Contents:
- Characteristics
- Job title
- Planting
- Skincare
Characteristics
The edible chestnut, Castanea sativa, is native to southern Europe and Asia. It is often confused with the popular chestnut, or actually a horse chestnut that is grown as an ornamental plant.Edible chestnut is one of the most rapidly growing trees that produces tasty fruit, appearing in Poland. The height of adult specimens is about 15-20 meters. In addition to providing delicious fruit in the fall, the ornamental value of these trees is also important. The leaves are remarkable above all: leathery, very long and serrated, turning golden in autumn. The crown takes on a majestic, spreading shape after a few years.
Job title
Edible chestnut comes from the photophilous species, but prefers sunny to semi-shaded locations. remember that protection against the wind must be provided, then it develops best. The soil should be the best permeable, humus and moist with a pH content of 4.5 to 6. The requirements set out above are necessary for proper growth - an ideal criterion is also the calcium content in the soil below 20%. If you are not sure if the soil in your garden is suitable for planting chestnut, just do a soil analysis to help determine the parameters.
Planting
If you want to have a chestnut tree in your garden, it is best to buy a seedling in reputable tree and shrub nurseries. You can also try to sow chestnut seeds yourself. Note - however, they should not be seeds bought in stores or supermarkets. Husked nuts from green cover most often come from warmer regions of Europe. Plants grown from such seeds from France, Italy or Greece will not grow well in Poland, due to their insufficient frost resistance. It is better to look for varieties in parks and old gardens that can withstand harsh winters.
They can be sown immediately into the ground, so that they go through the process of maturation to germination during the winter. Some seeds will sprout in spring, but some may not emerge until the following year. The seedlings grow quite quickly and after two years they can already be planted in a permanent place. At first glance, the green and spiky fruit that has fallen from the trees do not make a very good impression.However, two, sometimes three seeds are usually hidden under the prickly casing. When the fruit is ripe, the green shell breaks by itself and there is no problem with husking the seeds. The center of the seed is white and firm, and the thin skin is brown.
Skincare
Pruning the chestnut is not necessary, but we can make a decorative cut to achieve a harmonious silhouette of the plant. It is enough to lead out 4-5 leading branches and then eliminate the rest. We form the crown by shortening the side shoots. The same goes for sick and crossed shoots that disturb the harmony.
The deep root system of the chestnut makes it sufficient to water with a longer, larger portion of water than regular, superficial treatment. It tolerates drought well when water is well stored in the roots. It is not used by overflow and water remaining on the surface.
The text was partially prepared on the basis of materials from the magazine Moje Beautiful Ogród. You can find more curiosities from the world of gardens in the My Beautiful Garden monthly!
