----Original Message Follows----
From: jeff <jko@save-net.com>
Reply-To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [NAFEX] Chestnut questions
Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 19:40:31 -0700
Greetings,
For the last 8 years i've been watching a mixture of
chestnut trees struggle with various problems. They
are now beginning to produce nuts. Unfortunately,
each nut is all husk and no meat. This is occurring
in European, hybrid, and American chestnuts.
Is this normal in young trees?
I've read that the old chestnut orchards in Europe
were heavily top worked (grafted) to produce a
productive orchard. I assume this is an option if
these trees continue to produce blanks. Does
anyone have experience in top working chestnuts?
I'm assuming that chestnuts are difficult to graft. We
have had most of our purchased chestnuts fail at the
graft and that has been a big disappointment. These
remaining trees are mostly seedlings and they are
looking stronger each year.