They’re great eaten raw if you can be arsed peeling the bitter skin off. They have a great crunch, I sound like a horse eating them raw but it’s worth it. I think cooking them ruins their taste but they’re good in stir fry too!
Crushed/broken/torn leaves of the sweet chestnut smell gorgeous. I planted a grown from sweet chestnut, tree in my garden about 2 decades ago, and it still has to produce any real fruit. (My neighbours thought they were helping me out by trying to cut it down when it was just a few years old, but they ended up just coppicing it. It does fruit - but the fruit are smaller than grapes, AND they don't grow a spiky outer sheaf. The tiny fruit do vanish as I think the local squirrels have a taste for them.)
Thanks for this video, it’s starting to come into season but I’ve noticed many trees are in different stages still, some haven’t even flowered yet. Warm greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱.
Thank you so much for making it clear the difference between sweet chestnut and horse chestnuts, I’ve a lot of sweet chestnuts now I can identify them where I live, it’s been a good year for them, I haven’t seen them in the shops for some time. I glass of mulled wine and sweet chestnut roasted of course wonderful 😂
How common is Sweet Chestnut in British forests? Does it reproduce from seed in ancient woodlands or is it a tree that is mostly planted? How well does it compete with oak? I’m an American who volunteers with the American Chestnut Foundation. All the information from the pre-blight era says that it was a ferocious competitor.
I was wondering the same myself. I’m involved with the Connecticut chapter of TACF and have a knack for finding surviving American trees, many producing burs. It’s my understanding that the sweet chestnuts in the UK are mostly planted, as the original range of them was in Southern Europe but they’ve been widely planted.
I absolutely love chestnuts but i never tried eating them raw off the tree. I used to pick them up after they've fallen to the ground. Just had to beat the deer to them. 😅 Drought killed our four chestnuts in the front yard last year. 😭 I found some sprouts in the fence row, though! So hopefully we can get a couple more growing.
Tried collecting some from the plenty in the park here but they’re all shrivelled up like prunes inside. Just a bad crop this year, unripe or should you pick them off the tree instead of off the ground for best results? 🤔
Usually off the tree is better. I find the ones on the ground are often not so good. Once the husk is starting to split on the ones still on the tree you can collect 👍
@@dblood8529 the pandemic helped him to become a multi millionaire with his mouth watering stuffing recipies, he's no time for the likes of us commoners.
Same in ireland there is a tiny caterpillar in leaf in the middle layer visible with a torch at night time this insect makes the tree stressed then the sweet chestnuts don't develop to full size ,last year was good but this year they are very under sized
ARE THEM THE ONES THAT ARE TASTY THE FLOWERS LOOK LOVELY AN SMELL NICE GOOD INDICATION AH MUST BE LOVELY WITH HONEY AN BUTTER AN GARLIC CONTEMPLATING FOR A WHILE BIT STORIES OLD WIVES TAILS OOOH DONT EAT THEM THE HORSIES DO AN LOOK AT THEM URRRRRRRRHHHH
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They’re great eaten raw if you can be arsed peeling the bitter skin off. They have a great crunch, I sound like a horse eating them raw but it’s worth it. I think cooking them ruins their taste but they’re good in stir fry too!
Crushed/broken/torn leaves of the sweet chestnut smell gorgeous.
I planted a grown from sweet chestnut, tree in my garden about 2 decades ago, and it still has to produce any real fruit.
(My neighbours thought they were helping me out by trying to cut it down when it was just a few years old, but they ended up just coppicing it. It does fruit - but the fruit are smaller than grapes, AND they don't grow a spiky outer sheaf. The tiny fruit do vanish as I think the local squirrels have a taste for them.)
Thanks for this video, it’s starting to come into season but I’ve noticed many trees are in different stages still, some haven’t even flowered yet. Warm greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱.
Thank you so much for making it clear the difference between sweet chestnut and horse chestnuts, I’ve a lot of sweet chestnuts now I can identify them where I live, it’s been a good year for them, I haven’t seen them in the shops for some time. I glass of mulled wine and sweet chestnut roasted of course wonderful 😂
You’re welcome 😁. Yeah can’t get more festive then roasted chestnuts and mulled wine 🍷
Great video! I finally understand the difference. Thanks!!
