Chestnuts into NWSG

[Rally1148]

Hey all,

So I've got a handful of American Chestnuts that I'll be planting in the next year or so. I am thinking of putting them on the border of my NSWG and foodplot. I figured hard mast + the plot is a good look. My question is, if I set these about 10 feet into the NWSG, would they grow ok? It's somewhat light ground.

I'd put down 6' landscape fabric, fence, etc...

 

[bigeight]

We did a similar thing, with the same thoughts in mind. We did it slightly different. We did a 10-15' strip of perennial white clover that borders the plot. Then planted the trees where the clover meets the annual plot. The clover acts as a fire break for when we burn the WSG, the chestnuts attract/screen, and do a nice job producing licking branches every 15' or so bordering the whole plot as an added bonus. We don't have to disc over the roots ever, or worry about maintaining the trees IN the WSG.

 

[Rally1148]

I was a bit apprehensive about it for basically all of what you avoided. The problem is I'm a bit limited on space. I'll keep thinking on it.

 

[bigeight]

Could you spare a 6-8' strip to put into clover separating the WSG and the Plot to plant your trees in?

 

[j-bird]

Like was noted my concern would be if you burn or plan to burn your NWSG. I wouldn't want to be too close if you do....that stuff burns hot - good way to kill a tree. I plant my chestnuts and fruit trees in my perennial plots to make the most of that space. I realize at some point the trees may limit the clover but - clover is about the best thing I have seen for shady plots. I figure I'll be long gone before that turns into a significant issue!

 

[Rally1148]

I may be able to. I'll only be planting a few, and in groups of 1 or 2. I could even maybe do a 10x10 area around each tree.

 

[j-bird]

I may be able to. I'll only be planting a few, and in groups of 1 or 2. I could even maybe do a 10x10 area around each tree.

I have 3 different "perennial plots/orchards". They are all clover based plots and I have 3 chestnut trees in one, 3 apple trees in another and 3 apples and 2 chestnuts in the largest one (with room for more). Two are only 1/4 acre and the other is 6/10 acre in size. As long as you have enough trees to get the pollination you need you should be fine. It's a pain to have to mow around them, but with limited plotting acres sometimes we have to give a little to get a little. I only have a small (maybe 4 foot square) area around the base of my apples that I keep clear with weed barrier fabric and creek stone/gravel. I have more issues catching the stupid cages with the FEL, boom sprayer or mower than anything, but I don't have to worry about fire.

 

[Rally1148]

So, here is what I'm looking at. Rotation 1 and 2 are just alternating between brassicas and redclover/rye. The blue pins are apple trees. White pin is hazelnut. Green pin is pears. Big green square is NWSG.

The proposed placement of the chesnuts are the ?'s. Those farthest to the right (East) I'm pretty sure about. It's up on a really sandy ridge, with oaks growing on the east side of the hill (maybe 50 feet away).

Would doing 5 foot landscape fabric around the chestnuts, combined with mowing a few feet around that work? Just keeping that NWSG short, and then I'd frost seed clover into it every few years?