Here’s an article on the transgenic chestnut Lucky mentioned: http://www.popsci.com/transgenic-chestnuts-roasting-open-fire
I read about this several months ago, really neat stuff. I know genetic modification is a very hot issue and I do not want this thread to degenerate in argument over it, but this is a perfect example of good application of the technology. It seems to be a success, I hope it will be made available to all.
Thanks for that link. What they’re doing makes a lot of sense to me.
The idea is to reintroduce them to the natural forest. They are not necessarily designed to produce nuts that are flavorful to us hominids.
They provided high calorie food for the wildlife. There was a huge crash in wildlife population as the chestnuts died.
Some say today’s forests are barren deserts by comparison.
Just think about it billions of trees died in a relatively short period of time. Imagine the impact.
Mike
Of the chestnuts I’ve eaten, the ones with the most American genes are smaller, more compact, and have a superior texture and flavor.
Another article I’ve read states that a similar crash happened to hemlocks (based on pollen records, I think). Sometime later they recolonized North America, so it was speculated American chestnuts could also rebound by overcoming blight.
One can hope.
But we should give hope a helping hand. 
Mike
Yes, Mike. I agree.
I’m trying to grow a couple of these in 20 gal pots. (2 to the pot). They seem to be doing well, but this winter in my garage will tell whether this is something I regret trying. I’m hoping to get a small crop of these without sacrificing precious space in my ground. I figure if they are potted I will also have an easier time protecting them from squirrels and such.
They seem slow to go dormant as they still have leaves ( Dec 11th)
Currently they are about 2feet tall from the soil(less mix)
Scott
I just read this article about a 100 year old American Chestnut found in the woods of Maine. The American Chestnut Foundation has plans for using it in their breeding work.
It has an amazingly small diameter for a tree thought to be that old. It would be interesting if it is immune to the blight and able to be successfully propagated. That would be greeted with enthusiasm.
The tallest AC was just discovered the next town over from me, I know where it is and plan to visit. I also know of one other specimen in our area. I recieved hybrid seed from Twisted Tree nursery that great nicely this past season, looking towards planting a few of these in our landscape.
It’s small diameter I would think is a result of competing with nearby trees for light. Unlike it’s smaller cousins it can compete height wise with other tall native trees. Sure hope this tree is resistant to disease and is not doing well as a result of isolation. This might end up being the tree that can jump start a new forest of native chestnut trees. Bill
Hasn’t that battle already been won? I thought there was a selected variety with mostly American traits that is being planted already to return them back to the forest.
Just because the tree is resistant doesn’t mean its seeds will produce offspring that are- that is what has to happen to really bring them back like before.
What I’ve read is that they have pretty much won the blight battle, only to find they also have to fight phytophthora root rot.
http://www.acf.org/pdfs/summit/Jeffers.pdf
Somewhere I read speculation that phytophthora may have been just as important as the blight, at least in the Southern/Mid-Atlantic U.S.
I’m planning to grow some pure Americans from seed this year. Similar setup to what Forest and Farm uses. I haven’t really seen any Chestnuts around, although I know my neighbor planted some Dunstans. I figure that it’ll be fun if I can get one to grow. If not, I haven’t lost much other than some time
If you are interested in growing them, Keep an eye out in the fall for them on ebay. A guy by the name IndianaSam sells them.
I just searched up some info and the quest to reinstall the American chestnut in our forests is not as far along as I’d been told. Blight resistant trees have been produced via traditional breeding methods using Chinese chestnut genes and backbreeding to increase the resistant trees DNA to about 97% American.
In another project a gene from wheat has been spliced to pure American chestnut to create blight resistance- thereby creating a tree truer to American DNA but supposedly completely resistant to blight.
The back bred trees are already being planted, but just starting, and the engineered ones are seeking approval. Meanwhile, about 10,000 of these trees are being started to transplant as soon as permission is received.
Jack and all,
My wife bought for me some colossal Chinese chestnuts. I was thinking about starting some seedlings. What is the best way to germinate these seeds? Stratify?
Tony
Two years ago I took 12 and put buried them, equally spaced, in damp peat moss in a sealed plastic container about 1/2 the size of a shoebox.
