General Chat

I just hope we're not going to end up like we did with Dutch Elm Disease.

Gwyn

I know just what you mean about them being 'tactile' - i'm the same - there's just something about that shiney gorgeous brown isn't there??

It's a real shame - I've watched the H/C trees round my way look a bit worse for wear each year :O(

My son still goes conkering with Grandma at the ripe old age of 13! The trees round our way have for the last two years had their leaves turn brown very early on, but luckily the conkers have still come.
I think there are two problems with the trees. Their is the virus that was talked about on page one and also another disorder that while not killing the trees does make them look very ill.

I love conkers. There's something very tactile about them and I have one in my coat pocket, collected when I was passing some trees a couple of days ago, - I can't resist picking up at least one.
I noticed that they seemed smaller, but I wasn't really looking for them. - they were just on the ground. What a change from a few years ago, when all of them would have been collected by now,by young children.
I love to see the trees in bloom with their big 'candles' of flowers. The sweet chestnut flowers are more pink / red I believe. As children we used to go chestnutting and collected sweet chestnuts to bring home to eat. I prefer them uncooked, but some were always cooked on our open coal fire.

Gwyn

Thanks Sue....will read that later. :)))


Have a good day x

We've got a smallish back garden but one of the children who lived in the house about 30 years ago planted 5 conkers in a row!
We removed all but one of the trees and we keep the last one well pruned so it doesn't take over. My husband built our girls a tree house/platform which they loved and visiting kids still enjoy.

Conkers are such a lovely rich colour when they are fresh. There are two very large trees near our house and always lots of conkers. Oddly the trees must be slightly different varieties because one of them always has leaves and flowers about 3 weeks earlier than the other one.

This is interesting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conkers

Sue
x

It is sad isn't it Daff :((( Im going to have a closer look at those trees tomorrow and if they are ill Im going to Blame Columbia Rd flower market.. lol

Whats the timber like on the diseased horse chesnuts, anyone know? Thinking, OH is always after turning timber. He tries to make a pretty piece for anyone who gives him wood, and has not run out in a long time. It keeps him happy and out of the kitchen!

It is just so sad, Suzy, isn't it? If *mine* have to come down, I am lucky enough to have a row of five oak trees just beyond them, so my *borrowed landscape* will still be beautiful... but the wildlife the Horse chestnuts harbour is wonderful!

Love

Daff xxx

Thanks Daff :))

Right have googled... it is a canker... and incurable... comes from the Himalayas, and as of May this year 49% of British trees have been infected... once infected the tree will die within 5 years

This is the link

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1969895/Conkers-are-cracking-as-virus-spreads.html

I don't think so, Suzy... unless the virus thrives in those conditions! I am off to google, lol!!

Love

Daff xxx

Thanks Sandie :)))

So are the trees being infected because of the damp summers then?

It would be a shame to lose so many round here :((

One in three conker trees (horse chestnut) has been infected... there is no cure. One of the three big ones at the side of my house was felled last year because of it.... now it looks like the other two are also infected... the tree surgeon (drool, slobber) was out to have a check up on them a couple of days ago.

Love

Daff xxx

i used to love taking kids conker picking or conker catching
but as im rubbish aim id havet o con hubby into coming with us,

remember gransha cooking chestnuts in the ashes of his fire place and peelin um with his pen knife
those were the days

So you get Chestnuts from the Horse Chesthut and Conkers from the Chestnut Tree,? Is that right.

Jean we take the Kids every year to collect conkers in my class and we even show them how to play a game of conkers. I still have conkers that Alex collected 6 years ago lol :)) x

Sweet chestnuts are different from conkers. The trees have different shaped leaves but the Horse Chestnut tree is related I think.

Conkers are mildly poisonous unless treated. I found this.
"The nuts contain high concentrations of a saponin-class toxin called Aesculin, which is toxic to many animals including humans because it causes Haemolysis (destruction of red blood cells). The saponin can be eliminated by leaching the pulverized nuts in multiple changes of boiling water, to yield a wholesome starchy porridge once important to some Native American tribes."

So only to be eaten if desperate!

Sue
x

oh we collected lots fromt he trees neart he supermarket last week


yes thats right helen you cant eat conkers they would make u ill
but chestnuts are lovelyyyyyyy

Oh don't say that... I used to love October days and early evenings when my grandsons were young. We would be out for ages collecting bags full of conkers.

Never did anything with them. Used to wait until they had forgotten all about them and then dump them but it was fun throwing sticks at the branches to try and get them down :)

Jean x.

Hello Shelly and all,

Judging by the HUGE bagful my 6 year old collected last week, they are alive and well in Cumbria!!

Caz xx

Sorry i meant Suzy!!!