How deep do you plant black walnut seeds
Mia Horton
Updated on April 15, 2026
Plant each seed about 2 to 3 inches deep with the nut laying on its side. If more than one seed is planted per seed spot, place them at least 8 inches apart to make it easier to remove excess seedlings at a later date.
How do you plant black walnut seeds?
Sow one black walnut seed in each pot at a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Set the pots inside a ventilated cold frame or outdoors against a south-facing wall. Choose a spot offering light shade during the hottest part of the day. Keep the soil mixture consistently moist in the top 3 inches during the germination process.
How long do walnut seeds take to germinate?
Watch for germination in four to five weeks. Remove the tarpaulin after the walnuts sprout. Move the containers to an area with light midday shade. Water whenever the soil dries out in the top inch.
How fast do black walnut seedlings grow?
According to timber experts, black walnut trees, when planted to maximize tree growth, can grow as much as 3′ to 4′ per year in good soil, reaching a mature height of over 100′ and 30″ to 40″ in diameter, with 16″ diameter saw logs ready to harvest in 30 years.How long does it take to grow black walnut?
A black walnut tree is easy to grow from a nut. But to grow and produce nuts takes eight to 10 years.
What can you not plant near a black walnut tree?
Avoid planting vegetables that are sensitive to juglone, such as asparagus, cabbage, eggplant, peas, peppers, potatoes, rhubarb and tomatoes.
How far apart should black walnut trees be planted?
Space your black walnut trees 40′ to 80′ apart, and English walnuts 20′ to 40′ apart. NOTE: Plant black walnut trees 50′ from fruit trees. The root of a black walnut trees are toxic to many plants. Dig a hole wide and deep enough to accommodate the root system.
How much are black walnut seedlings?
Minimum BundleQtyMaximum BundleQtyPrice/bundle of 25 seedlings419$112.5020+$100.00What type of soil is best for a black walnut tree?
Soils in the better black walnut sites are deep and medium textured over loose, well- drained subsoils. The best soils for walnut plantings are composed of topsoils of san- dy loam, loam, or silt loam over similar subsoil textures, or sandy clay loam or clay loam.
Do walnut trees have deep roots?General Root Zone Characteristics The mature walnut tree’s root system is a combination of a taproot from its youth, downward-angled roots and horizontal roots near the soil surface. … Expect the vast majority of the tree roots to be no deeper than 3 to 7 feet in the soil.
Article first time published onShould I soak walnuts before planting?
The Agri Farming website recommends that you soak walnuts for up to 24 hours to soften husks, making them easier to open.
How do you get walnut seeds to sprout?
Before walnut seeds will germinate, they have to be exposed to cold temperatures and moist conditions. This can be accomplished by planting nuts outside in the fall or by stratifying them indoors over winter. Black walnut seeds should be planted about 2 inches deep in moist soil in the fall.
Where should I plant a walnut tree?
All species grow best on fertile soils of pH 5.5-7.5, and 90cm or 3 ft deep. Avoid frost pockets in valley bottoms and water-logging prone areas. They will not grow well in compacted soils, or those with a gravel layer or iron pan close to the surface.
How much is a board foot of black walnut worth?
Good question…it’s worth whatever someone is willing to pay you! HOWEVER, the going stumpage rate for quality black walnut right now is around $0.80 – $2.00/bd ft for sawlogs (used to make lumber) and $3.00 – 10.00/bd ft for veneer logs (used to make fine face veneer for furniture, architectural paneling, etc.).
Do black walnut trees produce nuts every year?
Walnut trees are capable of producing nuts every year, but you may experience patterns of high and low yields from year to year. Like many trees that produce nuts and fruits, walnut trees are prone to a reproductive pattern known as alternate bearing.
What age do black walnut trees produce nuts?
This tree: Yields a ripened nut crop in early to mid-autumn. The fruit consists of three layers: a green, fleshy husk; a black inner shell that is hard, thick and corrugated; and the kernel, which is oily and sweet. Begins to bear nuts in 12–15 years.
