How to grow a horse chestnut tree? Detailed growing methods and daily care
Light and temperature
The cultivation of the horse chestnut should follow its growth habits. First, growing a horse chestnut requires plenty of light, so place the horse chestnut in a sunny spot. The horse chestnut needs fertile, deep, well-drained soil for its growth, and the growing temperature must be kept warm. Of course, the horse chestnut is also cold-resistant, but in winter, for normal growth, it must be moved indoors to a warm, sunny place so that cold air does not freeze and damage it.
Watering and fertilizing
After the horse chestnut is planted, water it immediately. Wait about a week, then water a second time. The third watering should be done 10 days after the second watering. After the three waterings, water deeply once a month; just water thoroughly.
Once the plant enters its growth period, water lightly during the rainy months of June to August. In late autumn, water thoroughly once a month, and water thoroughly once more in early winter. After winter begins, stop watering. Water again in March of the following year to break the soil free of frost, so water generously in March. In spring, water frequently to keep the plant's growing environment moist.
Fertilizing: The horse chestnut likes fertilizer. During planting, apply cow or horse manure or leaf mold as a base fertilizer.
During the horse chestnut's growth period, in June of the first year you can apply urine fertilizer to promote the growth of branches and leaves. By the end of August, apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to increase the horse chestnut's ability to resist freezing damage. In autumn, add one application of leaf mold, in a large amount.
Propagation
Horse chestnut propagation generally uses the sowing method. First collect seeds from robust mother trees that are free of disease and pests, and sun-dry them until dry. Then store the seeds while moist in moist, well-drained soil, taking care to leave ventilation holes.
By late March in spring, use the spot-sowing method and choose fertile, well-drained neutral sandy soil for planting. After planting, keep the soil moist and weed and loosen the soil regularly.
Horse chestnut growing methods and cultivation management
Horse chestnut (scientific name: Aesculus chinensis Bunge): It is a deciduous tree, up to 25 m tall. The bark is dark brown or grayish brown. The branchlets are cylindrical, yellowish brown or grayish brown, with pale yellow lenticels. The winter buds are large and resinous. The palmately compound leaves are composed of 5-7 leaflets; the upper surface is dark green and hairless, while the lower surface is hairless except for sparse soft hairs on the midrib and the base of the lateral veins when young. The inflorescence is cylindrical; the inflorescence rachis is slightly pubescent; the small inflorescences are usually composed of 5-10 flowers, spreading horizontally and obliquely, slightly pubescent. The flowers are polygamous; male flowers and bisexual flowers are on the same tree. The calyx is tubular-campanulate; there are 4 petals, white, oblong-obovate to oblong-oblanceolate. The fruit is spherical or obovoid, yellowish brown, spineless, with very dense spots. Usually 1-2 seeds develop, nearly spherical, chestnut brown; the hilum is white, accounting for about 1/2 of the seed volume. The flowering period is April-May, and the fruiting period is October. Horse chestnut growing methods and cultivation management1. Growing methods
First choose flat land, then apply sufficient base fertilizer. The base fertilizer used can be farmyard manure or chicken manure (farmyard manure 3000-5000 kg per mu, chicken manure 2-5 cubic m per mu). Spread it evenly, then deep-plow. Then prepare beds and ridges at a width of 1.6-1.8 m, and rake them level ready for sowing. (The bed surface width is 1.3-1.5 m). Because horse chestnut seedlings are shade-tolerant and prone to sunscald damage, it is best to plant some large seedlings of other tree species along the bed ridges to provide side-light shading.
Propagation is mainly by sowing. The viability of horse chestnut seeds is very difficult to maintain; because the seeds have a high water content, if the fruit peel is removed and they are stored dry, they lose germination ability in less than 1 month. Therefore, after harvesting in early September, they should be sown immediately. The seedlings have weak emergence strength, so the soil covering after sowing should not be too deep. They germinate 25-30 days after sowing, and the seedling stage requires appropriate shading. Before sowing, the seeds should also undergo simple treatment. The method is to soak the seeds in a mixed solution of carbendazim and phoxim. To prepare the mixed solution, add water to 50% carbendazim at a ratio of 1:500, add water to 50% phoxim at a ratio of 1:300-500, then mix the two to make a disinfecting solution. The seed soaking time is 3-5 minutes, which can kill viruses and prevent underground pests.
