Planting Chestnut Trees
Successfully establishing a young nut tree in your yard starts with your planting site and method. Once a tree is established, it needs little assistance to grow and produce; but you’ll want to make sure you give your tree the best foundation possible.
Nut trees require fertile soil for good growth, so before you plant, check your soil nutrients and pH. Contact your local County Extension Office for information about soil testing in your area, or purchase one of our digital meters for quick and accurate results. For chestnuts, your ideal soil pH should be 6.0-7.0. Steer clear of soils that are extremely heavy or poorly drained.
NOTE: This is part 4 in a series of 11 articles. For a complete background on how to grow chestnut trees, we recommend starting from the beginning.
Planting
- Space your chestnut trees 35’ to 40’ apart.
- Dig a hole wide and deep enough to accommodate the root system.
- Wet the roots thoroughly before planting.
- Many nut trees have just one main root, almost like a giant skinny carrot. With most nut trees, this taproot should not be trimmed or bent when planted.
- Spread the roots out in the hole to prevent matting. Do not bend or trim main taproot.
- Plant at the same depth as they were grown at the nursery. Bare root trees will have a noticeable color difference between the roots and the trunk--plant at the depth of this color difference. Place a potted tree the same depth it was growing in the pot.
- Refill hole with enhanced soil. Tamp soil firmly about roots as you add each shovel of dirt.
- When hole is ¾ full, add two buckets of water, the last bucket should be treated with Stark® Tre-Pep® Fertilizer and let soak in. (If planting in the fall, wait to fertilize until spring for best results.)
- Finish filling hole.
After Planting
- Paint trunk with a white latex paint and/or wrap trunk within 4” of top using Stark® Tree Guards to prevent rodent injury and sun scald.
- Mulch about June 1. Keep all weeds away from trees the first few years with mulch or regular cultivation.
