Harvest guide
When to harvest american chestnut
How to harvest american chestnut
Shake or knock branches over a sheet and gather what falls, or pick hulls that have already split. Remove the hull straight away and dry the nuts in a single layer somewhere warm and airy for a week or two before storing.
Storing your harvest
Fully dried nuts keep for months in a cool, dry, dark place in a mesh or paper bag. Shelled kernels are best frozen.
The mistake to avoid
Storing before the nuts are properly dry. Damp kernels mould from the inside, and by the time it shows the batch is lost.
More american chestnut care
Harvesting american chestnut — FAQ
When is american chestnut ready to harvest?
Hulls splitting or nuts dropping naturally, typically late summer to autumn. American Chestnut is harvested for its nuts, which ripen inside a hull that splits or drops when ready. The tree tells you when: hulls open, and nuts start to fall on their own. Gather promptly — nuts left on wet ground mould within days.
How do you harvest american chestnut?
Shake or knock branches over a sheet and gather what falls, or pick hulls that have already split. Remove the hull straight away and dry the nuts in a single layer somewhere warm and airy for a week or two before storing.
How do you store american chestnut after harvesting?
Fully dried nuts keep for months in a cool, dry, dark place in a mesh or paper bag. Shelled kernels are best frozen.
What is the most common american chestnut harvesting mistake?
Storing before the nuts are properly dry. Damp kernels mould from the inside, and by the time it shows the batch is lost.