I post most of my fruit photos on my Figaholics Facebook page as this is something that works out well for several reasons.  I know that Facebook isn't for everybody, though.  People can still view my page without having a Facebook page.  Still, scrolling through to find all of my photos can be time-consuming.  I compiled a video with many of my photos from 2017 and it can be viewed here:  https://youtu.be/PA9KjVgJOV0

Note: please don't send PMs, I prefer emails or Facebook PMs.  Also, don't contact me now to inquire about cuttings or trees as I have none available.  I plan to offer cuttings again in late January.  For now, I am very busy with chestnut harvest on our farm.  Thanks!

Super, Harvey! Thanks!

Thanks for the fig video and for letting us know that you'll be in touch when fig cuttings are available next year, Harvey.

P.S. I didn't know that chestnuts could grow in Zone 9b. My husband put his foot down and said, "You have to take out a tree if you want to plant another one."  Do you suppose a chestnut tree is small enough to hide from a guy who spots every infraction by both teams during a football game?

Christine... My advice to you is to repeat the old saying "It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission."

Christine - Does he know what a chestnut tree looks like? Get a small one that can hind in the other fruit trees for a year or so....

I suggest not planting a chestnut tree in an urban setting if you ever like to walk around bare-footed.  The spines from the burs (husks) are pretty nasty and they seem to follow you when you walk into your home, etc.  Even with my trees being 100 feet away or so I get some painful surprises from time to time.  Just my $.02

Harvey,
What species or varieties did you plant, given that the blight nearly anhilited the American chestnut years ago? I come from Brittany where the tree is native. Such a beautiful tree with its long golden catkins when in bloom. But bad for people with pollen allergy.

Marcel

Harvey, I have 4 chestnut trees in my front and side yard and although the burred husks are a huge pain in the arse because I only have 4, it is easy for me to pick up the hulls as I gather the nuts. I use 3 40 gallon containers when I gather each morning and evening. one for the empty husks, one for the full husks and one for the meats. I gather the full husks until I fill that container and then I manually separate the husks with heavy leather gloves and throw the nuts into one container and empty husks in the other. When the empty husk container is full I simply carry it into my woods and empty it and then repeat. I never leave any loose nuts or husks around and so each gathering session starts with fresh husks and nuts. Carrying material into the house is thus never a problem. This manual process is only practical because there are only 4 trees but those 4 trees easily produce 50-75 pounds of nuts before I just stop collecting them and let the deer have them....

This post is about figs and chestnuts were only mentioned to explain I was too busy to reply.  But you persist, so... ;)

Marcel, I grow Castanea sativa, specifically Italian marroni varieties.  You can read more at chestnuts.us  We don't have blight near here although one orchard grown about 50 miles away did have the disease (don't know if it has been removed or not).  In our arid climate it has never been much of a problem, partly because of the climate and also because there aren't many chestnut trees for it to be spread to.  More walnuts, almonds, winegrapes, etc.

Tony, having some woods to take the burs to is a nice thing.  I mentioned "urban setting" and most folks in urban settings don't have a place to take the burs to.  I suggest Best 7066 (smooth) gloves instead of leather gloves, though the spines on the burs of some species are less lethal than others.  I think no matter what I do some spines are also going to get tracked into my house on my shoes, pants leg, etc.  I think this is worse in arid climates.  I survive to tell about it.

I have many hours of work left tonight and will not discuss chestnuts further in this thread.  Thanks in advance for understanding!!!

P.S. This thread is a good example of why I post mostly on my Facebook page.  I delete comments that derail a topic I post about. :)