Post season scouting/ spring planting prep

[Raquettedacker]

Just awesome Tom..  Its been great following your progression. And boy you have come a long way...Very cool...

[Hollywood]

Just awesome Tom..  Its been great following your progression. And boy you have come a long way...Very cool...

Thank you Dom! It's rewarding to finally have this section how I wanted it. Hard to remember now how it was when I started on it, but I do remember a section you couldn't even walk through. It'll be a lot easier now to whittle away at what's left as I get around to it... after the next two smaller plots are cleared.

[reeleyz]

The dunstan chestnuts were shipped to my local Walmart this weekend. I kept asking the garden dept manager if he knew when they would be in and he had no idea they were even coming.

They shipped exactly what the chestnut hill website said. I snatched up every 7 gallon tree they had. When I picked them up the manager asked if I worked for Walmart because he couldn't figure out how I knew when they were coming and how many they were getting. 

[Hollywood]

The dunstan chestnuts were shipped to my local Walmart this weekend. I kept asking the garden dept manager if he knew when they would be in and he had no idea they were even coming.

They shipped exactly what the chestnut hill website said. I snatched up every 7 gallon tree they had. When I picked them up the manager asked if I worked for Walmart because he couldn't figure out how I knew when they were coming and how many they were getting. 

Nice! I hope they do great for you. How much are they now?

[reeleyz]

Nice! I hope they do great for you. How much are they now?

The 7 gallon trees are $40 and the 3 gallon trees are $30. That is less than what Chestnut Hill shows on their website. I was surprised to see the Central Square Walmart on the list. That worked out very well for me.

[Hollywood]

The 7 gallon trees are $40 and the 3 gallon trees are $30. That is less than what Chestnut Hill shows on their website. I was surprised to see the Central Square Walmart on the list. That worked out very well for me.

Yes, I saw that. They weren't last year. I didn't see any of the bigger ones last year- only 3 gallon. you'll be off to a good start! Are you fishing the pickerel tourney this weekend?

[reeleyz]

Yes, I saw that. They weren't last year. I didn't see any of the bigger ones last year- only 3 gallon. you'll be off to a good start! Are you fishing the pickerel tourney this weekend?

I am on call for work and I need to stick fairly close to home so I won't be in that tourney. I bet that one is a lot of fun, not serious like these walleye tourneys. When my son is a little older I think I will get into it.

I might sneak out one morning for a bit and try to fool a couple of eyes into becoming dinner though. 

[Hollywood]

I am on call for work and I need to stick fairly close to home so I won't be in that tourney. I bet that one is a lot of fun, not serious like these walleye tourneys. When my son is a little older I think I will get into it.

I might sneak out one morning for a bit and try to fool a couple of eyes into becoming dinner though. 

You don't have much trouble fooling eyes! I'm really looking forward to hitting Oneida for the first time this weekend. If not for working on camp... I'd have been out pretty much every day since the opener, way overdue. Good luck out there!

[reeleyz]

You don't have much trouble fooling eyes! I'm really looking forward to hitting Oneida for the first time this weekend. If not for working on camp... I'd have been out pretty much every day since the opener, way overdue. Good luck out there!

It should be a good weekend and the bite is getting pretty good. Have fun!

[reeleyz]

Have you thought about using the grow tubes? It sounds like they work really well on Chestnut trees. The growth rates are unreal. From what I read they are not the best for apple trees though. 

[Hollywood]

Have you thought about using the grow tubes? It sounds like they work really well on Chestnut trees. The growth rates are unreal. From what I read they are not the best for apple trees though. 

I didn't try them with the 3 gallon Dunstan from last year or the Chinese seedlings from this year. I will probably try some on next springs seedlings. The seedlings I planted early in full sun are pretty much toast. The ones with some shade are doing ok- but those I planted after all leaves were out good and right in the woods are doing great. They are naturally an understory tree, so it makes sense. Next year I'll try some grow tubes to see what difference it makes in various conditions. Just got done making a small clearing in a good spot- had a doe watching me for a good 30 minutes from about 45 yards away- like having a cheerleader! Had 8 turkeys in the orchard- 3 good gobblers. My buddy is bringing his daughter again this weekend- hope they score her first! They're in the big orchard now almost all the time.

[reeleyz]

I hope she gets a bird this weekend. Turkeys seem dumb until you put camo on and grab a shotgun. 

It is interesting that they say the chestnuts need full sun. It would make more sense that they do better in filtered sun. My plots are small so they don't get full sun all day anyway. Maybe that is a good thing.

[Hollywood]

I hope she gets a bird this weekend. Turkeys seem dumb until you put camo on and grab a shotgun. 

It is interesting that they say the chestnuts need full sun. It would make more sense that they do better in filtered sun. My plots are small so they don't get full sun all day anyway. Maybe that is a good thing.

I planted last years 3 gallon Dunstan's in full sun- they're doing great in it. It's the full Chinese that cooked. Almost every thing you read says full sun for them. Could be the larger trees can handle it better than seedlings? Just about the time I get this figured out... I'll be done putting them in.    I'd like to eventually wind up with 500-600 mature trees in the area I have in mind for them though, so it'll be awhile. I may try throwing a few Chinkapin variety in the mix next year also. Smaller nut- better for turkeys & grouse. I may try row planting some Chinese in the shade next year until they're larger and transplant them as 2 or 3 year olds. In the meanwhile for this year I'm just clearing areas off the logging roads without mature trees, as little as 20' x 20' , some a couple times that size, creating as much edge as the situation allows. The goal is to get more growth at ground level- not all 100' up in the air. Trying to remove just firewood trees and smaller stuff for now, not the good lumber.

[Hollywood]

Had an old pump, hoses & wiring kicking around so I ran everything after work and brought the generator up. Wasn't too worried about the apple trees- but the clover, chicory & oats didn't look too happy in the dust and in case we get a drought I wanted everything in place ahead of time. Works great- going to set up a splitter so I can run a couple sprinklers at a time. Ground cover will be lush soon.   

[Green Mountian Hunter]

                  Things looking great  Tom          What are the white things around the trees