The Canadian Chestnut Council is doing excellent work on the locating of various remaining native chestnuts in Ontario and the propagation of new seedlings to augment this endangered species. They have been working on the protection of existing trees by hypovirulent blight inoculations. Colin McKeen has been travelling all over southern Ontario in the last few years in an attempt to restore some of the big old trees. Progress is encouraging! Do you know of some otherwise "undiscovered" native chestnut trees? Membership in this organization is encouraged at the modest current rate of only $10.00 per head per year. Send checks to: Canadian Chestnut Council, c/o J.C. Fisher, 1332 Suncrest Road, Kingsville, Ontario N9Y 3H3. Cast your vote for the protection of the grand old native nut tree of Ontario!
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food operates a pest diagnostic clinic out of the University of Guelph. For a modest fee you can find out what's eating you up out there in the back forty. The person to know is Marilyn Dykstra, Pest Diagnostic and Advisory Clinic, OMAF, Box 3650, 95 Stone Road West, Zone 2, Guelph ON N1H 8J7.
Commercial Production Summary
The Grimo Nut Nursery, R.R.#3, Niagara-on-the-Lake ON L0S 1J0
| Three Year Production Summary of Selected Sweet Chestnut Cultivars | |||||
| kg/ha | 3 year | % large | |||
| Chestnut cultivar | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | average | nuts (est. ) |
| Grimo 142Q (Layeroka seedling) | 3833 | 4488 | 4333 | 4218 | 85 |
| Campbell #1 (Layeroka seedling) | 3938 | 3900 | 3100 | 3646 | 75 |
| Layeroka | 4090 | 3212 | 3157 | 3486 | 65 |
| Grimo 112X (Parent unknown) | 2897 | 3875 | 1671 | 2814 | 90 |
| Grimo 116T (Parent unknown) | 3733 | 1918 | 2196 | 2615 | 85 |
| Yearly average | 3271 | 2513 | 2084 | 2623 | |
| Five Year Production Summary of Selected Hazelnut Cultivars (Fresh Weight) | |||||||
| kg/ha | 5 year | ||||||
| Hazelnut cultivar | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | average | nut size |
| Gellatly 502 | 1680 | 3194 | 2694 | 833 | 1027 | 1886 | medium |
| Laroka tree hazel hybrid | 3833 | 0 | 0 | 5250 | 0 | 1817 | medium |
| Grimo 188P (Petoka x Myoka) | 555 | 1555 | 1110 | 1110 | 1333 | 1133 | large |
| 1993 Production Summary of Selected Persian Walnut Cultivars (Fresh Weight) | |||
| Persian Walnut | kg/ha | Size | Fill |
| Hansen | 4712 | medium | v.good |
| Metcalfe | 4075 | medium | good |
| Greenhaven | 2935 | large | good |
| Lake | 1515 | large | good |
| Cobles #2 | 2647 | v. large | good |
| McKinster | 1964 | large | good |
| Holton | 2872 | large | good |
| Korn | 2909 | large | good |
| Young's Bl | 588 | large | v.good |
| Three Year Production Record of a Thirteen Year Old Bates Heartnut Tree (fresh weight) | |||
| Crop | Canopy | ||
| Year | Weight (kg) | Area (m2) | kg/ha |
| 1991 | 22.7 | 81 | 2800 |
| 1992 | 33.5 | 100 | 3356 |
| 1993 | 23.9 | 121 | 1975 |
Hazelnut Planting Plan
G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G G s G
Tree spacing 20'x 20'. Area = 1.2 acres or 0.49 ha
| G = grafted or layered hazels like Gellatly 502 | 88 trees. |
| s = seedling hazel pollinators | 33 trees. |
| Total | 121 trees. |
Future Follow up
evaluate seedling for pollinating and/or nut production quality and replace as needed.
| Approximate Tree Costs for 1994 Planting Season | |
| 88 grafted Gellatly 502 hazels @ $13 | $1144 |
| 33 seedling pollinators @ $5 | $165 |
| Total tree costs for 0.5 ha | $1309 ($1090/A) |
Persian Walnut Planting Plan
1 2 3 2 4 2 1 2 3 2 4 2 Gl s G2 s G3 s Gl s G2 s G3 s s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl Gl s G2 s G3 s Gl s G2 s G3 s s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl Gl s G2 s G3 s Gl s G2 s G3 s s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl Gl s G2 s G3 s Gl s G2 s G3 s s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl Gl s G2 s G3 s Gl s G2 s G3 s s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl s Gl
Tree spacing 20' x 20'. Area = 1.2 acres or 0.49 ha.
| Gl, G2 and G3 = 3 different grafted cultivars | 60 trees |
| s = Persian walnut seedlings | 60 trees. |
| Total | 120 trees. |
Future Followup
When trees crowd, remove all Persian walnut seedlings. Good trees can be tree spaded into
new planting.
