Growing sweet chestnuts yourself - this is how you grow sweet chestnuts

How do I grow my chestnut myself?

You can grow a sweet chestnut yourself from seeds or cuttings. Both methods are pretty easy to implement. However, only one cutting guarantees you varietal purity. Avoid excessive moisture in the substrate both when sowing and when planting cuttings. The sweet chestnut reacts very sensitively to this, even as an adult tree.

The sowing of the sweet chestnut

The seeds must be sufficiently moist for sowing. It is therefore advisable to soak the chestnuts for about one to two days after storage. The seeds are placed about one centimeter deep in nutrient-poor substrate and then kept only slightly moist. Successful germination is difficult when it is wet.

Cuttings from the sweet chestnut

For cuttings, use freshly cut shoots with three to four sleeping eyes. At the lower end, the shoot is cut diagonally, while at the tip of the shoot it is cut straight and then stuck into a mixture of sand and peat. If the moisture is uniform, the rooting should take place quite quickly. If the first leaves appear next spring, you can assume that the roots will develop well.

How do I deal with the young tree?

After about a year it is time to repot the seedling. The earth should be slightly acidic, as the sweet chestnut does not tolerate lime very well. It is essential to protect the young plant from frost in the first year. Also think about possible late frosts. The little sweet chestnut likes to spend its first summer outside in the garden, but in a sheltered place.