When is the maturity period of chestnuts?
The chestnut is the fruit of trees or shrubs in the genus Castanea of the family Fagaceae. It mostly grows on gentle slopes of low hills and in river beach areas. It is nutritious and delicious, and has long been known as the “king of dried fruits.” Abroad it is also called the “ginseng fruit.” Regular consumption has effects such as tonifying the kidneys and strengthening the spleen, strengthening the body, benefiting the stomach and soothing the liver. Now let us take a look at when chestnuts mature!
When do chestnuts mature?
Chestnuts mature at about between September and October. There are many varieties of chestnuts, and different varieties have somewhat different maturity periods, but most mature in autumn. The flowering period of chestnuts is usually from May to June, and the fruiting period is from September to October. There are also some regions where chestnuts have already matured and gone on the market in mid-to-late August, but generally all chestnuts mature before November, and eating seasonal chestnuts in autumn is the most delicious and most nutritious.
Where are chestnuts produced?
Chestnuts originated in China and are distributed in Vietnam, Taiwan, China, and mainland China's Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Xizang and other places. Among the more famous ones are Xinglong chestnuts, Xingtai chestnuts, Dandong chestnuts, Yanshan chestnuts, Zhen'an chestnuts, Luotian chestnuts, Qianxi chestnuts, Xinyang chestnuts and so on.
How many years does it take for planted chestnuts to bear fruit?
Grafted chestnut trees begin to bear fruit in 2 to 3 years, while seedling chestnut trees bear fruit in 5 to 8 years, and after about 20 years the chestnut trees enter their peak fruiting period. Chestnuts have a cultivation history of at least more than 2,500 years in China. They are highly adaptable, widely distributed, easy to cultivate, and high-yielding, and can be economically cultivated on mountains, sandy beaches and so on. They relatively prefer light, and can be cultivated in soil with a pH of 4.5 to 7.5, an average annual temperature above l0 degrees, an average growing-season temperature of 16 to 20 degrees, and a winter minimum temperature of minus 25 degrees.
How should fresh chestnuts be stored?
1. Refrigerated storage: There are two ways to store them under refrigeration. One is not to wash them or remove the shells, and to wrap them well with plastic wrap or a plastic bag before refrigerating. The other is to sun-dry fresh chestnuts for one day, then peel off the hard shells, seal them well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate them. Generally, either way can store them for about one week.
2. Sand storage: For storing chestnuts in sand, generally a layer of sand is spread at the bottom, then a layer of chestnuts, then another layer of sand, and the sand and chestnuts are covered in alternating layers. Then an appropriate amount of water is evenly sprayed to keep the chestnuts' moisture, and they can be stored for a relatively long time.
3. Ventilated storage: Placing fresh chestnuts in a cool, ventilated place can preserve them for a relatively long time. In addition, fresh chestnuts can also be soaked in cold water for 7 to 10 days, drained, then put in a bamboo basket or mesh bag and hung in a cool, ventilated place. Usually they can be stored for several months.