When trees crowd again, remove all "column 2" trees. They may be tree spaded to new sites
if the orchard is not too crowded. Gl should be a prolific variety like Hansen or Metcalfe to
maximize the early year production.
| Approximate Costs for 1994 Planting Season | |
| 60 grafted Persian walnut trees @ $15 | $900 |
| 60 seedling Persian walnut trees @ $6 | $360 |
| Total tree costs for 1.2 acres or 0.5 ha | $1260 ($1050/A) |
Using seedlings for all column 2 trees and having 30 grafted @ $15 and 90 seedlings @ $6, the cost can be reduced to $990, or $825. per acre.
Chestnut Planting Plan
1 2 3 2 1 2 1 2 3 2 1 2 Q s Pl s Q s Q s Pl s Q s s Q s Q s Q s Q s Q s Q Q s P2 s Q s Q s P2 s Q s s Q s Q s Q s Q s Q s Q Q s P1 s Q s Q s P1 s Q s s Q s Q s Q s Q s Q s Q Q s P2 s Q s Q s P2 s Q s s Q s Q s Q s Q s Q s Q Q s Pl s Q s Q s Pl s Q s s Q s Q s Q s Q s Q s Q Q s P2 s Q s Q s P2 s Q s
Tree spacing 20'x 20'. Area = 1.2 acres (0.49 ha)
| Q - Grafted Grimo 142Q, Layeroka or other pollen sterile types | 54 trees |
| P1 & P2 = Two different grafted pollinator cultivars (6 each) | 12 trees |
| s = Chestnut seedling trees | 55 trees. |
| Total | 121 trees |
Future Followup
When trees crowd remove all "s" trees.
When trees crowd again, remove all "column 2" trees leaving 36 permanent cultivars.
Good trees may be tree spaded into a new planting.
| Approximate Tree Costs for 1994 Planting Season | |
| 66 grafted production trees and pollinators @ $ 15 | $990. |
| 55 seedling chestnut trees @ $6 | $330 |
| Total tree costs for 1.2 acres or 0.5 ha | $1320 ($1100/A) |
Using seedlings for all column 2 trees and having 36 grafted @ $15 and 85 seedlings @ $6, cost can be reduced to $1050, or $875. per acre.
Heartnut Planting Plan
Gl h G2 h G3 h Gl h G2 h G3 h h h h h h h h h h h h h Gl h G2 h G3 h Gl h G2 h G3 h h h h h h h h h h h h h Gl h G2 h G3 h Gl h G2 h G3 h h h h h h h h h h h h h Gl h G2 h G3 h Gl h G2 h G3 h h h h h h h h h h h h h Gl h G2 h G3 h Gl h G2 h G3 h h h h h h h h h h h h h
Tree spacing 20'x 20'. Area = 1.2 acres or 0.49 ha
| Gl,G2,G3, 3 different grafted cultivars | 30 trees. |
| h = hazelnut seedlings | 90 trees. |
| Total | 120 trees. |
Future followup
When heartnuts begin crowding out the hazelnuts, remove hazels.
The removals can be tree spaded into a new planting area where they will return to full
production in two or threeyears.
| Approximate Costs for 1994 Planting Season | |
| 30 grafted heartnut trees @ $15 | $450 |
| 90 seedling hazelnut trees @ $5 | 450 |
| Total tree costs for 1.2 acres or 0.5 ha | $900 ($750/A) |
We do not recommend heartnut seedling, since cracking quality is too variable. Hazelnut trees begin to bear at an early age, remain compact, and reach full production sooner. The Gellatly seedlings generally ripen earlier than heartnuts, making them a good choice as an interplant nut tree.
Provided by SONG. Feel free to copy with a credit.