Growing chestnuts from nuts

We did some Christmas food shopping on Tuesday and, amongst many other treats, we bought some French chestnuts from a local greengrocer. Once I'd got them home it struck me that I could try to propagate these, in the hope that they would grow and survive in my climate. I love chestnuts and, so far, I only have one feral chestnut sapling. I would very much like to have some more - both for nut production, which I know takes a long time, and for building/fencing timber.

Has anyone here ever grown chestnuts from seed? I would appreciate any advice on cold storage/stratification and how successful I can expect this to be.

My current best guess it to scarify the shells and then bury the chestnuts in fallen, damp leaves over the winter (keeping them away from rodents - I've made that mistake before!) and then plant any that have germinated in late winter.

Hope you're all staying nice and warm.

Luke Mitchell wrote:
Has anyone here ever grown chestnuts from seed? I would appreciate any advice on cold storage/stratification and how successful I can expect this to be.

I did this a few years after we moved up here; again with shop bought (probably French) Marrons. I think you are on the right track with the germination - I think I just left them in a pot of compost outside over the winter from December and got a good proportion of germination- well over half I think. However my climate/soil is poor for chestnuts and none of them survived after planting out. I do have a few bought in bare root trees clinging on, but not doing well enough to be worth trying again unfortunately. You're a good bit further south and warmer, so shouldn't have too much trouble.
If you want good nutting trees at a reasonable price from seed the I would try to get some seeds from Martin Crawford at the Agroforestry Research Trust. It's probably too late to try now, but in autumn he sells nuts from his varieties, which although they won't necessarily come true from seed, will be likely to do better in Wales than a French commercial variety.
Good luck.

Nancy, thanks for your reply. You are right that we are probably considerably warmer, on average, than you! It's been -2C most mornings in the last week but that doesn't seem to be the norm!

I'd completely forgotten about The Agroforestry Research Trust. I've just taken a look and you can buy 10 chestnuts for £5 + £1 P+P. That seems like quite a good offer to me.

I'll try your method for a few of these French chestnuts and I'll put in an order for the ones from Devon too, for next year.

have germinated chestnuts a number of times. there shouldn’t be a need to scarify them at all. just stratify and protect!

Brilliant, thanks for the advice Greg. I'll get collecting leaves!

I was recently watching these four videos to skill up on chestnuts. I think the last one has some saving through winter to grow in the spring discussion.