Have We Solved The Puzzle? Growing Chestnuts from Tissue Culture.
Chestnut Experimentation
Growing From Tissue Culture
Hazelnuts to Chestnuts: Exploring Tissue Culture with Craig Clark
Dive into the fascinating world of chestnut farming with Branching Out guest Craig Clark, owner of West Coast Chestnut. In this episode, Craig, a farmer and self-proclaimed “nursery nerd,” shares his journey from hazelnuts to chestnuts and his exciting venture into using tissue culture to propagate these delicious nuts.
From Hazelnuts to Chestnuts: A Passion for Farming
Craig’s story begins with hazelnuts, where he witnessed the transformative power of tissue culture in saving hazelnut trees from Eastern filbert blight. This sparked his curiosity about its potential for chestnuts, a crop he’s always been passionate about. Tired of grafted trees dying back and frustrated by the limitations of traditional propagation, Craig embarked on a 5-year quest to use tissue culture for chestnuts.
TDive into the fascinating world of chestnut farming with Branching Out guest Craig Clark, owner of West Coast Chestnut. In this episode, Craig, a farmer and self-proclaimed “nursery nerd,” shares his journey from hazelnuts to chestnuts and his exciting venture into using tissue culture to propagate these delicious nuts.
The Challenges and Triumphs of Tissue Culture
The journey wasn’t easy. Unlike hazelnuts, chestnuts presented a significant challenge in the initiation phase. Two years of zero progress tested his determination, but Craig persevered. Learning from experts and experimenting with different techniques, he finally achieved success. The reward? Producing the first tissue-cultured chestnut trees ready for sale – 40 inches tall in one-gallon pots!
Looking Ahead: The Future of Chestnuts
This breakthrough opens doors for the chestnut industry. Tissue culture offers numerous benefits:
Clonal varieties:
Orchards with 90% uniformity in nut size, fall time, and disease resistance become a reality.
Virus-free trees:
Outgrowing viruses can lead to healthier, more productive trees.
Faster multiplication:
Millions of trees can be produced quickly, accelerating industry growth.
Preserving endangered varieties.
This technology can safeguard valuable genetic diversity.
While there are still uncertainties, such as the long-term performance of tissue-cultured trees in orchards, the potential is undeniable.
Connecting with the Community
Craig is actively involved in the chestnut community, learning from and contributing to organizations like the Chestnut Growers of America and Northern Nut Growers. He is excited to share his knowledge and collaborate with others to advance the future of chestnuts.
Join the Conversation!
This is just the beginning of Craig’s and the chestnut industry’s journey with tissue culture. Tune in to the full Branching Out episode for the complete interview and learn more about this exciting development. More info at westcoastchestnut.com
Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below, or you can reach out directly and talk with an expert about something you heard on this episode.
Contact melanie@unitedchestnuts.com
Other resources to connect with the chestnut community in the US:
UnitedChestnuts.com – Subscribe to weekly blog and monthly podcast
On Facebook
Chestnuts as a Tree Crop Group
United Chestnuts Community Group
Bonus:
Listen to James “Mike” Nave’s previous episode on Branching Out for another insightful perspective on chestnuts.