Thanks 😊
Thank you for sharing this ❤
How common is Sweet Chestnut in British forests? Does it reproduce from seed in ancient woodlands or is it a tree that is mostly planted? How well does it compete with oak? I’m an American who volunteers with the American Chestnut Foundation. All the information from the pre-blight era says that it was a ferocious competitor.
I was wondering the same myself. I’m involved with the Connecticut chapter of TACF and have a knack for finding surviving American trees, many producing burs. It’s my understanding that the sweet chestnuts in the UK are mostly planted, as the original range of them was in Southern Europe but they’ve been widely planted.
@@ericwanderweg8525 Their origin is Anatolia. A Roman commander who liked them a lot took them to Britain.
I absolutely love chestnuts but i never tried eating them raw off the tree. I used to pick them up after they've fallen to the ground. Just had to beat the deer to them. 😅
Drought killed our four chestnuts in the front yard last year. 😭 I found some sprouts in the fence row, though! So hopefully we can get a couple more growing.
Tried collecting some from the plenty in the park here but they’re all shrivelled up like prunes inside. Just a bad crop this year, unripe or should you pick them off the tree instead of off the ground for best results? 🤔
Usually off the tree is better. I find the ones on the ground are often not so good. Once the husk is starting to split on the ones still on the tree you can collect 👍
That sounds like the chestnuts were not fertilized. If there is only one tree they make “empty” nuts.
Thanks alot for this great video ❤❤ keep going 😍
Thanks 😊
Do you need 2 sweet chestnut tree to produce fruit? Or 1 is enough as they are self pollinating
Remember my grandmother collecting them to roast and to use in stuffing for a chicken roast dinner too.Must get out and get some this weekend.
Hmm yeah good idea I haven't used them in stuffing before!
I know I’m two years late, but if you ever find the recipe, please share!
@@dblood8529 the pandemic helped him to become a multi millionaire with his mouth watering stuffing recipies, he's no time for the likes of us commoners.
Hey thanks for that. Can you believe someone gave you a thumbs down. What could be the matter with them. Got out of their bed wrong side 😘
Hah you can't please everyone 😆
@@UKWILDCRAFTS It might have been a squirrel who doesn't want to share 'his' food with humans!
Thanks dude really helpfull video 😀
Cheers 😊
Just collected loads of these 👌
😁
What about the flowers. Horse chestnut are white or pink
Where can i go to get some chestnut? I am in London
Oh my dad brought from market today. Was wondering it's edible or not. Thanks .
Do you need 2 sweet chestnut tree to produce fruit?
I am told that it is much better this way.
I went to pick some at the weekend in my area (Enfield) but they were still white and tiny inside their pods.
Ah right unusual this time of year. Further up north can be a little later though. Hopefully by November
Same in ireland there is a tiny caterpillar in leaf in the middle layer visible with a torch at night time this insect makes the tree stressed then the sweet chestnuts don't develop to full size ,last year was good but this year they are very under sized
Does anyone know where can we find a nice area to collect in the South East of England? Any in the Sussex area?
They are everywhere in the SE, google woodland areas near your postcode and hav a forage.
@@exup1k hey thanks. I found some at Bucham Country Park in Crawley
The vikings used the leaves like soap because it's antibacterial boil the leaves then bath
There are no chestnut trees in Scandinavia.
Another difference: Chestnuts are starchy (and edible). Horse chestnuts taste horribly bitter.
Did not know about these
Give them a go :)
Will keep an eye out cheers 👍🏻
👍
Can I get you to send a couple seed,I will pay shipping.
ARE THEM THE ONES THAT ARE TASTY THE FLOWERS LOOK LOVELY AN SMELL NICE GOOD INDICATION AH MUST BE LOVELY WITH HONEY AN BUTTER AN GARLIC CONTEMPLATING FOR A WHILE BIT STORIES OLD WIVES TAILS OOOH DONT EAT THEM THE HORSIES DO AN LOOK AT THEM URRRRRRRRHHHH
I love this Nut..my favorite 🌰 😋 Thank you for showing how different between the nut… now I can go nut hunting with no worries… 🙋🏼♀️