Chestnut Tree Seedlings, 4′-6′ — Farm Pickup Only, Mix & Match

What is this mix-and-match pickup listing?

This listing covers our full lineup of 4′ to 6′ chestnut tree seedlings. We grow in fabric grow bags at EBB Farms. Instead of ordering one variety at a time, you pick your total quantity here, at $40 per tree.

Then you tell us your exact mix in the order note at checkout. A single order might include 3 UMCA® PQK, 2 Sleeping Giant, and 1 Gideon. It’s whatever combination fits your planting plan.

These are for farm pickup only. So you will schedule a time to collect your trees directly from EBB Farms in Kentucky in mid November through March.

Currently available seedling varieties: UMCA® PQK, Qing, Sleeping Giant, Empire Elite, Hiram, Miller, Amy, Dunstan, Eaton, and Gideon.

Meet the 10 varieties in this mix

• UMCA® PQK — Bred by the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry from a pollen-isolated orchard of Peach, Qing, and Kohr, and selected for heavy production, frost avoidance, and disease resistance (Center for Agroforestry PQK infosheet(opens in new tab)).

• Qing — A Chinese half-sib prized for excellent cold hardiness to Zone 5a. It also leafs out late, so it dodges spring frost. As a result, it’s an industry standard for commercial nut quality, with medium to large, easy-peeling, sweet nuts (Thriving The Future(opens in new tab)).

• Sleeping Giant — A Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station selection (Chinese x Japanese x American heritage) known for consistent crops of medium-large, handsome nuts and solid hardiness in Zone 5b and up (Chestnut Improvement Network(opens in new tab); pepinierelarefriche.ca(opens in new tab)).

• Empire Elite — A genetically diverse, elite parent-tree mix from Route 9 Cooperative in Carrollton, Ohio. It’s cold hardy to Zone 5b, blight resistant, and late-leafing, with medium to large sweet nuts.

• Hiram — A named Chinese chestnut selection bred by R.C. Stehli in Ohio, with Gideon as one known parent. Hiram bears early, often ripening about two weeks ahead of many other Chinese hybrids, with attractive, shiny nuts and excellent flavor (Yellowbud Farm(opens in new tab)).

• Miller — Our Miller 72-76 selection traces back to Greg Miller’s 1972 breeding block in Carrollton, Ohio, the same planting that produced Amy, Gideon, and Peach. It bears consistently large crops of medium-size nuts (University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry(opens in new tab)).

• Amy — Also from Greg Miller’s 1972 Carrollton, Ohio block, Amy shows greater cold hardiness than most other Chinese chestnut selections trialed there. It breaks bud early, bears high yields consistently, and its small to medium nuts peel easily with excellent flavor (Chestnut Improvement Network(opens in new tab)).

• Dunstan — Our Dunstan-lineage seedlings grow from nuts harvested on our own top-performing American x Chinese hybrid trees at EBB Farms. Every seedling is genetically unique, but they all trace back to the same proven parent stock we plant and monitor ourselves.

• Eaton — A Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station selection and a likely open-pollinated seedling of Sleeping Giant. Eaton ripens 3 to 7 days earlier than most Chinese chestnuts and is known for exceptional flavor and texture, hardy to Zone 5 (Chestnut Improvement Network(opens in new tab)).

• Gideon — Another Greg Miller selection from the 1972 Carrollton, Ohio seedlot that also produced Amy and Peach. Gideon is a consistent bearer with uniform, appealing 12–18 gram nuts that ripen mid-season, just after Peach (Chestnut Improvement Network(opens in new tab)).

How to order your mix

• At checkout, use the order note field to list your varieties and quantities (example: “3 UMCA® PQK, 2 Sleeping Giant, 1 Gideon”).

• Make sure your note quantities add up to your total order quantity. That way, we can pull the right trees before your pickup.

• Have a special request, a large order, or a variety not listed above? Just give us a call at 678.234.4894.

