Prepping Chestnuts for Planting | Live Free or Die: How to Homestead

I’m gonna show you how to start chestnut

I’m gonna show you how to start chestnut trees from seed the first step is to

trees from seed the first step is to

trees from seed the first step is to find a chestnut tree these are some

find a chestnut tree these are some

find a chestnut tree these are some chestnuts that we harvested you want to

chestnuts that we harvested you want to

chestnuts that we harvested you want to promptly heat treat your chestnuts after

promptly heat treat your chestnuts after

promptly heat treat your chestnuts after harvesting them or else you lose them to

harvesting them or else you lose them to

harvesting them or else you lose them to mold and chestnut weevils got some hot

mold and chestnut weevils got some hot

mold and chestnut weevils got some hot water here 120 degrees seems to be the

water here 120 degrees seems to be the

water here 120 degrees seems to be the the best temperature to kill those

the best temperature to kill those

the best temperature to kill those pathogens at and you want to hold it

pathogens at and you want to hold it

pathogens at and you want to hold it there for 20 minutes let’s go ahead and

there for 20 minutes let’s go ahead and

there for 20 minutes let’s go ahead and dump our chestnuts in our cooler so

dump our chestnuts in our cooler so

dump our chestnuts in our cooler so we’re gonna go ahead and throw the lid

we’re gonna go ahead and throw the lid

we’re gonna go ahead and throw the lid on this we got this thing right at 120

on this we got this thing right at 120

on this we got this thing right at 120 so all the mold spores and chestnut

so all the mold spores and chestnut

so all the mold spores and chestnut weevil eggs are dead now the next step

weevil eggs are dead now the next step

weevil eggs are dead now the next step in the process is called

in the process is called

in the process is called cold stratification and what cold

cold stratification and what cold

cold stratification and what cold stratification does is it leads the

stratification does is it leads the

stratification does is it leads the chestnut to believe that it’s gone

chestnut to believe that it’s gone

chestnut to believe that it’s gone through a winter and it’s ready to

through a winter and it’s ready to

through a winter and it’s ready to germinate I’m just gonna put them back

germinate I’m just gonna put them back

germinate I’m just gonna put them back in the bowl we add them in the key

in the bowl we add them in the key

in the bowl we add them in the key elements to proper cold stratification

elements to proper cold stratification

elements to proper cold stratification is obviously cold moisture and air

is obviously cold moisture and air

is obviously cold moisture and air here’s how we’re getting air to them so

here’s how we’re getting air to them so

here’s how we’re getting air to them so we’re not going to put a lid on this so

we’re not going to put a lid on this so

we’re not going to put a lid on this so they can get plenty of transpiration

they can get plenty of transpiration

they can get plenty of transpiration going on Moisture we got this is just

going on Moisture we got this is just

going on Moisture we got this is just some peat bogs we’re just going to cover

some peat bogs we’re just going to cover

some peat bogs we’re just going to cover them with a little bit of peat now for

them with a little bit of peat now for

them with a little bit of peat now for the cold part I’m gonna go set these in

the cold part I’m gonna go set these in

the cold part I’m gonna go set these in our cold frame which is where we like to

our cold frame which is where we like to

our cold frame which is where we like to stratify things

this is our cold frame we’re gonna set

this is our cold frame we’re gonna set these little buggies in here this would

these little buggies in here this would

these little buggies in here this would be a nice place them to hang out for two

be a nice place them to hang out for two

be a nice place them to hang out for two three months whatever it takes and

three months whatever it takes and

three months whatever it takes and they’ll start to germinate so we’re just

they’ll start to germinate so we’re just

they’ll start to germinate so we’re just gonna hang out in there for a little

gonna hang out in there for a little

gonna hang out in there for a little while