Walnut Chandler: description and characteristics of the variety, planting and care, yield

It is rare that a gardener does not grow walnuts on his plot. It has tasty fruits, which contain a large amount of useful substances. In addition to the nuclei, leaves, partitions, and shells are used in folk medicine. There are many varieties of this crop, one of the most famous is the Chandler nut of the American selection. Further information about the features of cultivation, diseases and pests, crop care, as well as the collection and storage of fruits.

Description and characteristics of Chandler walnut

The variety was bred in California and named after fruit scientist William Chandler.Walnut is widely used for its high yield. Fruiting begins in the fourth year after planting. The variety is characterized by a large fruit size with a thin shell that easily splits into 2 parts.

Chandler reaches a height of 7 meters. The average fruit weight is 17 grams. From one young tree, a gardener can collect about 35 kilograms of nuts, from an older tree - 70-90 kilograms. Chandler belongs to the lateral varieties, that is, the fruits are formed not only on the tops of adult shoots, but also on young branches.

Main positives and negatives

The virtues of a nut include the following qualities:

• begins to bear fruit early;
• high-yielding variety;
• the kernel is easily removed from the shell;
• drought tolerance;
• good keeping quality and transportability;
• has high immunity.

The disadvantages include the spreading of the walnut crown, which is not very acceptable for small garden plots.

Features of growing plants

Because Chandler takes up a lot of space, the distance between it and other plantings should be large enough. In order not to be disappointed in the result, it is very important to choose high-quality planting material.

When and where to plant?

It is preferable to plant a nut in the spring, only in the southern regions it is permissible to carry out the procedure in the fall. During spring planting, the pit is prepared for six months, during autumn - for 2-3 weeks. Heavy clay soil is loosened with peat and compost.

Walnut is a light-loving crop, so a sunny place is chosen for it. The best fruit will be a tree growing alone in the sun. In the area where the walnut grows, groundwater should not come close to the surface of the soil.

Preparation of planting material

The yield of the Chandler nut largely depends on the choice of a quality seedling. It is better to purchase it from trusted sellers or in a well-established nursery. The culture first develops the root system, and only then - the green mass. Therefore, if an overgrown walnut with a small root is sold, then it is unlikely that a tree will grow out of it, giving a bountiful harvest.

Before planting, the plant is inspected, broken, dry roots are removed. After that, the root system is lowered into a clay mash. It is prepared from clay, rotted manure and water. The consistency should be like thick sour cream.

Fit specifics

After choosing a place for landing, it is cleared, then a landing pit is prepared. On fertile soil, its depth and diameter can be 60 centimeters, on less fertile soil - at least 1 meter.Only the upper layer of the removed soil is used, approximately 30 centimeters deep. The rest of the earth is thrown back, it is not put back into the pit.

Then the ditch is filled with the following composition of substrate:

• top soil layer removed;
• rotted manure;
• peat;
• potash-phosphorus fertilizers.

The roots of the seedling are gently straightened to the sides. The substrate is poured, which is then lightly compacted, the trunk circle spills abundantly.

The young tree is planted in a prepared hole so that the root neck is 5 centimeters above the ground.

To retain moisture, the root circle is mulched with straw, sawdust or peat. To prevent the fragile seedling from breaking under the pressure of the wind, the trunk is tied to a peg. They drive it in at a distance of 10 centimeters from the nut.

Important! The root neck when planting a nut should be 5 centimeters above the ground .

Further tree care

A young tree needs constant care. It needs to be watered, loosen the ground, remove weeds. The grown plantations are fed, bleached, and form a crown.

Water and fertilize

After planting, the Chandler walnut is watered every day for a week, then it is enough to moisten the ground around the tree once every 7 days. When rain falls, watering is adjusted. The plant is irrigated only under the root in the evening. When the walnut reaches the age of 4-5 years, it will grow a strong root, and it will no longer need additional watering.

If fertilizers were applied to the soil, then top dressing will be required only in the 4th year after planting a young tree. In the spring, nitrogen is mainly introduced to increase green mass, then complexes containing phosphorus, potassium, and trace elements.Fertilizers must be applied according to the instructions so as not to burn the root system with an aggressive composition.

Cutting and shaping

Sanitary pruning is carried out in early spring. At the same time, diseased Chandler shoots broken under the pressure of the wind are removed. For cutting trunks, secateurs, a hacksaw, a garden knife are used. The procedure is completed by sealing the cuts with garden pitch.

In addition, a shaping pruning is carried out. It is necessary so that too long shoots with small branches do not form. Formative pruning is also needed to improve the quality and quantity of fruits due to thinning of the tree crown.

Whitewash

When the air temperature drops to +3+4°С in autumn, the walnut is bleached with slaked lime. The procedure is needed to protect the trunks from harmful insects and pathogens located in the folds of the bark.In addition, whitewashing will protect the tree from bright sunlight in late winter and early spring.

Preparing for winter

Chandler is a frost-resistant variety, and an adult plant does not require shelter for the winter. Young trees need to be wrapped in burlap. In addition, before the onset of persistent frosts, the near-stem circle of the walnut is mulched with rotted manure. Mulch should be at least 10 centimeters from the trunk.

Diseases and pests of crops

Nuts are affected by diseases and pests much less than fruit crops. Mostly this happens due to improper care. Failure to comply with agricultural practices leads to the following diseases:

• bacteriosis;
• brown spotting;
• root cancer;
• bacterial burn.

Diseases can be caused by excessive fertilization with nitrogen, excessive watering, deepening of the root neck during planting. For prevention in the spring, the nut should be sprayed with copper-containing preparations. Infected parts are removed from the plant and burned.

From pests Chandler can hit:

• American white butterfly;
• mite;
• codling moth;
• nut moth;
• aphid.

Bad insects are sprayed with insecticides and acaricides. It must be remembered that the procedure cannot be carried out during the flowering period of the nut. Removing weeds around the tree can help prevent some diseases and pests, as they can be a carrier of misfortune.

Collection and storage of nuts

The ripening of the fruits is uneven, so the collection is made in several stages. Nuts growing on the lower branches can be picked by hand. If there are a lot of walnut trees on the site, you can use a special tool - a roll.

Many fruits fall off on their own after a strong wind. If at the same time it was raining and the fruits got dirty, they must be washed before storage. In most cases, the skin itself is separated from the fetus when it falls. If it still holds, remove it as soon as possible, otherwise the core may darken or even be banned.

In order for nuts to be stored for a long time, and not to lose their taste and nutrients, they need to be properly prepared. They are dried in the open air, or in a well-ventilated room. The nuts are laid out in one layer, and be sure to mix periodically. In addition, the fruits can be dried in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 50°.

Store nuts in a dry place, falling asleep in wooden boxes, canvas bags or nets.There should not be products with a bright aroma nearby, since the kernels absorb foreign odors. Peeled fruits can be stored in the refrigerator and even frozen by placing in vacuum bags.

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