Hi John. I'm across the line in York County. I have both Filberts and Hazelnuts. The Filberts are succeptible to Eastern Filbert Blight, so do a check for that before going into them whole hog. I also have Hickory, Pecan, 3 kinds of walnuts (English, Japanese, Black), Butternut and Beech. The Filberts offer almost instant satisfactionm, the American Hazels (Corylus americana) are almost too small to bother with, but I grow them for sentimental reasons.

Yeah, I had heard the American nuts were too small to be really worth bothering about. What vaeties of European ones do you haze? I read that some varieties are more
susceptible than others.

John

I will be getting yearling chestnut seedlings (Am-Chinese cross) from DelMarvelous Orchards this spring, as well as young pecans frrom Ohio that should be more winter-hardy than cultivars from farther south. But these will be my first experiments with nut trees.

LynnT

Oh yeah. Lynn reminded me, we have American Chestnut (seedling, will most likely succumb to the fungus) and its smaller cousin, the Chinkapin (Castanea pumila). Chinkapins are Chestnuts and they bear in only a few years, about like the filberts. Very very good eating. They too are succeptible to the fungus, but their early bearing means that you get nuts for quite a few years. They also fall out of the burr. The nuts don't store well, however, and can dry into granite marbles in only a few days. You'll also fight the critters for these, or for any other nuts for that matter.

I have C. avellana filberts. Some are named (Royal for one), but most are seedlings. For best pollination (they are starting to bloom now) you should plant 2 cultivars. Most Corylus species are clumpers, so a good bit of pruning is involved if you want nuts. Otherwise you get a large clump of Alder-sized and few nuts.

G'Day!

- If anyone wants native American walnuts, i have many seedlings and saplings, many growing so close they need thinning. Not sure how well they could be sent by post (but i could try); anyone who would like some is welcome to come on down for a "shovel tour." (Sweetgums, etc. too, if it's shade you're looking for.)(Our farm is where SE Prince George's County hangs down into Southern Maryland, along the Patuxent River, about an hour and a half south of either DC or Baltimore.)

- Some day, i want to plant a dozen nut trees for shade (and nuts) in our pastures, but would first need to built fence-boxes, or the horses would rub them over. Too many other projects needing to get done first!

- Happy gardening,
-vlad

I have a large mature chestnut tree that came with my property (obviously). I'm assuming it's a Chinese chestnut. Even though it's by itself (I've heard they produce better with another chestnut around), I've at least gotten enough nuts to use in stuffing for Thanksgiving, along with enough to leave on the ground for the wild turkeys that traipse through.

Am thinking of getting another tree to increase my production.

John,

I'm growing some chinese chestnut seedlings in lower New York. They are doing fine, though they are still too young to bear. From what I read, I believe all of chestnut varieties would be frost tolerant enough in your zone.

Pennsylvania_Pete,

I have been wanting to grow Chinkapins, but couldn't find a source of it. Where did you get yours? Thanks.

Happy gardening

Hey - did anyone besides me see the article in this past week's Washington Post where several local growers (Charlottesville & Warrenton, VA) were growing Hazelnuts for the sole purpose of encouraging the growth of the elusive - & highly expensive - truffles??? Apparently this delicacy likes growing around Hazelnut shrubs as well as it's normal haunts.

Very interesting article. Truffles being so expensive, the farms trying out this possibility wouldn't even allow themselves to be named - I guess to avoid possible poaching.

So far:

Three Amer chestnut 'Timburr' hybrids that are almost all Amer & supposedly blight-resistant. From Oikos Tree Farms.

A big-shellbark hickory.

Bunch of oak seedlings -- chestnut, bur, e. white, shumard, swamp-white, and pin.

I thought shellbarks require a pollinator too. I'm thinking of putting in a couple on my fenceline. Where did you find yours?

Lynn

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I thought shellbarks require a pollinator too.
*******

I was going to mention that! I planted it near a stream, and there is a nearby large, wild Shagbark hickory that should be a satisfactory pollinator. Lots of wild Bitternut hickories around too, but I doubt their pollen is compatible.

I got the big shellbark hickory from Oikos Tree Crops. Musserforests also has them.

Hi Everyone,

We have gotten nuts from a Hickory tree my great-grandfather planted and are hoping to grow some new sprouts but can't seem to get the nuts to germinate. Can anyone please assist on how to get the nuts to grow? Thanks.

hi all;
iam growing hardy pecan,shagbark hickory,chinkipins,native walnut,just gathered a bunch, of white oaks,will get willow oak acorns and if i can find them more hardy pecans.
littlepath.
ps any one tell me if they had sucsess with chikapins?

there is a place in NC that inoculates filberts with truffles before selling.....

Like beng I have some from Oikos Tree Farms:

Five American chestnut 'Timburr' hybrids.
Bunch of oak seedlings -- also from Oikos Tree Farms - White/Burr hybrid, Burr/English hybrid, chestnut,

In addition to the Oilos trees i have some larger existing oak trees (25-35 yrs old?) or purchased larger from local sources:
White,English/White Hybrid, Red, Black and Pin.

Last - but not least - one existing American Walnut.

I don't really care about the nuts - but the critters like them