Nut Trees - Walnut, Sweet Chestnut; which variety

Rebecca

I'd like to plant a few nut producing trees along the boundary of my field. I'm interested in Walnut and Sweet Chestnut but are there any particular varieties I should be looking for to suit our climate? Will I find them in most garden centres?

Are there any other trees that give an edible crop (besides the usual orchard and soft fruits).
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Living the good life on our rural Irish smallholding. Follow the learning curve on our interactive blogsite at www.sallygardens.typepad.com

birdie · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 9:58 am Post subject:

You seen this post Rebecca http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1426&highlight=black+walnut

greenman · Hazel Tree Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 3

I don't know about the sweet chestnut but a friend had a walnut tree and found it easily damaged by frosts

BlackBird · Silver Birch Tree Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 165

cooler · Silver Birch Tree Joined: 15 Jun 2006 Posts: 174

I see a good few Sweet Chestnut trees in gardens on my travels. Never really seen any fruit on them. I know for a fact though that you can easily order through garden centres Sweet Chestnut trees with a trunk girth up to 18 cms and a height of 16ft. This is in autumn and winter.

Rebecca · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 10:32 am Post subject:

Thanks everyone.
I've discovered that there are several varieties thought suitable for our climate and I'd like to give it a go. I'm interested in creating a forest garden, using permaculture design theory which is why I'm researching edible crops.

We already have tons of wild elderflower .... I've 3 demijohns of elderflower wine brewing beside me as I type, 10 bottles of elderflower champagne (one exploded in the scullery thismorning!) and 20 bottles of elderflower cordial! Elderberry wine is next on the list. Hazel also grows well around here and I know of some in particular that crop well near a local lake. I'd be interested in planting a couple of bought varieties though that give larger nuts.

I've also heard about various nut trees that can be sold with truffle spores at the base ... perfect, I could use my pigs to hunt them out.
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GPI · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:09 pm Post subject:

Rebecca · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:49 pm Post subject:

Let me see, I'll have to dig out the permaculture design course notes I got at the organic centre recently ... ok, here it is ... no actual variety named, it says grafted varieties give bigger nuts and that at the moment the jury is still out as to which ones will suit Irelands climate the best. Trials are ongoing and anybody wishing to experiment and feed back results are encouraged (that will be me then) but feedback to where exactly isn't explained. I would start by getting in touch with Graham Strouts who gave the course at the organic centre and who teaches full time at the practicable sustainability course in Kinsale further education college.
http://www.kinsalefurthered.ie/permaculture_course_level2.htm

I'll let you know in 15 years time which variety is doing best!
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Living the good life on our rural Irish smallholding. Follow the learning curve on our interactive blogsite at www.sallygardens.typepad.com

GPI · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:54 pm Post subject:

Thanks for that Rebecca.