I have been experimenting with growing edible trees from seeds for some time now. My favourite trees to grow from seed (for the UK) are sweet chestnuts, walnuts, hazels, and blackthorns (sloes).
I have managed to germinate and grow all of these edible trees from seeds, but seek to improve my germination rates. I’m trying again this year and aiming to see lots more seedlings coming up next spring!
For anyone else who fancies growing these edible trees from seeds, now is the time to be getting them going. Here are my tips on how to try and grow sweet chestnuts, walnuts, hazels, and blackthorns (sloes). If any tree growers have advice to add, we’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Sweet chestnuts
- Sweet chestnut seeds display no natural dormancy and will begin to germinate within a relatively short period so long as conditions are favourable.
- Collect/Source fresh, non-treated nuts when they fall in the autumn and keep damp or sow immediately.
- Remove the spiky outer casing.
- Hang seeds up in a plastic bag in the shed in damp leaves.
- Or plant seeds 2 cm deep in a prepared seedbed or pots and water in.
- Sweet chestnuts are susceptible to frost damage. Bring first-year seedlings inside or protect with fleece or a cloche prior to winter
Hazelnuts
- Hazelnuts need periods of sub-zero temperatures to germinate. You want temperature and water working on the nuts, but don’t let them get too wet otherwise they will rot.
- Collect/Source fresh, non-treated nuts when they fall in the autumn and keep damp or sow immediately.
- Don’t remove the shells.
- Soak the nuts in a bucket for a couple of days.
- Put the seeds in a bucket in sand or compost. Different layers of seeds in the sand/compost, doesn’t matter how deep they are.
- Ensure the seeds stay moist. Bucket should have holes in the bottom and the sides.
- Place this bucket somewhere that is mostly above freezing, shady, and will freely receive rainwater. Fasten metal mesh to the top to stop animals stealing the seeds or use a lid with small holes in it.
- Check occasionally for any signs of seedlings. Empty out gently the following spring when hopefully lots with have germinated.
Walnuts
- Walnuts need periods of sub-zero temperatures to germinate. You want temperature and water working on the nuts, but don’t let them get too wet otherwise they will rot.
- Collect/Source fresh, non-treated nuts when they fall in the autumn and keep damp or sow immediately.
- Don’t remove the shells.
- Soak the nuts in a bucket for a couple of days.
- Put the seeds in a bucket in sand or compost. Different layers of seeds in the sand/compost, doesn’t matter how deep they are.
- Ensure the seeds stay moist. Bucket should have holes in the bottom and the sides.
- Place this bucket somewhere that is mostly above freezing, shady, and will freely receive rainwater. Fasten metal mesh to the top to stop animals stealing the seeds or use a lid with small holes in it.
- Check occasionally for any signs of seedlings. Empty out gently the following spring when hopefully lots with have germinated.
- Walnuts are susceptible to frost damage. Bring first-year seedlings inside or protect with fleece during the winter.
Blackthorns
- These are deeply dormant seeds which may not germinate until the second year.
- Collect/Source fresh, non-treated seeds in the autumn and keep damp or sow immediately.
- Can sow naturally in the soil, one inch deep.
- Or sow seeds in a pot of sand, with 2-3 cm of sand over the seeds.
- Place pot in a plastic bag and loosely tie. Keep somewhere warm (approx 20 degrees celsius) for one month. This helps push the seeds to germinate the following spring otherwise they may not germinate until the second spring. Water every few days and make sure that the seeds don’t dry out. At the end of the four weeks, the seeds should be placed outside in the pots (without the bags). Place them in a shady place and protect from birds and mice.
- In early March check seeds for signs of germination. If about 10% are showing signs, they are ready to sow.