In a semi-sealed state, stored in peat for half a year, they still maintain 100% viability. Pile the collected seeds in a cool, ventilated place to promote after-ripening and coloring, and it also has a certain effect on rotting the outer seed coat. The pile height should not exceed 20 cm, and turn and inspect once a day to avoid mold. After 3 to 4 days of piling, rub off the outer seed coat, grade them, and discard inferior, low-grade seeds.
2. Storage methods
Generally, the indoor sand storage method is used. Sand storage is divided into mixed-sand storage and layered sand storage. Sometimes layered sand storage becomes mixed-sand storage due to turning and inspection, so only the mixed-sand storage method is introduced here. First choose fine sand with a moisture content controlled at 2% to 4%. Keep the indoor air humidity at 85% to 90%. The amount of sand used should be about 2 times that of the seeds. Mix the sand and seeds evenly, then store them on the ground. Note: never pile them on concrete floors or floors with poor air permeability. If placed in a poorly ventilated place, the seeds are very prone to "self-moistening" or "self-heating," which further promotes respiration and ultimately causes the seeds to die of alcohol poisoning. Spread a 10 cm thick layer of fine sand on the ground, then spread the mixed seeds evenly. After all have been piled, cover with another 4 to 6 cm thick layer of sand. During seed storage, check regularly, ventilate and exchange air, and keep the indoor temperature suitable. If the sand is somewhat dry, spray a small amount of water to maintain humidity. After sand storage, horse chestnut seeds germinate more easily, and after sowing the seedlings emerge evenly and have strong stress resistance.
When sowing, dig four sowing furrows in each bed, with a furrow depth of 5 cm. When sowing, be sure to note that the seed hilum should face downward, which helps the seeds take root and germinate. For spot sowing, a plant spacing of 20 cm is more suitable. The next step is covering with soil, to a depth of 5 cm. After covering with soil, water thoroughly once. When the ground dries enough for a person to stand on it, cover with a 10 cm thick layer of mulch to keep warm and moist, which is very necessary for seed growth and the safe overwintering of seedlings. From late autumn to the following spring, the seeds will gradually take root and germinate. In mid-February, the mulch can be removed. At this time, be careful of the young seedlings that have already emerged from the ground, and do not break the sprouts. Because horse chestnut seedlings have weak soil-penetrating ability, after removing the mulch, keep the soil moist to help the seedlings emerge. Under ordinary management, the seedlings can reach 50 cm in height in the same year. In the following spring, plant them out again to grow larger, and thereafter plant them out once every 1 year. After 5-6 years of cultivation, they can be used for landscaping. Transplanting is carried out from late autumn after leaf fall to the following spring before budding, and they must be moved with a soil ball. After planting, the trunk must be wrapped with straw rope to prevent the bark from cracking from sunscald.
Horse chestnut growing methods
The horse chestnut, also known as Tianshi chestnut, is native to China. It likes a warm, slightly humid environment, is relatively cold-resistant, and slightly shade-tolerant. It is suitable for growing in deep, fertile, well-drained soil. When sunlight is too strong or the soil is too dry, growth is unfavorable.Growing: Mainly propagated by sowing. After collecting seeds in October, sow them immediately; once the seeds dry, they easily lose germination ability. The seedlings have weak emergence strength, so the soil covering after sowing should not be too deep. They germinate 25-30 days after sowing, and the seedling stage requires appropriate shading. Cultivation: Apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting. During the growing process, pruning and shaping are generally not needed. In dry weather, pay attention to watering. After the leaves fall each winter, mature trees should be fertilized in furrows to encourage more branches and leaves and more flowers the following year.
Pests and diseases: Mainly leaf spot, powdery mildew and anthracnose, which can be sprayed with a 1000-fold solution of 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder. Pests include scale insects, caterpillars and Protaetia brevitarsis, which can be killed by spraying with a 1000-fold solution of 50% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate.
Application: The horse chestnut has a beautiful tree shape, with a canopy like a ceremonial parasol. When it blooms, the huge white inflorescences look like a gorgeous candelabra, making a magnificent sight. It can be used as a street tree or a key landscape tree in scenic areas and small courtyards.