Description and yield of Chandler walnut, planting and care
Rarely does a gardener grow a walnut on his site. He has delicious fruits, which contain a large amount of nutrients. In addition to kernels, leaves, partitions, and shells are used in folk medicine. There are many varieties of this crop, one of the most famous is the American selection of the Chandler nut. Further information on the features of cultivation, diseases and pests, crop care, as well as the collection and storage of fruits.
Description and characteristics of the Chandler walnut
The variety was bred in California and named after the fruit scientist William Chandler. The walnut is widely used for its high yield. Begins to bear fruit in the fourth year after planting. The variety is distinguished by its large fruit size with a thin shell, which is easily split into 2 parts.
Chandler reaches a height of 7 meters. Average fruit weight -17 grams. A gardener can harvest about 35 kilograms of nuts from one young tree, and 70-90 kilograms from an older tree. Chandler belongs to the lateral varieties, that is, fruits are formed not only on the tops of adult shoots, but also on young branches.
Main positive and negative aspects
The advantages of a nut include the following qualities:
- begins to bear fruit early;
- high-yielding variety;
- the kernel is easily removed from the shell;
- drought resistance;
- good keeping quality and transportability;
- has high immunity.
The disadvantages include the spreading of the walnut crown, which is not very acceptable for small garden plots.
Features of growing a plant
Since Chandler takes up a lot of space, the distance between him and other plantings should be large enough. In order not to be disappointed with the result, it is very important to choose high-quality planting material.
When and where to plant?
Planting a nut is preferable in the spring, only in the southern regions it is permissible to carry out the procedure in the fall. For spring planting, the pit is prepared in six months, for autumn planting - in 2-3 weeks. Heavy clay soil is loosened with peat and compost.
Walnut is a light-loving culture, so a sunny place is selected for it. The best fruit will be a tree growing alone in the sun. In the area where the nut grows, the groundwater should not come close to the soil surface.
Preparation of planting material
The yield of Chandler walnut largely depends on the choice of a quality seedling.It is better to purchase it from trusted sellers or in a well-established nursery. A culture first develops a root system, and only then does a green mass. Therefore, if an overgrown nut with a small root is sold, then it is unlikely that a tree will grow from it, giving a bountiful harvest.
Before planting, the plant is examined, the broken, dry roots are removed. Then the root system is dipped into a clay mash. It is prepared from clay, rotted manure and water. In consistency, it should be like thick sour cream.
Landing specifics
Having chosen a landing site, it is cleared, then a landing pit is prepared. On fertile soil, its depth and diameter can be 60 centimeters, on less fertile - at least 1 meter. Only the top layer of removed soil, approximately 30 centimeters deep, is used. The rest of the earth leans back; they do not put it back into the pit.
Then the moat is filled with a substrate of the following composition:
- the top removed layer of soil;
- rotted manure;
- peat;
- potash-phosphorus fertilizers.
The roots of the seedling are gently straightened to the sides. The substrate is poured, which is then slightly compacted, the near-trunk circle is abundantly spilled.
A young tree is planted in a prepared hole in such a way that the root collar is 5 centimeters above the ground.
To retain moisture, the root circle is mulched with straw, sawdust or peat. To prevent a fragile seedling from breaking under the pressure of the wind, the trunk is tied to a peg. Drive it in at a distance of 10 centimeters from the nut.
Important! When planting a nut, the root collar should be 5 centimeters above the ground.
Further wood care
A young tree needs constant care. It needs to be watered, loosened up the ground, removed weeds. The grown plantings are fed, whitened, and formed a crown.
Watering and feeding
After planting, the Chandler nut is watered every day for a week, then it is enough to moisten the ground around the tree once every 7 days. When rain falls, watering is adjusted. The plant is irrigated only at the root in the evening. When the nut reaches the age of 4-5 years, a powerful root will grow in it, and it will no longer need additional watering.
If fertilizers have been applied to the soil, then fertilizing will be required only in the 4th year after planting a young tree. In the spring, mainly nitrogen is introduced to build up green mass, then complexes containing phosphorus, potassium, and also trace elements. You need to apply fertilizers according to the instructions so as not to burn the root system with an aggressive composition.
Trimming and shaping
Sanitary pruning is carried out in early spring. At the same time, the diseased shoots of Chandler, broken under the pressure of the wind, are removed. Pruners, a hacksaw, and a garden knife are used to cut the trunks. The procedure is completed by closing the sections with garden pitch.
In addition, formative pruning is carried out. It is necessary so that too long shoots with small branches do not form. Also, formative pruning is needed to improve the quality and quantity of fruits due to the thinning of the tree crown.
Whitewash
When in autumn the air temperature drops to + 3 + 4 ° С, the walnut is whitewashed with slaked lime. The procedure is needed to protect the trunks from harmful insects and pathogenic microorganisms located in the folds of the bark. In addition, whitewashing will protect the tree from bright sunlight in late winter and early spring.
Preparing for winter
Chandler is a frost-resistant variety, and an adult plant does not require shelter for the winter. Young trees should be wrapped in burlap. In addition, before the onset of stable frosts, the tree trunk circle of the nut is mulched with rotted manure. The mulch should be at least 10 centimeters from the trunk.
Diseases and pests of culture
Nuts are affected by diseases and pests much less fruit crops. This mainly happens due to improper care. Failure to comply with agrotechnical practices leads to the following diseases:
- bacteriosis;
- brown spotting;
- root cancer;
- bacterial burn.
Diseases can be caused by excessive nitrogen fertilization, excessive watering, deepening of the root collar during planting. For prophylaxis in the spring, the nut must be sprayed with copper-containing preparations. The infected parts are removed from the plant and burned.
Of the pests, Chandler can infect:
- American white butterfly;
- mite;
- moth;
- nut moth;
- aphid.
Harmful insects are sprayed with insecticides and acaricides. It must be remembered that the procedure cannot be carried out during the flowering period of the nut. Removing weeds around the tree will help prevent the appearance of some diseases and pests, as it can be a carrier of adversity.
Collection and storage of nuts
Fruit ripening occurs unevenly, so the collection is done in several stages. The nuts growing on the lower branches can be harvested by hand. If there are a lot of walnut trees on the site, you can use a special tool - a roll.
Many fruits fall off on their own after a strong wind. If it rained and the fruits got dirty, they must be washed before storing them. In most cases, the skin separates itself when dropped from the fetus. If it still holds, remove it as soon as possible, otherwise the core may darken or even rot.
In order for the nuts to be stored for a long time, and not to lose their taste and useful substances, they must be properly prepared. They are dried outdoors, or in a well-ventilated area. Nuts are laid out in one layer, and must be mixed periodically. In addition, the fruits can be dried in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 50 °.
You need to store nuts in a dry place, falling asleep in wooden boxes, canvas bags or nets. There should be no products with a bright aroma nearby, since the kernels absorb foreign odors. Peeled fruits can be stored in the refrigerator and even frozen by placing in vacuum bags.
