Most modern varieties of Chestnut, just like most fruit trees, need to be grafted onto a vigorous root stock. A few very productive old fashioned varieties, however, can be cultivated from young shoots (I'm afraid I don't know the names of these).
This is how the clever little devils go about the process over here, which, in all, has taken 3 years (so far).
Having chopped down a dying tree, it will sprout small branches from around the base of the severed trunk, when these are large enough (i.e. the following year), a solid piece of wire is twisted very tightly just above where it joins the trunk; in effect strangling it, and forcing it to grow it's own roots just beyond the wire noose, underneath a good deep covering of soil.
The following year (i.e. year 3), the soil is removed revealing each small branch complete with its own bunch of healthy roots. The branches are then cut, the wire removed, and they are planted out.
I like this process. Time seems irrelevant, and you end-up with free Chestnut trees; whilst (more importantly) saving ancient varieties.
As with the planting of most trees, one plants for one's grandchildren. The only question nowadays being 'will those grandchildren have stayed on the farm, in order to appreciate the expediency of their forebears?'
I do hope so.
I love the directness and simplicity of this tree tutorial! And we do what we can; the future is out of our hands.
ReplyDeleteI wonder who worked this out.
ReplyDeleteIt is a brilliant system.
That's what I thought!
DeleteI'm going to chop a tree down and try it...
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to think one's descendants will enjoy the fruits of our labour but it is still satisfying to know we have enriched our environment for the benefit of all.
I now have 22 saplings on the go in pots, mango, avocado, sweet fig, flame tree, banana (is that a tree?) and what is locally called Monkey Banana Tree (nothing like a banana, more like thornless Acacia). They'll take their time but it is still better than watching paint dry.
I think this only works with trees that re-sprout from the base when chopped down. If that IS the case, then it should work. Good luck.
DeleteGreat "tutorial". Growing and planting for the future is SO necessary, but many people are planting in a more altruistic way, as their children leave farming.
ReplyDeleteAh, that is the question Cro. Will our grandchildren appreciate things like this? Not sure we should even expect them to - each generation is different, but at least you are doing it for posterity - someone (hopefully) will appreciate the trouble you have gone to - and you will have had the pleasure and pride in seeing it happen.
ReplyDeleteWhen I sold my parents beautiful house in Shropshire, the first thing the new owner did was to bulldoze the ancient 44 tree orchard. Grrrrrrrrr.
DeleteVery clever and an excellent way to perpetuate trees. Hopefully someone's grandchildren will stick around to appreciate. My going on 3 year old granddaughter asked her parents for a "farm" for Christmas, so I have hope.
ReplyDeletewow that is really clever. do you know if this works with apple trees?
ReplyDeleteI doubt it, but with ancient varieties you can plant cuttings. Take a length of new growth, cut the top half off, and plant the lower half. They should grow. I've tried this myself, after hearing about the method on the radio, and it worked!
DeleteThat's great! Good question about farms staying in the family. We bought our farm from a family that had owned it since it began 150-odd years ago. But none of the children wanted it, and the owners wanted to downsize, so here we are!
ReplyDelete