Sweet Chestnuts

[Deleted User]

Hi CATTIE the one big mature tree we have in the lanes is on a field that is used for hay so it's not given any attention and the others are mature but I guess british natives (not those lovely continental huge ones) and all in wasteland settings. They produce masses of cases each year but the nuts inside are very small in the main and the squirrel and jay population seem to get the best ones long before we mere mortals are awake and out!!!

Primrose

I don't know about sweet chestnuts as sadly we no longer have any of them round here but last autumn I foraged about ten pounds of walnuts. This year I did n,t spot a single nut on the tree. Perhaps they have good and bad years like fruit trees.

meritaten

apologies for 'bumping' the thread!
but, my lovely DS1 gathered another HUGE carrier bag of sweet chestnuts for me! this time they were nice and ripe, and less 'weevil ridden'. I shared them with DD who plans to use those lovely spiky husks in her Christmas 'decor', and the nuts too! (a bit of a waste of 'good eatings' IMHO). and actually cooked some, while all the family were gathered together, as hardly anyone said they had even tasted real sweet chestnuts. sort of 'mixed reaction'! like marmite they were either loved or hated! mostly loved I must say.
Got to say that I was shocked that none of the kids remember me roasting chestnuts for them..................Did I dream that? or would that be because I used shop bought ones? and they are NOT as flavourful as the 'foraged'?