So put them in your garden

Is there a difference between chestnuts and horse chestnuts?

Even if the fruits of the sweet chestnut and horse chestnut look similar, they are very different genera from different plant families. Even so, they have very similar needs. The sweet chestnut is, however, more sensitive to frost. It prefers a mild climate.

The best time to plant

You can almost always plant a chestnut from the container. The soil just needs to be frost-free and the chestnut used to the outside temperature. However, you will find the best conditions for good growth in spring.

Choose the right location

Both Types of chestnut prefer a sunnyLocation. The soil should not be too moist, but also not too dry. Wetness at the roots promotes various things Diseases, especially the so-called ink sickness. Trees affected by this die after just a few years.

When looking for a location, also consider the size of the adult chestnut. A common horse chestnut grows up to 30 meters high, a red horse chestnut on the other hand only about 10 meters. The sweet chestnut with an average height of approx. 20 to 25 meters is not a small plant.

Dig the planting hole

Ideally, you should plant a young chestnut, which will cause the least amount of work. The planting hole should be at least twice as large as the root ball of your tree. This refers to the diameter of the hole. The depth is about the same as the root ball plus a little extra for well-rotted compost that you work in as fertilizer.

Plant the chestnut

If you notice that the soil is very firm as you dig, then loosen it up a little with a generous addition of sand or gravel. Then place the chestnut in the planting hole. It should be about as deep in the ground as it was before transplanting.

Water the chestnut before Transplanting thorough. The earth closes properly around the roots when you plant the chestnut tree. Then water the plant a little. You should keep a close eye on young chestnuts over the next few weeks and water them a little if necessary so that they do not dry out. This is especially true in particularly hot and / or dry weather.

The essentials in brief:

• sunny location
• needs lots of space
• fresh, not too moist soil
• Sweet chestnut less frost hardy
• Dig a large planting hole
• Work in compost and possibly sand
• Check and water young chestnuts regularly