Connecticut news

Planting Season is Here!

Inauspicious as the day may have seemed (rain, sleet and snow) CT Chapter Members Dr. David Bingham, Gayle Kida and Bill Adamsen braved the elements and inaugurated the season with a bit more than a symbolic planting.

David had prepared the site during better conditions with a light harrow, some brush clearing and the installation of some 45 post sockets. Dr. Bingham purchased the Benners Garden deer fencing system. This is a rather extraordinary approach using light-weight black polyethylene fencing and black steel posts that fit into a 2 foot long sleeve pounded into the ground. The posts are super easy to install, and in fact, with the exception of the sleeves, David and I installed almost 1100 feet of fencing in approximately 5 hours. The fencing itself is low visibility, so much so that we installed small white flags a regular intervals to ensure the deer wouldn't run into it at full tilt! The flags are quite visible in the full sized photo just below. We're told it's durable and time will tell whether it keeps the deer out, and lasts.


Dr. Bingham sterilizes the soil extracted from the seed holes to kill competing weedplant seeds. Surveyor flags mark intended tree locations. [click on image to see full sized photo]
Photo by Bill Adamsen

When Gayle arrived we worked out a system for integrating our control nuts in a random fashion. We then set about numbering all the Bluex sleeves for field placement. Our complete complement of nuts totaled 202 (hybrids, controls and Chinese) and the task of labeling and assembling the tubes proved much more time consuming than expected. We reminded ourselves that next time we should make a jib for assembling the tubes, and be sure to put them in order in a box.


The pre-planting layout. Lots of different kinds of nuts, tubes, maps. [click on image to see full sized photo]
Photo by Bill Adamsen

Layout was done with a 350 foot surveyors tape. I found myself getting quite good at counting 8, 16,24,32,40,48 … as I plopped in the surveying markers. We then teamed up to remove the soil using a foot assisted bulb planter. When one of us got tired of pulling plugs of soil, we switched off on pushing the wheelbarrow. Because David operates a low impact farm (in terms of pre-emergents and pesticides) he's been experimenting with using a torch to sterilize the soil. The top photo gives a good picture of him performing that task. We also gave each planting hole a good 10-15 seconds of heat. Soil mix was 50% original and then 25% milled peat and an equal amount of perlite. It looked and felt wonderful!

One of the key objectives was to test different microrhizal effects on the planting and growth. To see if soil from around a nearby American Chestnut mixed in with the potting soil helps growth through microrhizal effect any better than soil from an oak forest floor, the soil in Rows 1,3, 5 and 7 have Chestnut soil additive, while rows 2,4, and 6 have Oak soil additive (all positions). Soil from the holes, taken with a bulb planter, was torched to kill any residual seeds and rootlets, then mixed 50/50 with a combination of peat and vermiculite, before adding the Chestnut and Oak additives (latter not torched, to avoid killing facultative soil organisms). David would also like to test the effect of intercropping with different types of plants. There are several ideas to test. First, we'd like a better understanding of any variable response to typical forest understory plants. Chestnut was so dominant that it's loss has undoubtedly had a huge impact on plants as well as animals. Secondly would be identifying simple beneficial crops. Since David doesn't use pesticides, this orchard location is an excellent location to test these relationships.

Back to the planting. I placed out the 24″ Bluex tubes in order (they had been pre-numbered and labeled) and returned to insert them in the holes and stabilize them with a 32 inch bamboo wand. David followed behind with the prepared soil mix and seeds. We were both glad when the sun set and we could no longer read the tube labels, giving us a reasonable excuse to stop. Last step was securing the tops of each tube with a clothespin to help keep rodents or fowl away from the nuts.


Assembled and stacked Bluex tubes await installation. [click on image to see full sized photo]
Photo by Bill Adamsen

Much thanks go out to Anne Bingham who not only opened her home to a bunch of wet and muddy workers, but graciously fed and entertained us.


End of an industrious day! [click on image to see full sized photo]
Photo by Bill Adamsen

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Especially if you're under a canopy of American chestnuts... ... See MoreSee Less

Especially if youre under a canopy of American chestnuts...

