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Walnut Tree

Walnut Tree
Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

While there are several species of walnut, most notably the black walnut and English walnut, basic planting and care instructions are all similar. Still, due to the existence of hundreds of varieties adapted to different climates and disease resistance, planting nuts from relatively nearby is recommended. Walnut trees can produce flavorful nuts and durable, attractive timber, but home gardeners should be aware that they often kill nearby plants! Also, keep in mind that walnut trees don’t start producing nuts until about 10 years after they have been planted and the nut production will peak at about 30 years after planting. You can plant walnut trees from nuts, which are often free to collect but tedious to prepare, or seedlings, which usually need to be purchased but typically have a higher success rate. Walnuts from a grocery store are unlikely to have the moisture necessary to germinate. Even if they do, the nuts were likely produced by a hybrid tree or a tree variety suited for a different climate, making success in your area unlikely.
Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
If you plan to start a walnut orchard to produce nuts or timber, ask a local forester or look online for a species and variety specialized for your climate and your intended purpose. Ideally, purchase walnut seed from trees within 100 miles (160 km) of your planting location, as these may be better adapted. Walnuts typically grow in USDA hardiness zones 4—9, or areas with a -30 to +30ºF (-34 to -1ºC) minimum temperature, but some varieties are better suited to cold than others. Walnut seeds can be planted in any pots in the green house. Just keep the dirt moist.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
All walnut species require high quality soil, and this step is especially important if you are starting a walnut orchard. Choose a location with well- draining, loamy soil at least three feet (0.9 m) deep. Avoid steep slopes, ridge tops, rocky soil, and soil with large amounts of clay. The lower areas of north-facing slopes are acceptable in rolling or mountainous terrain (or south-facing, if located in the Southern Hemisphere). Walnut is fairly versatile when it comes to soil pH. Soils between 6.0 and 6.5 pH may be best, but anything from 5 to 8 should be acceptable. For the first 2 – 3 years, no full sun is needed and the shade makes the tree grow taller. After that, they need plenty of sun.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
After the ground has thawed, and at least 90 days have passed (note stratification section), remove the seeds from their cold environment. Viable seeds should have a small sprout emerging. Keep the seeds moist for a full week before planting. Remove existing vegetation from the planting site before planting, as they will compete for the same nutrients the walnut tree or trees need. For an orchard-sized planting, cultivating the field to aerate the soil is also recommended. Dig small holes, about 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) deep, and place the walnuts sideways at the bottom of these, then refill with dirt. When planting multiple trees, place the holes 12–17 feet (3.7—5.2m) apart, in a grid position. Optionally, you may plant two or more nuts in each spot, 8 inches (20 cm) from each other. Once the seedlings have grown for a year or two, remove all but the healthiest from each spot. See the tips section for an alternate planting method to protect against squirrels and other small animals. Should you go with seedlings instead, measure the seedling’s diameter 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the root collar, where the roots meet the trunk. Select seedlings with a minimum diameter here of 1/4 inch (0.64 cm), and preferably larger. This is the most important measurement for predicting quality. Bare-root seedlings, sold without any soil, should be planted in early spring, before bud growth, and should be planted immediately after acquiring. Containerized seedlings can handle later planting dates and drier soils, but are typically much more expensive. Place the seedlings in holes that are twice as wide in diameter as the seedling roots, and just deep enough to bury the roots. For best results, backfill with one part compost for every three parts normal soil. Tamp down the soil and water thoroughly. Plant the seedlings 12–17 feet (3.7 —5.2m) to get the most nuts from your trees. Keeping seedlings 10–12 ft (3.0–3.7 m) apart is best for timber production.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
You can see a comprehensive listing of food, flowers, shrubs, vines, and trees of what can (200 items) and cannot (42 items) grow near its juglone toxin over at growitbuildit site.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

