Every once in a while life presents you with a win-win situation. For those of us who are trying to improve habitat on their hunting land spring presents the chance to plant fruit and chestnut trees to provide game animals with improved and varied forage. The idea of planting trees for habitat improvement can be daunting. Many of us do not know which trees are suitable or what the best planting practices are.
A great place to turn to for expert information is Chestnut Hill Outdoors. Chestnut Hill can provide you with the best time-tested trees for wildlife. Plus all the information you need to choose the right trees for your location and how to plant them so they thrive.
Adding soft and hard mast trees to your habitat plan is a win-win because your hunting will improve while you leave a legacy of habitat improvement that will last for decades. These trees are a great and on-going compliment to seasonal food plots for any hunting land.
Spring is a great time of year to plant trees. Chestnut Hill Orchards begins shipping to Southern locations after the danger of frost has passed, and will ship trees progressively farther north as spring moves north. They have done decades of research on varieties of trees that can produce best in various climate zones, from the gulf coast to Michigan. They offer various varieties of persimmons, apples, pears and blight-resistant Dunstan chestnut trees that produce heavily. Even if you are not an expert on trees, you can make the right decision about what and where to plant.
In fact, a good first place to start the tree-planting process is to go to the Chestnut Hill website at http://www.chestnuthilltreefarm.com , where you will find a wealth of information on everything from choosing the best site for wildlife trees to planting techniques to the characteristics of various tree varieties.
Choosing a site for your trees is the next step. It’s worth thinking over for a couple of days, because the trees are going to be there for decades. Picking a good rather than marginal spot will increase growth and production significantly over the long term. Again, the pros at Chestnut Hill are there to help you.
Pick a location with good soil drainage and exposure to sunlight. The more sun the better, for growth of the trees and fruit production. Chestnut Hills Orchards advises that you select a site with good air drainage such as on the top or side of a hill, if possible, to avoid frost pockets at the bottoms of hills. Avoid areas with soil that stays saturated for long periods of time, such as creek bottoms or swales that hold water.
Most trees are wind- and insect pollinated, so Chestnut Hills suggests planting them in groups of 5 to 10 is best for fruit and nut fertilization. They can also be planted to connect other cover to give wildlife more travel corridors that double as food sources.
Chestnut Hill trees are not difficult to plant, but the better your technique, the better start your tree will get. A step-by-step outline of the procedure, including reasons for taking each step and how to deal with common issues such as heavy soils, is on the Chestnut Hill Orchard’s website at http://www.chestnuthilltreefarm.com/store/pg/43-How-to-Plant-and-Grow-1.aspx
The same page also has a video, so you can see exactly how the Dunstan Hills experts actually plant their trees.
This year, resolve to improve your hunting and your land for the long term with Chestnut Hill fruit and chestnut trees. Your future self – and future generations – will be glad you did.
To find out more about chestnuts, check out the Chestnut Hill Nursery & Orchards web site at www.chestnuthilltreefarm.com or www.chestnuthilloutdoors.com.