HOW TO STRATIFY CHESTNUTS
- Upon arrival, your chestnut seeds should be stored in a refrigerator crisper drawer at a temperature between 34°F to 38°F.
In order to succeed, chestnut seeds need to be cold stratified starting at the end of October and preferably planted in spring.
- Using a ziploc gallon size bag, place your chestnut seeds in a soil-less starting mixture*.
You can easily place 40 seed nuts per bag.
Make sure to punch holes in the ziploc bag for ventilation.
DO NOT use a mixture with fertilizer in it.
– Mixture should remain moist, not too wet or not too dry. –
- Turn chestnut seeds every couple of weeks and check for any sign of mold.
If any of your seeds have mold, discard them immediately.
By the end of February to the beginning of March, your seeds should have developed a sprout (tap-root).
- At this point, you may transplant your sprouted seeds into a container with the soil-less mix. You can use a tall styrofoam cup with holes punched in the bottom for drainage.
DO NOT ADD ANY FERTILIZER.
- Place the planting container in a warm sunny window or greenhouse until the last frost has passed.
- You are now able to transplant your saplings into the ground or into a larger container (3 or 5 gallons pot).
YOU MAY USE A “TRIPLE 12” FERTILIZER AT THIS POINT.
- Make sure you gently twist the nut off from the roots before planting; moles and other animals may find it and dig up your saplings.
* Our favourite soil-less starting mixture is PRO-MIX-PGX.