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Water chestnuts

Posts: 43

Location: The Netherlands

posted 13 years ago

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Hello,

Does somebody knows how to grow water chestnuts?
They look pretty interesting.
And how big is the harvest from it?

Gr. Matis

Dave Boehnlein

Posts: 299

Location: Orcas Island, WA

posted 13 years ago

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The Book Ecological Aquaculture (http://amzn.to/rNUxix) has an appendix on how to cultivate water chestnuts. It also has appendices on freshwater shrimp and a variety of other aquaculture crops. I'm not sure what climate you're in, but you may find that you require a greenhouse to pull it off.

For a source of plant material I suggest just going to pick some up from a local Asian market when they have fresh ones. Straight from the produce department to the garden!

Dave

Principal - Terra Phoenix Design
http://TerraPhoenixDesign.com

Kay Bee

Posts: 471

Location: Jackson County, OR (Zone 7)

posted 13 years ago

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A google search for "water chestnuts kiddie pool" gives a number of hits that should have most of what you are looking for... here is one that briefly describes the process:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/asianveg/msg0201381016657.html

I've seen fresh corms in the produce section of whole foods and other organic grocery stores. If you start them in a warm spot inside to get them going, it would likely shave off a month or more of the necessary growing season.

I'd like to try this next year using some shallow lined ponds in between deeper ponds for fish and other creatures.

"Limitation is the mother of good management", Michael Evanari

Location: Southwestern Oregon (Jackson County), Zone 7

Denise Lehtinen

Posts: 102

Location: Tampa, Florida zone 9A

posted 13 years ago

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I don't know how to grow water chestnuts, but I have heard that they are an envasive species here in Florida. So, if you think about the things that are readily available in the waterways of my state, then you'll have alot of what you need.

(I am probably crazy, but in my book an envasive food item is to me one I need to expend zero effort to grow, and some amount of pre-planning to keep it contained. In this case I might just try filling a kiddie pool with sand, and then flooding said kiddie pool.)

Geoff Lawton

permaculture expert

Posts: 50

posted 13 years ago

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The most productive crop by weight in the world, stick them straight in a container of soil about 6 to 9 inches deep the immerse the container under water about 4 to 6 inches in spring time at the end of summer the reed tops will brown off and you can then harvest.

Famous for "greening the desert" and several permaculture DVDs including his latest: Urban Permaculture

gani et se

Posts: 222

Location: Douglas County OR

posted 13 years ago

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stick them straight in a container of soil about 6 to 9 inches deep the immerse the container under water about 4 to 6 inches in spring time at the end of summer the reed tops will brown off and you can then harvest.

Once they are immersed, are they kept in water till harvest? If so, what about devoting a small shallow pond with a soil bottom to them?

Intermountain (Cascades and Coast range) oak savannah, 550 - 600 ft elevation. USDA zone 7a. Arid summers, soggy winters

Jonathan 'yukkuri' Kame

Posts: 488

Location: Foothills north of L.A., zone 9ish mediterranean

posted 13 years ago

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Short article over at PRI: http://permaculture.org.au/2008/11/29/water-chestnuts/

Geoff Lawton

permaculture expert

Posts: 50

posted 13 years ago

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Yes keep them in the water till harvest and small pond is fine,

Famous for "greening the desert" and several permaculture DVDs including his latest: Urban Permaculture

Matthew Fallon

Posts: 308

Location: long island, ny Z-7a

posted 13 years ago

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i am definitely planting some of these in my ponds next spring (once those get installed!) WC's are a fav and i see they can grow in zone 7 ,great!

Denise Lehtinen wrote:I don't know how to grow water chestnuts, but I have heard that they are an envasive species here in Florida.

that is probably the non-edible type which also plagues many other states waterways... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiWStPVbP88

Baldwin Organic Garden Share Our home-based garden cooperative. Tribal Wind Arts Rustic Furniture & Artisan-Craftwork from reclaimed suburban trees

gani et se

Posts: 222

Location: Douglas County OR

posted 13 years ago

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Thank you. I figured since they aren't called mud chestnuts...

It looks like I will officially be living on the land we purchased this summer by mid-December. Then I'll have a break from construction of people shelter and can begin to work on soil (and pond) prep. I'm thinking I will pick up one of those large fiberglass bathtubs (used) to use as a pond. Should be about right for water chestnuts.

Intermountain (Cascades and Coast range) oak savannah, 550 - 600 ft elevation. USDA zone 7a. Arid summers, soggy winters

Denise Lehtinen

Posts: 102

Location: Tampa, Florida zone 9A

posted 13 years ago

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I wonder if my local Asian market sells these.

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