5 CommentsComment on Facebook

Unless, of course, it's fall. Then the chestnut seed pods are falling from the trees and creating a floor covered in pins and needles so sharp that it puts sweetgum to shame. You wouldn't want to be laying under the chestnut canopy then!

I live in Barboursville, WV and wanted to know if i can buy a seedling or how i go about acquiring one! Thank you!

The SHADE TREE COMMISSION in NEW PALTZ New York is interested in planting some CHESTNUT trees on Chestnut Street (Rt. 32). We would like to receive help from you if possible. New Paltz is a historic town and in the past there were MANY Chestnut trees here, Presently there is only ONE Chestnut tree which I grew from the nut of an elegant, large tree when it was sadly cut down. If there are any Chestnut trees available, or if you have any suggestion that might help us in this quest we would be greatful. Thank you for your attention., Shelly Ottens (moc.oohay@obobnyllehsih)

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Today was the last day of controlled pollinations in the southern region. Many thanks to the NC/SC Chapter members who came out to help! ... See MoreSee Less

8 CommentsComment on Facebook

Thank you for your hard work!

I'm in south Arkansas. We had miniature Chestnut call chink a pin which got wiped out in the 50s. I have found two this spring 2025. They are small.

Hello, is this a chestnut tree?

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This summer, we’re aiming to produce 1,000 hand-pollinated nuts for our genomic-assisted breeding program, and each one is a vital step toward restoring the American chestnut.

Producing a single nut takes time, tools, and teamwork. From pollination to harvest, every step is a vital part of the process to ensure that each nut has the best chance possible to grow into a more blight-resistant tree.

Here’s what goes into a single $25 nut:

Pollination Bag: $5
Hand Pollination Process: $5
Harvesting the Nut: $5
Shucking & Storing: $5
Equipment & Fuel: $5
Total per Nut: $25

By supporting just one nut, you’re helping us bring the American chestnut back to our forests. Support a handful, and you’re helping to rebuild an entire ecosystem.

This nutty campaign only runs from June 3 to 23, and we’ve got 1,000 nuts to grow. Join us!
support.tacf.org/nuts
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8 CommentsComment on Facebook

Would the Chestnut tree grow well in the upper Midwest?

Question, why don’t you just plant the seeds/trees in an orchard and let nature pollinate them? That would reduce the cost exponentially and sell the seeds by the bag full? So people can then plant them in mass? Also, Why only 1000 seeds when one tree can produce more than that?

Howdy. He have four American Chestnuts together, growing opposite of several Chinese. They are about 20 years old. An interesting study.

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Is this possibly in the Chestnut family?

There are two work opportunities on June 7, 2025 for members of the WV Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation.

The first is at the U.S. Forest Service property at 459 Nursery Bottom Road, Parsons. Work will begin at 10:00AM at the 'American Chestnut' sign. We will lay out spots for a 100-tree orchard that will be planted next spring. We also will weed the existing orchard and conduct other miscellaneous tasks. Bring gloves, water and lunch. A bathroom is available.

The second opportunity is at Jennings Randolph Lake north of Elk Garden in Mineral County. Forty American chestnut trees will be planted at the Roger Craig campground. Work will begin at 9:00 am. Bring gloves, water and a snack. This work is conducted in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
If you are available to assist at either of these two work sites, it will be much appreciated.
... See MoreSee Less

There are two work opportunities on June 7, 2025 for members of the WV Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation. The first is at the U.S. Forest Service property at 459 Nursery Bottom Road, Parsons. Work will begin at 10:00AM at the American Chestnut sign. We will lay out spots for a 100-tree orchard that will be planted next spring. We also will weed the existing orchard and conduct other miscellaneous tasks. Bring gloves, water and lunch. A bathroom is available.The second opportunity is at Jennings Randolph Lake north of Elk Garden in Mineral County. Forty American chestnut trees will be planted at the Roger Craig campground. Work will begin at 9:00 am. Bring gloves, water and a snack. This work is conducted in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.If you are available to assist at either of these two work sites, it will be much appreciated.
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