The walnut tree belongs to the family of the Juglandaceae. A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe, and thus not a true botanical nut but is commonly consumed as a nut. It is a good idea to plant at least two trees to assure good fruit production. Black Walnut is self- fertile, but often the pollen is not shed when stigma is receptive. Use at least two varieties or seedlings to assure good crops. Walnut trees are tall and are often some of the tallest trees in the area. Their average height is 70–80 ft (21–24 m), but they can even reach up to 150 ft (46 m) on rarer occasions. On average, grown walnut trees are 2–4 ft (0.61–1.22 m) in diameter. The bark has deep ridges that, from a distance, resemble a diamond pattern.
Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
For at least the first two years after planting, whether grown from nut or seed, the walnut tree needs supplemental watering, especially during dry or warm weather. Weekly waterings are best for newly planted trees, but you can water less as the tree grows. Give the plant a thorough watering, but do not water again until the soil has mostly dried. Frequent watering can harm the plant. After two or three years, the trees only need to be watered during the hottest time of year or during a drought, about one to three times a month.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
Care for seedlings by keeping the area around them free of sod and weeds, which will compete with the growth of small seedlings. Remove sod and weeds by hand or by laying fabric weed barrier. Larger seedlings can be treated with mulch to keep weeds at bay, using about 2 or 3 inches over the root zones. Do not use mulch on plants that have not yet emerged from the soil, as it can block the sprout from growing. Wait until the seedling is woody and has developed roots.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
Fertilization is somewhat controversial, at least for black walnuts, because it can assist competing weeds more than the tree if the soil is already rich in nutrients. Wait until the trunk is “pole” size, or at least 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter measured 4.5 feet (1.4 m) above the ground. Do not use potassium fertilizer or composite one that includes chlorine since walnut trees do not like salinity. For the increase of fat, protein and aroma in the kernel of the walnut, choose potassium sulphate base fertilizers.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
Squirrels are a common sight in walnut groves, and can take an entire crop of nuts if not controlled. Cover the trunks with plastic tree guard to keep them from climbing them, and prune away branches less than 6 ft. (1.8 m) from the ground if you are able to do so without causing knots that diminish timber value. Other pests such as caterpillars, aphids, and flies vary by region, and may not harm your tree if they are active late in the growing season. Consult a nearby forester, an experienced walnut grower, or videos for information specific to careful pruning of the walnut tree. Keep livestock away from walnut trees of any size, as the damage they cause may even make the timber value of adult trees worthless.
Keep the nuts moist over the winter for 90- 120 days. Walnuts, like many plant seeds, need to experience a moist, cold environment before the plant awakens from its dormancy and emerges from the shell. This takes 3–4 months for walnuts, depending on the variety, during which they should be kept moist. Keeping seeds in an environment for this purpose is called stratification, and for walnuts can be done in one of the following ways: Keep small amounts of walnuts in moist peat moss or moist sand, inside plastic bags kept in a refrigerator, or in another location between 34 and 41ºF (2– 5ºC). For a large quantity of nuts, dig a pit in fast- draining soil, 1 to 2 feet (.3 to .6 meters) deep. Fill this pit by alternating single layers of nuts with 2 inch (5 cm) layers of sand, leaves, or mulch. Cover the pit with screening to keep out rodents.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
Harvesting may start from early September to early November. Any nut that fell spontaneously from the tree at harvesting season is a safe bet to replant. The outer husk is a good indicator as well, if it started deteriorating, that means it’s ripe. If the harvested nuts are allowed to dry out, or removed before stratification is complete, they may take a full extra year to start growing, or fail to grow entirely.
How to Harvest:
In the autumn, gather nuts that have fallen from walnut trees, or gently hit walnut branches with a lightweight pole to cause ripe nuts to fall. Even when ripe and fallen, most nuts will still be encased in a thick green or brown husk around the nutshell. Warning: walnut husks can stain and irritate skin and clothing. Waterproof gloves are recommended.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
Walnuts can grow without the husks being removed, but many people remove the husks to check the walnuts inside are undamaged, and to make them easier to handle. To remove the husk, soak the walnuts in a bucket of water until the outer husk is soft to the touch, waiting up to three days for the hardest nuts. Crack and peel off the softened husk by hand. If the husks have dried out, they can be almost impossible to remove. Try driving over them in a car. For a larger quantity of walnuts, run them through a corn sheller, or even rotate them in a cement mixer with gravel and water for 30 minutes.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
Preparing walnut seeds can take months of waiting, and success rate can be low. You may choose to purchase a seedling and skip to that section instead. Before using either method, be aware that walnut trees, especially of the black walnut species, release chemicals into the soil that kill many nearby plants, including pine trees, apple trees, tomatoes, and others. This, along with their massive size and sometimes aggressive spreading of new walnut plants, can make them unpopular in cities and suburbs.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

Black walnut is highly expensive and in-demand for its timber, while English walnut (also called Persian walnut) is commonly grown for either nuts or timber. If you are raising the walnut for timber, it is important to prune early to ensure a straight trunk, leaving one “leader” branch at the top of the tree and guiding it straight and upright over the next one or two growing seasons. Saplings grown for nuts can be left alone until after thinning, but subsequent pruning is wise for black walnut trees, as these are usually sold for timber eventually, even nut varieties. If you have not pruned trees before, especially saplings, finding an experienced pruner to help you identify leaders and important branches is recommended. If the top of the tree is forked, bend the best leader upright and tape it to other branches as support, then cut off the tip of the supporting branches to prevent growth. Most orchards begin with more plants than the area can support. Once the trees are large enough that the branches are beginning to run into each other, select the healthiest trees that display the characteristics you value, typically a straight trunk and rapid growth. Remove the rest, but avoid clearing too much space that can cause weeds or even competing trees to grow. [ If the leaves are dead on a tree, peel off a tiny, thin layer of bark. If the trunk is still green, your tree still has a chance to make it. ] Walnut leaves can spread chemicals that kill other plants. Collect them and compost until they degrade completely to make them safe for use as mulch. Roots from the black walnut tree are toxic to some animals, especially horses. If you have a walnut tree on your property, keep your pets or livestock away from it.

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