It is more than annoying when the chestnut that has been lovingly cared for over the years delivers empty fruit as a thank you. From the outside, nothing appears to be missing from the tree. Then why isn't the spiky fruit cup full to the brim? Good reasons for the chestnut.
Why are my chestnut fruits empty?
Empty fruits can occur every year and in manageable quantities on every sweet chestnut. If yourtreeonly bears empty fruit, it may betoo young, or theflowers have not been pollinatedbecause a second chestnut tree is missing nearby.
From what year does the chestnut bear fruit?
Experts say that the sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa)bears plump, edible fruit for the first time after about ten years. If you grow a chestnut yourself from seeds, it will take 25-35 years before the tree produces its first harvest.
Does the chestnut always have to be cross-pollinated?
Yes, the chestnut treemust be cross-pollinated Although it has male and female flowers, these open at a different time. If you can, plant a second tree in the garden and empty fruit will soon be a thing of the past. If your garden does not have space for a second chestnut, you can still consider these alternatives for successful pollination:
- specifically refine a branch with a different variety
- Ask property neighbors for a planting
Can I do the finishing myself?
It is certainlypossibleto refine a branch of the sweet chestnut tree yourself. However, without specialist knowledge, the project is doomed to failure. Beforehand, study the relevantspecialist literatureor watch some goodYouTube videos.
Why is sometimes only part of the fruit empty?
If the conditions are not ideal, the chestnut will not be able to fully produce all of its fruits until harvest time in the fall.usually a nutrient deficiency is responsible for empty fruits Symptoms of chlorosis also include yellow leaves. Find the missing nutrient, usually iron, potassium, nitrogen or phosphorus, by having a soil analysis done. Based on this, you can fertilize your chestnut in a targeted manner. After all, a sweet chestnut needs several sunny months if every chestnut is to fully ripen.
Tip
Attention: Not every variety is suitable for pollination
The flowering period of the new chestnut must be timed so that the flowers of the old chestnut can be pollinated. If it blooms too early or too late, the fruits will still remain empty. So get specific advice as to which other variety is suitable for fertilization.
