Colossal Ice Storm

Much of the mid-West suffered a once-in-a-decade ice storm followed by a once-in-a-decade snow storm.

Carpathian Walnut damaged by ice storm

Anybody who plants trees that may take 30 years to start bearing is an incurable optimist.  You have to be.  We develop a talent for wringing good things from setbacks.  One of the few good things about the ice storm is the super abundance of scionwood it makes available.  And you don't even need a ladder to harvest it.

Bill Nash sent me the following email.  Bill Nash owns a producing chestnut orchard in Laingsburg, Michigan (about 25 miles northeast of Lansing, Michigan).  Scionwood from Bill will be true-to-type because it came from producing trees.  Off-types get rogued.

Colossal chestnuts.  Picture from Rogers Reserve website.  Other cultivars like Benton Harbor also available.

Hi Joe,

Yes, we’ll have Colossal scion wood.  Though the Colossals were not hurt that badly.  Some of the Chinese trees that had not lost there leaves (similar to oaks) were hard hit.  We got 19 inches of snow out of this last storm.  At least now I can’t see all the damage the ice storm created.  Weather has been a little harsh lately.

Bill

Bill Nash
Nash Nurseries
517-651-5278
cell 517-719-7216
nashnurseries.com