Sweet Chestnut and Walnut

[trigger_andy]

Since we've been getting some new drainage we also had a bit of landscaping done and cleared a badly over grown area and seeded it to grass. We's like to plant a few fruiting nut trees. Im leaning towards Walnut and Sweet Chestnut. Ideally we'd not want them growing past 5m in height as it would block the sun like the Beech in the pictures does. The Beech has to be a good 36" DBH to give some scale. The two skinny trees in the pic would also come out it requited. A Hawthorne and and Sycamore.  What you can see in the pic is about 50% of what we'd like to plant the trees in.

 

We're in the North East of Scotland. The House/view is South facing and we're about 40 minutes from the coast.

 

Anyone have any recommendations on spacing and species? We'd like them to be as large/grown as I could afford as well. So any websites recommended would be great.  

[Stubby]

4 hours ago, trigger_andy said:

Since we've been getting some new drainage we also had a bit of landscaping done and cleared a badly over grown area and seeded it to grass. We's like to plant a few fruiting nut trees. Im leaning towards Walnut and Sweet Chestnut. Ideally we'd not want them growing past 5m in height as it would block the sun like the Beech in the pictures does. The Beech has to be a good 36" DBH to give some scale. The two skinny trees in the pic would also come out it requited. A Hawthorne and and Sycamore.  What you can see in the pic is about 50% of what we'd like to plant the trees in.

 

We're in the North East of Scotland. The House/view is South facing and we're about 40 minutes from the coast.

 

Anyone have any recommendations on spacing and species? We'd like them to be as large/grown as I could afford as well. So any websites recommended would be great.  

Would you be thinking of putting the sweet chestnut into a coppice rotation ?  ?

Edited September 5, 2020 by Stubby

[trigger_andy]

10 minutes ago, Stubby said:

Would you be thinking of putting the sweet chestnut into a coppice rotation ? 

No, in that location it would be more ornamental and also for harvesting the nuts. I have way to many trees round the side and back of the house, but they are all so tall that they block so much light out. I do want trees, but thinned out, not as tall and bearing fruit. 

 

Would just be in that red box for now. The other image is old now, Ive removed a lot of trees since that sat image was taken. 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2020 by trigger_andy

[Stubby]

Just now, trigger_andy said:

No, in that location it would be more ornamental and also for harvesting the nuts. I have way to many trees round the side and back of the house, but they are all so tall that they block so much light out. I do want trees, but thinned out, not as tall and bearing fruit. 

 

Would just be in that red box for now. The other image is old now, Ive removed a lot of trees since that sat image was taken. 

Foreside of cairn Plot Final Version-1.pdf 679.73 kB · 3 downloads

What about some Hazel then . You could rasher that down when it gets too high ( it loves it ) and you will get the nuts too .

[trigger_andy]

Just now, Stubby said:

What about some Hazel then . You could rasher that down when it gets too high ( it loves it ) and you will get the nuts too .

Will plant some of them as well. We've got our first few Red Squirrels now as well so would want to encourage them. But really want Walnut and Sweet Chestnut. 

[Stubby]

Just now, trigger_andy said:

Will plant some of them as well. We've got our first few Red Squirrels now as well so would want to encourage them. But really want Walnut and Sweet Chestnut. 

Ok . Walnut and sweet chestnut it is then ... Dont think walnut will do very well being  cut short though .

[trigger_andy]

Just now, Stubby said:

Ok . Walnut and sweet chestnut it is then ... Dont think walnut will do very well being  cut short though .

Ok, so maybe better suited for at the back where they would block less sunlight. I'll have a look and see if there is a dwarf variety, or semi-dwarf (if thats even a thing?)

[The avantgardener]

Make sure of the right final location for the Walnut, they don’t like competition and hate being lifted and replanted after they have established. Try and source a Sweet Chestnut that is specifically grown for the nut, the UK coppice stock is grown for timber so tends to have too many small nuts instead of the twin/triple sets you get in France/Italy etc. We do have decent crops down in Sussex after a long hot Summer though.

[Stubby]

1 minute ago, The avantgardener said:

Make sure of the right final location for the Walnut, they don’t like competition and hate being lifted and replanted after they have established. Try and source a Sweet Chestnut that is specifically grown for the nut, the UK coppice stock is grown for timber so tends to have too many small nuts instead of the twin/triple sets you get in France/Italy etc. We do have decent crops down in Sussex after a long hot Summer though.

Good  'ol Sussex . Would not live any where else ?

[trigger_andy]

19 minutes ago, The avantgardener said:

Make sure of the right final location for the Walnut, they don’t like competition and hate being lifted and replanted after they have established. Try and source a Sweet Chestnut that is specifically grown for the nut, the UK coppice stock is grown for timber so tends to have too many small nuts instead of the twin/triple sets you get in France/Italy etc. We do have decent crops down in Sussex after a long hot Summer though.

How well spaced would you recommend? 

 

Some of the websites that sell fruiting nut trees have a good range from timber producing to heavily fruiting varieties.