Eastern Black Walnuts

Butterbean is standing guard over our Eastern Black Walnuts. The nuts take three to four months to stratify underground before bursting to life in the Spring. These particular nuts are from North Georgia, and last season, so hopefully some of them will sprout. There are probably 30 or 40 of them under the grate. They're buried about an inch or two below the surface and spread out evenly. The grate and cinder blocks should keep the squirrels from digging them up.

With any luck we'll start to see shoots poking up through the grate in April or May. They grow fairly quickly, up to 35 inches in the first year, so we'll have to dig them up and either pot them or permanently relocate them soon after they sprout. They are fairly vigorous, but they do send down a deep taproot so the sooner we move them to their new home the better. Selecting a permanent site can also prove tricky since they can be damaging to nearby plants. Walnuts produce the toxic compound juglone in their roots, leaves etc which stunts the growth of nearby plants giving them a competitive advantage.

Depending on the number of shoots we get, we may make a space for them at the front of the property by the driveway. If we can keep them away from the garden and food forest and avoid their leaves in the compost bin they can be a valuable asset. Walnuts are prized for their edible nuts and also for their wood. The trees can produce nuts in as little as 4-6 years, but large crops will take 20 years. For now we'll just have to wait and see what happens in the Spring before forming any long term plans.