Black Walnut Shavings

Yep, but....

tdaniel

>give them a few weeks to leach out before putting them in the garden. Mixing with grass clippings would help.

TD

Re: Black Walnut Shavings

Michael Stafford

>Walnut contains a natural herbicide called juglone and is not a good choice for using in the garden. Could kill your plants. Ever noticed that not much grows under a walnut tree? Juglone is the reason....

Re: Black Walnut Shavings

tek-Brunswick, Ohio

>It's also bad for horses. They absorb chemicals from the shavings. If walnut shavings are used in their stalls.

Re: Black Walnut Shavings

John Mcalevey

>Black walnut shavings will kill your horse if you use them for bedding. I keep them away from my dogs and any other animals also. JM

Re: Black Walnut Shavings

Barry Turner

>Don't use Black Walnut shavings anywhere you want grass or anything else to grow. Walnut contains a growth inhibitor that will kill grass and other plants. I wouldn't risk it even after composting.

works fine after composting

tdaniel

>

Re: Black Walnut Shavings

Don Henthorn

>Guess I am the odd ball. I have used walnut shavings and dust in my garden with no problems. The jugalone poison is in the roots of the tree and if you try to grow tomatoes or certain other plants near a walnut tree they defintely will not do well because their roots contact the roots of the walnut trees.

I had twenty five acres of walnuts and 7 acres of pears in California and can only go by my experience. Your experience may be different.

Re: works fine after composting

bill Crommett in seneca

>I was once told that the Juglone in Black Walnut was only in the roots, but then I used them to mulch the trees in my orchard and watched the trees slowly become anemic and several of the smaller trees died.

Now I put my Black Walnut shavings out in the woods to control the scrub Oak saplings.

It would be interesting to hear what the Wood Guru from Troy has to say about this.

Re: works fine after composting *LINK*

Kevin Gerstenecker

>I am not sure if I am the "Wood Guru" from Troy that Bill is referring to, but I am from Troy........and a degreed Horticulturalist. Juglone from Walnut Trees is not very plant friendly, and should be used with caution. I have attached a link to some helpful information from the University of Nebraska regarding the effects of Juglone. It is present in the chips and shavings from Walnut Wood, and should not be used in the home garden, or around any desireable plants. Please check out the link provided, and decided for yourself. For my money, I wouldn't and don't use Walnut shavings for mulch or soil amendment.


Walnut & Your Garden

dig the roots?

John K Jordan

>Kevin,

Thanks for the info.

I have an 8" black walnut tree 22' from my garden plot (120'x50'). On learning of this, last summer I dug a trench with my backhoe and cut the roots growing towards the garden. My previous information recommended not planting susceptible crops within 30' of a black walnut.

Although tree is mostly vertical and the drip line is still a long way from the edge of the garden, I think I'll cut down the tree after the leaves come out. (That size tree seems small for turning but makes good firewood).

I'll plant corn and beans on that side of the garden this year.

What I'm wondering: should I dig and pull up all roots that are in the ground? From the article, it seems that juglone could easily leach from dead roots and affect the garden for some years. The tree is slightly upslope from the garden plot.

JKJ in East TN

Re: dig the roots?

Doug Trembath

>John, I'd think that may be going a bit too far. If the tree is that far from the garden, at that size, it may not even need to come down. Here in Western PA, I have a lot of black walnut trees, and don't see as much deleterious effects as some people suggest. I do very carefully restrict it from any shavings used as animal bedding, as well as cherry. On the other hand, I have used small amounts in mulching, mixed as it is with other species during a production run, with no noticeable effect, either. If you used only walnut, it would probably have enough cumulative effect, and restrict growth of other plants. I know Terry Daniel says walnut works well after composting, and when it comes to wood, he's a pretty good resource. Juglone is a powerful chemical, but grass and shrubs grow just fine under my walnut trees. YMMV, of course.

Doug Trembath

Studio in the Woods

Re: Black Walnut Shavings

Don Henthorn

>I should make it clear that I never tilled walnut shavings into the soil. That IS asking for trouble. But just using them for mulch never gave me any problems.

Re: Black Walnut Shavings

Jerry-Huntsville, AL

>All - Thanks for all the information. It sounds like there is enough risk to the garden to error on the safe side and not use the walnut shavings. I will still have enough shavings from other wood and if not - I'll make more :)

Thanks

Re: Black Walnut Shavings *LINK*

EagleS.C.

>Along with a little turning I am also a composter.

The chemical exuded from walnut that inhibits growth is from the roots.

This has been discussed on many composting forums.

It is ironic that while listening to Russ Fairfield yeaterday this topic came up in regards to horses and his account was he used walnut shavings around them and saw no ill effects.

Because of the amount of nitrogen needed to break down wood wastes it is adviseable not to use them directly on the garden but to compost them first.

You mileage may vary.


Garden web

Re: dig the roots?

John K Jordan

>>If the tree is that far from the garden, at that

>size, it may not even need to come down.

I had hoped so, but I noticed last year that things near that tree did not grow well, including okra, peas, tomatoes, and peppers. I was afraid it was worse since the tree was uphill from the garden. The thicket needs thinning anyway, so I'd rather keep the persimmon trees.

If no one knows the long term effect of walnut roots rotting in the ground, I think I'll just pull them up.

JKJ in East TN

Re: Black Walnut Shavings

Larry

>The toxic chemical is produced in, released from (into the soil), and limited to the roots. It doesn't occure in any above ground tissue, e.g., not in bark, wood, or leaves.

Re: Black Walnut Shavings *LINK*

Kevin Gerstenecker

>I disagree. Much research has been done, and it has shown that Juglone is present in the leaves, buds, Bark, nut husks, and wood of Walnut Trees. It is present in smaller concentrations than in the root system, but it is present. Here is a link for you, with some good information and precautions on how to deal with Walnut related refuse.


Black Walnut Toxicity

Thanks

tek-Brunswick, Ohio

>That is a great link. It clarifies the common knowledge we have been passing around. I've heard some of these things, but had never seen that it has been researched.