Chestnut trees are gigantic shade providers. If you want to have two or three of these in your garden, it's easy. Propagation is child's play.
When you hear the term "chestnut" today, the first thing that usually comes to mind is the red-brown horse chestnut (Aesculus), which can be found in almost every region of Germany. For many adults, horse chestnuts are also associated with childhood memories of long afternoons spent doing handicrafts with the chestnuts they just picked up.
But the significantly less common sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) is also native to Germany. Chestnuts (Castanea) are very impressive trees. Depending on the chestnut species, the tree can reach a size of between 10 and 30 meters. It develops a densely closed canopy that goes hand in hand with a very wide and expansive treetop. Therefore, before you plant a chestnut in your own garden, you should be aware that chestnuts do not thrive everywhere and certainly not fit everywhere.
Chestnut trees are just as out of place in front gardens and small green areas as they are near buildings, garages or busy roads. If you want to propagate chestnuts in your own garden, for example by bringing the necessary seeds or shoots from wild chestnuts, you should think carefully about which place in the garden is the best place to plant. Because chestnuts grow fast and even if it takes years until they really reach a height of 30 meters, after only a few years they provide a lot of shade - or steal a lot of sun, depending on your perspective.
The chestnut - a brief overview of the tree
| Tree species | Deciduous Tree |
| Home | Europe, Asia and North America |
| Growth | up to 30 meters |
| Fruits |
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Propagating chestnuts - Here's how
Who theIf you want to multiply horse chestnut, it is very easy. The chestnut is much more difficult to propagate. Here it makes more sense, especially for hobby gardeners, to buy an early young tree with root ball in the tree nursery or a garden center, because even reared chestnuts are often very susceptible to diseases and also usually rather weak in growth. In addition, you have to bear in mind that chestnuts are very sensitive to double-digit minus temperatures, while horse chestnuts are also tough when it comes to winter temperatures.
There are three possible variants for the propagation of the horse chestnut. For two of them you need the fruit of the tree, i.e. a classic chestnut. This should be ripe but not dried out.
Variant one - cultivation in cotton wool
Even if you can hardly believe it - the easiest and best way to pack the chestnut for the first cultivation is in cotton wool. For this you need a chestnut as described above. Then a piece of cotton wool is needed in which to wrap the fruit. The cotton wool must always be kept moist and should be placed with the fruit in a flat rearing vessel. The cotton wool must be kept sufficiently moist at all times, whereby you must ensure that you avoid waterlogging and direct sunlight. It takes around 14 days for the plant to develop the first shoots. When the young tree has reached a sufficient size, it is time to plant it in a larger container.
Variant two - very classic with substrate
As an alternative to cotton wool, it is also possible to use a rather poor substrate consisting of sand and earth. It does not have to be particularly nutrient-rich soil, since the chestnut is very undemanding, especially in its early stages. But even with the classic propagation variant with substrate, you should make sure that there is no waterlogging. The soil-sand mixture, like the cotton wool, should be kept consistently moist and should be stored in a shallow rearing container with the chestnut. The chestnut should be placed in the rearing soil with the soft side down, as this is where the roots will shoot out.
Variant three - propagation with cuttings
The deciduous trees, which are really ideal for providing shade in large gardens, can also be propagated wonderfully with cuttings. For this you need several shoots of a chestnut in the spring, which should be between 20 and 30 centimeters long. Except for the top four pairs of leaves, all leaves must bebe removed. Then stick the shoots about 5 centimeters deep into the ground and make sure that the substrate around the shoot is always kept moist. Of course, waterlogging should also be avoided here. Direct sunlight is not that bad with this variant of propagation, but can quickly lead to the soil around the shoot drying out. For watering, it makes sense to do without the watering can and prefer to use a water atomizer. This not only prevents waterlogging - you also ensure that the soil around the shoots remains evenly moist.
When a small tree has grown… .
When the first young tree has grown from the small propagation and this has also outgrown the planter, it is time to plant it in the place you have planned for your chestnut. The necessary nutrient supply is now important. Because at this stage of growth, the chestnut needs a lot of nutrients and enough water. If you plant the tree from the pot in the ground, you should definitely fill the hole with a good layer of humus or fertilizer before planting the young tree. As a result, leaves and lawn clippings are particularly suitable for fertilizing the chestnut. Distributed around the tree, the slowly decomposing natural plant fertilizers ensure that your young tree always has sufficient nutrients available.
Conclusion:
The horse chestnut is one of those trees that are very easy to propagate and often achieve impressive growth even with hobby gardeners without having to fear an increased infestation of diseases. If you have also chosen the right location for your chestnut, you will definitely enjoy this impressive, shady and, above all, beautiful deciduous tree for several decades.