have to add with regret that the thermophilic nature of this chestnut does not allow it to be cultivated even in the Black Earth region - in Russia it can only grow in Dagestan and on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. It is gratifying, however, that horse chestnut still overshadows its edible counterpart with the beauty of flowering.

The horse chestnut has several decorative forms, of which I will only mention the one that is in my garden. This is its variegated variety, or Variegata variety, the individual leaves of a complex leaf of which have pure white spots, dots and sectors of various shapes. I have this variety arose by itself during the mass sowing of seeds. Then in the garden, among hundreds of normal plants, one turned out to be colored non-standard. In essence, by human standards, this is a kind of defect, an abnormality, but this is how new decorative varieties are bred. I note that the variegated form is extremely attractive and deserves the most ceremonial places in landscaping, although it can be propagated only by grafting onto the main form. Unfortunately, the variety is prone to burning in the sun in hot weather, which is why some of the leaves curl, dry out and even fall off. In damp cold years, this, as a rule, is not observed.

Planting and transplanting chestnuts

Chestnut seeds, correctly called nuts, and in everyday life just chestnuts, ripen with us at the beginning of September and fall off in 2-3 weeks. At this time, they are collected for sowing or medicinal needs. The skin of chestnuts has an attractive glossy surface and a pleasant brown hue, the one that we call chestnut.

It is better to sow seeds before winter, because they are not very attractive for rodents. When sowing, chestnuts are deepened by 2-3 cm. Seedlings develop a straight taproot, which is advisable to cut at an early age to form a compact root system. Such plants, although at first they lag behind in growth, but in the future they tolerate transplants completely painlessly and can even be grown in containers for some time.

Transplanting chestnuts with open roots is shown in a leafless state in spring or autumn before the onset of permanent night frosts. According to our observations, spring transplantation is preferable, although there are practically no cases of plant death. But at the same time, in early spring ("through the mud"), even significant damage to the roots has little effect on the prospects of the seedling. By the way, with proper digging with a clod of earth of at least 50 cm, plants tolerate early spring transplantation well even at the age of 12-15 years.

Looking for approaches to chestnut

Horse chestnut is sun-loving, loves to grow in the open, and only in full light develops a beautiful spreading-umbrella crown. It is drought-resistant, but grows best on moist, fairly fertile and powerful loamy soils with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. By the way, in the arid steppes of southern Russia, chestnuts often suffer from burning leaves in the heat: they dry, curl and even fall off. The worst soil option is a barren and dry sandy loam substrate with the same subsoil. If you got exactly the last unfavorable option, and there is no choice, then the situation can be corrected by preparing the seat. To do this, they dig a landing hole with a diameter and depth of at least 1 m. It is filled with a fertile substrate, a variant of which can be a mixture of soddy soil, humus and sand in a ratio of 3:2:1.

The chestnut tree grows quite quickly, and if it has not undergone transplants that hinder the development, then by the age of four it can exceed a meter mark, at 10 years old it can grow to 3 m, and at 9-10 it can show the long-awaited flowers and give the first fruits. By the age of 12-15, the flowering of the tree becomes quite lush, while its abundance and decorative effect of the tree as a whole remain until old age.

Care for a young tree, first of all, consists in watering. In the early years, watering should be fairly regular, keeping the earthen ball moderately moist. It is important to help the plant quickly develop a deep penetrating root system that will nourish it later. I note that if a tree is planted on an initially fertile and fairly powerful loam, then in the future it does not require any care.

We are treated with chestnut

Horse chestnut is a medicinal plant recognized by the pharmacopoeias of many countries. For medicinal purposes, use the bark, whole fruits or their peel, sometimes flowers. Chestnut preparations reduce blood clotting, strengthen the walls of capillaries and veins, prevent the formation and promote the resorption of blood clots. They also contain substances that lower blood pressure. Based on this, chestnut is used for thrombophlebitis, hypertension, varicose veins of the lower extremities, trophic ulcers, hemorrhoids, rheumatic and joint diseases. Aescusan, sold in pharmacies, is nothing more than a water-alcohol extract from chestnut fruits.

Druids advise

Fans of all kinds of horoscopes often turn to the heritage of the ancient Celtic scientists and priests - druids, who left us their tree horoscope. The Druids believed that every person at the time of his birth, and depending on his date, has a magical connection with a certain tree species, which later determines not only his character traits and actions, but ultimately fate itself. According to the horoscope of the Druids, chestnut is the totem tree of those born between May 15-24, or November 12-21.

As for those born under the sign of chestnut (here, by the way, the ancient priests, who were not familiar with the current achievements of botany, did not distinguish whether it was a real chestnut or a horse chestnut), then, according to the Druids, they have a heightened sense of justice, and are always ready to defend, regardless of the consequences. Chestnut is hostile to prudence and all kinds of diplomatic tricks. He is full of vitality and ready to work tirelessly to realize his plans.

The modern interpretation of the Druid horoscope advises to look closely at your tree in nature, if possible, plant it near the house and take care of it. This gradually helps to comprehend oneself, to find one's own path in life.

Horoscopes, of course, can be treated differently, but I personally like the teachings of the Druids, if only because they teach respect for trees, which is not bad in itself. Of course, if you treat this belief with a share of skepticism, and not turn it into a fixed idea.

chestnut at home

Chestnut tolerates the urban environment very well, purifies the air of sulfur dioxide, and retains dust. We only have to regret that it is still not very common in urban gardening. It is especially good in casing wide city and park alleys and boulevards. Its presence is desirable in the landscaping of schools, universities, highways. And, of course, its resistance to smoke and gases makes it a welcome guest in the landscaping of factories, industrial zones, energy facilities, etc.