- 1). Collect horse chestnut nuts in autumn when they fall to the ground. Bring the nuts indoors and leave them in a warm dry place until the tough, outer husk splits open. Peel the outer husk away to expose the smooth shiny nut within.
- 2). Stratify the horse chestnuts by placing them in a 1-gallon zip-top plastic bag between two layers of 1-inch thick sphagnum peat moss. Store the seeds at 49 to 50 degrees F for four to five months.
- 3). Plant the seeds in the spring. Fill a 10- to 12-inch pot to with seed-starting soil mix. Use a pot that has several holes in the bottom. Scoop out a hole in the center of the pot 3 inches deep. Place the seed into the hole and cover it with 1 to 2 inches of soil.
- 4). Press down the soil over the seed with the flat of your hand. Place the pot where it can drain and soak it until water runs from the holes in the bottom.
- 5). Keep the pots in an area that is between 70 and 85 degrees F in dappled or filtered shade. The horse chestnut seeds will germinate in three to four weeks.
- 6). Water the horse chestnut seedlings when the top 1/2 inch of the soil feels dry to the touch. Soak each pot when watering and allow the excess water to drain.
- 7). Plant the seedlings outdoors in the spring of the second year in an area that has good drainage and loamy or slightly rocky soil in full sun.
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