Where should you plant a black walnut tree?
Select a site that is facing north or east when planting black walnut and avoid areas in valleys, bottomland sites or where airflow is minimal, as all of these foster potential frost damage. You’ll need to choose an area of full sun as well.
What are black walnut trees worth?
Records even date back to the 1700s when black walnut logs were still priced high. Now, a single tree can bring in twenty thousand dollars! If you have an acre of timber, you’ll have trees worth around one hundred thousand dollars! This makes it one of the most valuable trees in the world.
Do you need 2 walnut trees?
All walnut varieties are self-fertile, meaning that the pollen can travel from the male parts to the female parts of the same tree and under this procedure the tree can produce nuts. Thus, a single tree can theoretically produce nuts without needing other walnut trees around.
Why are black walnut trees bad?
Black walnut trees have a well-deserved reputation for making life difficult for gardeners because they release a toxic compound called juglone, which can adversely affect many kinds of plants. … The roots are also toxic and juglone can persist in dead wood for years even after the tree is removed.
Will anything grow under a black walnut tree?
Black walnut tree compatible plants are any known plants that grow under black walnut trees without any sign of toxicity damage. Black walnut tolerant plants include the sugar maple, flowering dogwood and the boxelder to name a few. You can also plant crocuses, hyacinths and begonias.
What if my dog eats a black walnut?
If you’ve seen your dog eat black walnuts or moldy walnuts or thin they have, call your vet immediately or take them to an emergency clinic. There are several symptoms you might start to see. Ingesting black walnuts can cause tremors, vomiting, or seizures.
Do walnuts like wet soil?
Black walnut will grow on a wide variety of soils and landscape positions (Table 1), but more important to the grower is the growth rate on each kind of soil. It grows best on deep, well-drained, nearly pH-neutral soils that are fertile and moist, but not wet.
Do black walnut trees grow in clay soil?
The black walnut tree prefers a clay-loam soil with a pH above 7. Black walnut trees do best in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 9. … Gardeners with clay soil are limited in the variety of crops they can grow, but there are several fruit and nut trees that will grow in clay soil.
What is the best fertilizer for walnut trees?
The primary nutrient nut trees require on a regular basis is nitrogen. Fertilizing nut trees properly requires more nitrogen than any other element. You’ll also want to add potassium to the soil, as well as phosphorus. Use a fertilizer mix with double the nitrogen, like 20-10-10 for best results.
Will deer eat black walnuts?
Deer may eat from the black walnut if they are really hungry. However, they will not work in most cases, because the nuts are too hard to crack. However, they will most likely eat the leaves or twigs of the tree during the cold months.
Can I grow a walnut tree from a walnut?
Walnut trees can be easily grown from seeds by following a few simple steps. Collect walnuts after they fall to the ground. Remove the husks and then place the nuts in water. … The cold-moist requirement can be met by planting the nuts in the ground in fall.
How long does it take for a walnut tree to bear fruit?
Once you plant a 2-year-old grafted walnut, expect to wait another four to five years for its first crop of nuts. A non-grafted, seedling-grown walnut often takes up to two years longer to bear its first nuts.
How do you transplant black walnut seedlings?
Remove weeds, rocks, plant material and debris from the new planting site. Dig a hole twice as wide as the diameter of the black walnut’s root ball and 18 to 24 inches in depth. Space the hole 75 feet away from other trees, buildings and stationary objects. Pile the excavated soil next to the hole.
How far do black walnut roots spread?
Estimates on root length vary, but most arborists agree that mature trees can have roots extend out from the trunk up to four times the height of the tree. If your black walnut is 40 feet tall, the roots could extend out 160 feet.
What is the difference between walnut and black walnut wood?
The short answer is the English walnut is mostly grown for food while the black walnut is grown for wood. However, there are many more differences between the two. It is important to understand that English walnuts come from the juglans regia tree while the black walnut is from the juglans nigra tree.