Things Needed
Tip
Substitute coir ( coconut tree fiber ) for the peat or sphagnum moss for an environmentally friendly path to store the seminal fluid . practice biodegradable smoke to start the seeds in rather than 1 - inch plastic mickle . Just plant the entire biodegradable pot ( with the seedling ) in the garden when it is time to plant the seedling out . you could plant the ejaculate directly into inclined garden stain in October . Plant in an out of the way blot and mulch with 1 to 2 inch of compost . Be trusted to nock the place so you do n’t accidentally till over the cum . semen will come forth in mid to late March . However , this method acting may come down the sprouting rate of seeds due to waste and small mammal predation .
Warning
Do not pick conkers like a shot from the tree . Seeds are not ripe until the buckeye have fallen . Do not pick up conker that have not split . The seeds inside believably wo n’t germinate .
Aesculus is comprised of just about 20 metal money of Tree and woody bush , with six native to North America and the ease native to Europe and Asia . All aesculus species have white bloom in spring and produce conkers , or spiny seed stalk encasing a large come . In Europe , aesculus metal money are refer to as horse chestnut . In the United States , they are referred to as buckeyes . Horse chestnuts are genus Aesculus hippocastanum and are not as stalwart as buckeyes . cavalry chestnuts are hardy in Zones 3 to 8 and form rounded 50- to 75 - foot specimen trees .
Plant the Seeds
Step 1
Gather twice as many horse chestnut horse chestnut than you call up you will ask . Each horse chestnut contains one seed so you will need to cumulate 8 horse chestnut if you desire 4 trees , because not all the seeds that you start will spud . Only pull together conkers that have fallen from tree . horse chestnut fall in September and October , count on where you live .
Step 2
Remove the seminal fluid from the buckeye by pulling one one-half of the spiny shell ( conker ) off ( conker open when they hit the terra firma ) and kill the source out . Seeds are very prominent and soft to handle , however , when first removed they may be slippery .
Step 3
stash away the seed overwinter by placing them in a plastic computer storage bag packed with bog moss or peat moss . Keep the moss moist by misting periodically with urine . memory in a cool room ( approximately 40 degrees F ) or in a refrigerator . Do not seal the bag ; rather , allow it to remain slightly open or horn in several yap in the plastic to allow some air travel flow . You will need to start up the seeds in mid springtime after all chances of frost have conk .
Step 4
sterilise as many 1 - inch pots as you have semen in a 1:10 bleach / water solution . rinsing thoroughly in warm H2O and allow for them to line dry .
Step 5
Make your own seed starting mix for gymnastic horse chestnuts by mixing compost and potting soil together to make a 50/50 compost / soil commixture . dampen the compost / stain mix with piddle and sate the 1 - inch gage to the top .
Step 6
Push one seed into a pot filled with compost / dirt mixing until it is just covered . go along with the other semen , planting one seed per pot . Seeds will evolve in 4 to 10 days .
Step 7
site the pots alfresco in a spot that receives sunrise sun and good afternoon shadiness . impart the pots indoors if nighttime temperatures cast off below freeze .
Step 8
Keep the seed moist but do n’t let the soil to become sloppy . countenance the top 1/2 column inch of stain to dry out before watering again .
Step 9
Transplant seedling into a sheltered area of your garden , such as a spot where they have protection from the prevailing wind and receive afternoon shade . They should be at least 2 to 3 inches high to transplant successfully . Plant them at the same depth they were growing in the pots .
Step 10
Give your seedlings 1 to 2 in of water supply a week . Allow the top 1 inch of dirt to dry slightly before watering . Do not leave the soil around the seedlings to become soggy as the seedlings will succumb to root rot if left in standing piddle .
Step 11
Apply 1/2 to 1 inch of mulch around your seedling . get out the mulch an column inch away from the horse chestnut ’s trunk . Spread the mulch so it stretch forth 3 to 4 inches from the trunk . Mulch keep the soil evenly moist and avail control weeds .
Transplanting the Saplings
pick out a spot in full sun or part shade ( horse chestnut need at 6 to 8 hour of direct sun ) with well drained soil . gymnastic horse chestnut tree prefer slightly dampish soil to overly ironical dirt so they are the perfect trees for clay and clay loam territory .
transfer your horse cavalry chestnut sapling to their final location when they progress to 1 to 3 feet high ( usually at the terminal of their first summertime ) . Time the transplant so it is 4 to 6 week before your ordinary first frost date ( this gives the sapling time to settle in ) or , if you will be transplanting in spring , you’re able to move your sapling as soon as the soil can be ferment .
travail a hole just great enough to accommodate the ancestor ball . engraft your sawhorse chestnut tree sapling at the same depth it was get in .
Give your horse chestnut sapling 1 to 2 inch of body of water per week during its first year .
Use 2 to 3 column inch of mulch around the radix of the sapling . recollect to draw the mulch 1 to 2 inches away from the base of the tree . Spread the mulch so it reaches the dribble line ( the notional line around tree that score where the tips of the branches attain ) .
