Sallygarden Smallholding - The Forum For Sustainable Living

I've been reading a lot about permaculture and I'm interested in planting a few trees that produce a crop. I love the idea of walnut and sweet chestnut but I'm wondering if there are any particular varieties I should seek out that will do better in the Irish climate?

Are there any other trees worth planting for nuts? I wonder if it's worth buying a cultivated hazel tree. We have plenty of hazel near us but the nuts are very small, perhaps a cultivated variety would be developed for bigger yields.

How about a nut tree with truffles grafted onto them? We have two (shhh!) and hope to have our first crop this year.

Wow, I've never heard of that before. Do you buy the tree with the truffles already grafted or do you do that bit yourself? I hope your pigs don't find them!

I have two Chinese Chestnuts that supposedly (according to Musser Nurseries, a prominent tree nursery in the US) get only 20 or so feet tall. I'm in zone 7 and they have fared well here.

Have you considerd Cob nuts? Its a type of Hazel. You usualy plant in pairs for pollination, a bit like apple. They produce large nuts. Try Kentish cob with Gunslebert for pollinaton. Havnt seen them here yet. But will be looking for some later in the year.