Black Walnut Seedlings

[Ridgerunner]

I planted 8 black walnut nuts from a local tree after soaking and freezing and got 5 of them to come up. Im very pleased that I had this many come up. I did not expect that success. But now I have a question. Black walnuts produce juglone which can and will inhibit or kill off certain things. If I have several black walnut seedlings growing together, will they kill each other off? My logic says it should not be an issue, but I dont consider any question to be too stupid to ask. It is more stupid to not ask the question.

My current strategy is to let them all grow this season and see which ones live through the winter and start growing next year. Then probably mid-summer 2012, decide which one looks best and cut off the rest. They are fenced in where the deer, dogs and chickens cannot get to them, but with my luck with seedlings, I dont expect all of them to make it anyway.

Other than my question on the juglone, does anybody see any downsides to this strategy? Am I missing something that should cause me to alter my basic strategy?

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

We have a black walnut tree near the house, and don't seem to have trouble w/ the smaller trees surviving. Most of them get snapped off from us walking tho, since they grow where we walk around the storage shed. Others get cut down if they get too large, since we don't really want more trees growing under the larger one.

 

[lesa]

I think your idea will work perfectly. One of the most beautiful yards/gardens I ever had the pleasure of touring had several black walnuts around its border... So, not so sure about that killing thing... I know it exists, but it certainly didn't hurt that garden.
I was just saying to Dh that I should start a black walnut forest. Our friendly neighborhood squirrels have started about 40 of them, in all my gardens!!
Good luck with your project!

 

[rrayres]

I have a huge black walnut in my backyard in Massachusetts, and there are plenty of other trees (lots of maples) and plants back there as well. The biggest problem with the walnut that I find is the plethora of huge walnuts it drops in the late summer and early fall.

 

[Greenthumb18]

Sounds like a good plan Ridgerunner. Those seedlings should eventually produce nice walnuts for you. You should plant at least two close together in case their not self-pollinating. I have a small chestnut plant that has just came up from planting the nut last winter in a pot. I'm going to transplant it in a pot and hope to plant it on my property in NC.

Good Luck!

 

[Carol Dee]

Congrats on starting the trees from the walnut itself. Our tree self seed (so to speak) and some are very close togehter. I see no problem. I would recommend you not plant them too close to the house. They can be VERY messy.