Why growers choose this pickup mix

• Order once, mix freely, and pick up an established 4′-6′ tree instead of waiting on a shippable size.

• Every order includes a free Tree Planting Guide download from the United Chestnuts Academy.

• Pick up in person so you can hand-select your trees and avoid any shipping stress on the root system.

• Ideal for growers building a diverse planting instead of a single-variety block.

• Broad genetic diversity across your order supports stronger pollination once trees mature.

• Backed by the same grow-bag grading standards as every EBB Farms seedling, regardless of variety.

Seedling grade and size

Every seedling in this listing grows in a fabric grow bag at EBB Farms. Each tree stands 4 to 6 feet tall at pickup. When a root reaches the breathable bag wall, it air-prunes.

This natural process stops the root tip and sends out new lateral roots behind it. So instead of one root circling endlessly, like it would in a solid plastic pot, you get dozens of fine, branching feeder roots throughout the container.

As a result, each tree transitions smoothly from container to field and establishes quickly once you plant it. Because these are farm-pickup trees, you take the tree home in its own grow bag, not as a bare-root shipment.

Planting ideas for a mixed pickup order

Use a mixed pickup order to:

• Build a diverse orchard row with established, 4-6′ stock instead of starting from small shipped trees.

• Add several varieties to a silvopasture or alley-cropping layout at once.

• Compare how different varieties perform side by side on your site.

Because chestnut trees are not self-fertile, a mixed order also solves your pollination planning in one step. In fact, most growers need at least two compatible varieties in range anyway. So ordering a mix here does double duty.

Basic planting and care

For best results:

• Choose a well-drained, full-sun site and avoid low frost pockets when possible.

• Space trees generously for future canopy size, airflow, and equipment access.

• Control grass and weeds around each tree during establishment.

• Protect seedlings from deer and rodent damage with tubes, cages, or fencing as needed.

Backed by the EBB Farms learning hub

EBB Farms is the farm lab for United Chestnuts, the learning and development hub for the chestnut community. So every order comes with more than trees. Each pickup includes straightforward planting guidance.

You can also plug into the wider United Chestnuts platform for videos, guides, and real grower examples. For instance, visit unitedchestnuts.com/ebb-farms(opens in new tab) to see how other growers use these varieties on their own farms. Or, for real-world grower stories and strategies, follow the Branching Out: Growing Together podcast(opens in new tab).

Best-fit for

• Local pickup customers within driving distance of EBB Farms in Western Kentucky

• Growers who want more than one seedling variety without placing several separate orders

• Diversified orchard, silvopasture, and alley-cropping plantings

• Growers who want an established 4′-6′ start without waiting on smaller shipped stock

Key details

• Type: 4′-6′ chestnut tree seedlings, mixed-variety order, farm pickup only

• Varieties available: [see “Currently available seedling varieties” above ]

• Size at pickup: 4 to 6 feet tall

• Format: Grown in fabric grow bags at EBB Farms; air-pruned root system, picked up in the bag, not shipped

• Price: $40/tree

• How to specify your mix: Order note at checkout (see “How to order your mix” above)

• Special requests: Call 678.234.4894 for large orders, custom mixes, or varieties not currently listed

• Uses: Orchard rows, silvopasture, alley cropping, homestead diversification

Pollination and care

Chestnut trees are not self-fertile. You will need at least two compatible varieties planted within the same area. That way, they can cross-pollinate and set a reliable nut crop. A mixed pickup order solves this in one step. Like all chestnuts, these trees perform best in full sun and well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Keep weed pressure down in the early years, and protect young trees from deer, rodents, and equipment.

Farm pickup scheduling

Email [email protected](opens in new tab) or call 678.234.4894 to schedule your pickup. Do this once your order note confirms your variety mix.

What’s included

• Chestnut tree seedlings per your order quantity and note, 4′-6′ tall, graded and ready for pickup

• A free Tree Planting Guide download from the United Chestnuts Academy

• Straightforward planting guidance included with every order

• Access to United Chestnuts grower resources, guides, and community support