Chestnut trees- Preorder for 2026 (no shipping pick up on farm only)

Parent Tree and Variety Mix Descriptions

Red Fern Farm Mix: Mostly Chinese Parents, this seed was collected from superior trees at Red Fern Farm in Southeast Iowa that were noted to have high quality performance over the past 3 or more years. Tom Wahl of Red Fern Farm marks quality producing trees with one blue dot per year. All of the seed in this mix came from trees with atleast 3 blue dots. Note: these nuts are all mostly mediums. 

Ruddy's Reliable: My neighbor Margaret Ruddy planted a large orchard of seedlings of cultivars 2009-2011 Her trees are seedlings of Mossbarger, Peach, Qing, and Gideon. Seed was collected from the best of her trees that produce a large crop of large or extra large dark and shiny nuts. Seed will also be mostly Chinese and produce selected grandbaby seedlings of the above cultivars. Genetically speaking, this seed is very similar to the Red Fern Farm mix although I will note I was able to collect much larger seed nuts from this farm then from Red Fern Farm. 

Olivia's Orchard Outstanding: A mix of nuts from my favorite trees at my farm that produce lots of big shiny nuts that drop from the burr. There might be alitte more genetic diversity here, some American, Japanese. About 10% may produce pollen sterile trees. 

PQKx2: In 2020 Red Fern Farm offered a deal on seedlings that came from the University of Missouri's orchard of 3 grafted cultivars. All the seed is offspring of a combination of Peach, Qing or Kohr. My neighbors, the Johnsons, planted an orchard of these seedlings and they are now proudcing nuts. So this seed is second generation offspring of the cultivars Peah, Qing and Kohr, and spefically of early producing parents. 

Mossbarger: My favorite Seed Parent. Mossbarger is a solid producer of large notably dark and shiny nuts. I think the leaves are alittle larger green on Mossbarger and some Mossbarger seedlings. Pollen parent unknown. 

George: George is the favorite tree of the owner of a large and mature chestnut orchard between Iowa City and Solon. George is a large beautiful tree that produces large-extra large nuts that fall from the burr. 

Very American: This parent tree is out at Red Fern Farm, a Chinese-American cross with leaves and buds that look like the American Chestnut. Pollen parent also likely has some American. Cold hardy to zone 4b and blight suseptable. 

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Chestnut trees are started outside after the last frost in spring and sold in 4x4x9 inch pots. The trees are ready to be planted once the roots are starting to grow out of the bottom of the pot. Trees will be 12-36 inches tall at time of sale.

Chinese chestnuts prefer well-drained slightly acidic soils (5.5-6.5) and full sun. Protect your young tree from rabbits and deer with a tree tube or wire cage. Grass is big competition for young trees, provide your tree with at least 3x3ft of grass/weed free area with landscape cloth, cardboard, mulch or herbicide. Water your new tree in the pot before planting and after planting with 1qrt-1/2 gallon. Mulching reduces the need for sequential watering. Plant your tree so the stem is the same level to the ground as it was to the soil in the pot. Slide the whole root mass out gently and do not shake off any of the growing medium- plant the entire 4x4x9 inch cuboid.

I will email or call you when your trees are ready to pick up (July or August) and you will have 3 weeks from then to arrange a time with me to pick up your trees at my farm at 3151 F52 Trl Parnell Iowa. Please plan on transporting your trees inside the cab of a vehicle- they will not do will in an open pick up bed. If you're getting less then 16 trees please bring some 5 gallon buckets or equivalents to transport your trees in.

If for some reason I cannot fill your order, you will be refunded in full before October 1st 2026.