I put them in the bottom shelf of the fridge at Thanksgiving. In April I took the box out, took the cover off and watered and kept them on the kitchen table near a south facing window. 4 or 5 sprouted. I transferred them to a 6 inch pot and planted them in ground that fall.
Mike
Thanks Mike.
Tony
Tony,
There are several options. You can direct seed them in the fall and they will stratify naturally. The problem is that you need to protect them from rodents. Some guys form cages out of hardware cloth. I don’t direct seed much so I don’t have hands-on experience with that.
I start mine in containers. The problem with that is that the tap root grows fast and will circle or j-hook in most smooth sided containers. That is why I use the rootmaker container system. Here is how I grow them.
Chestnuts are high in carbs and thus very susceptible to mold. If one is collecting nuts themselves, it is best to collect them from the trees when they first start dropping rather than collecting nuts that have been on the ground for a bit. The have less chance of exposure to mold spores picked form the tree. Mold can move quickly from nut to nut, so it is best not to put then all in one big container when collecting.
If she bought them, they were likely collected and stored properly at the source. Either way you are past that point. Don’t try to use a bleach solution to combat mold. Some folks suggest a weak bleach solution for cleaning prior to stratification. I have found that there is an acid/base reaction that occurs with the shell. I was trying to combat a mold issue one year washing infected nuts manually by hand and I burned all the hair of my knuckles. I have found that when I use bleach, I get a lot more malformed seedlings.
The next step is hydration. Cold stratification requires the nuts to be well hydrated. As moisture level drops, stratification slows and takes longer. When the moisture level gets low enough it stops all together. Some folks keep nuts for more than a year with low moisture levels and then increase moisture for them to stratify and germinate. I have not done this personally.
I simply rinse the nuts by hand with running water and then soak them for 24 hours in plain water. I use Ziploc freezer bags to cold stratify them. I take a handful of long-fiber sphagnum and soak it in water. I then squeeze out the water by making a tight fist. I put this in the bag with the nuts to retain moisture. I only zip the bag half way closed. I then fold it in half and put it in the vegetable crisper. This provides enough air flow while retaining the necessary moisture. Some folks put pin holes in the bag. However you do it, the idea is not to completely cut off air flow but retain moisture. Again to combat the spread of mold, I use multiple bags with 10 to 25 nuts per bag. This way if I do have a mold issue it is limited in the spread.
Some folks like to keep the nuts in the fridge until they produce root radicles. This is usually done when you have a limited number of RM 18s and more nuts than containers. By only planting nuts with root radicles, you don’t “waste” propagation cells on nuts that won’t germinate. One issue with this method is that the nut decides up verses down just before it starts producing the root radicle. If the nut is not oriented right in the bag and the root radicle gets started in an odd direction, you can have an issue. If you reorient the nut when you plant it, it will change the up/down but it takes time for this and the root continues to grow in the wrong direction for a while and then makes an abrupt change in direction. This can cause a kink in the root. The proper orientation is with the point to the side. The root radicle and stem both emerge from the point and one grows down and the other up. So, if you use this method, be sure to check for root radicles frequently and plant the nut as soon as you see any sign of a root radicle.
I use a different method since I have plenty of 18s. I cold stratify them for 60 days and then plant them in 18s under lights. I use Promix BX in the 18s and cover the nuts rather than placing them on top. This seems to help with mold. I place the nut in one corner of the 18 with the pointed end in the center of the 18s. This puts the stem and root radicle in the center of the 18.
I use inexpensive fluorescent shop lights hung with cord using a prussic knot. This lets me adjust the height of the light over the trees. I like the Express trays over the regular 18s. This lets me reorganize my trees according to height. I find the germination and growth timing of chestnut seedlings to vary greatly. Reorganizing them regularly according to height lets me keep the lights a couple inches above the seedlings. Seedlings started under lights can get lanky. Keeping the lights close helps combat this to some degree. I also use an oscillating fan for about 30 minutes a day to flex the stems.
After 12-16 weeks, I transplant them to 1 gal RB2s. I typically remove the nuts about this time as well and definitely before I take them outside. In late spring or early summer, I transplant them into 3 gal RB2s and plant them in the final location in the fall.
Here is a thread that shows my progress with chestnuts, AC, and DCO so far this winter: enter link description here