The tree is one of the largest in the genus Juglans. Mature black walnut in North America it reaches a height of 50 m and a diameter of 2 m. In our country, the tree is cultivated from the second floor. XVIII century. The nuts of central Russia in their fifth decade reach a maximum height of 15-18 m, and a trunk diameter of 30-50 cm. A hundred-year-old walnut tree can grow up to 25 m in height and have a trunk diameter of 60 cm.
The tree is quite resistant to dry conditions due to its sprawling low-low crown. This type of nut trees is a powerful air purifier from dust and harmful impurities. Crohn allocates a huge amount of useful volatile and tannins. Walnut fruit is considered a very valuable raw material for many applications, especially for pharmacology.
Where is the best place to plant a nut?
The tree can live up to seven decades, so you need to find the optimal place for planting. For those who want to grow on your site one of the most popular types of nut culture, you need to know some specifics.
Did you know? It is recommended to plant seedlings of nuts as rarely as possible in a small area. Phytoncides released from a mature black walnut tree have a strong antibiotic effect. In addition to harmful bacteria, beneficial microorganisms that live in our body may suffer. Walnut tree does not like lowlands with stagnant air.
Relation to light
The crown of the tree passes a large amount of light to the soil, creating a spotty shadow. It promotes leaf fall - the concentration of organic matter in the soil increases. Thanks to this feature, the cultivation of black walnut is used for land improvement.
Attitude to heat
For normal growth and development, the tree requires an air temperature of +10 ° C. Fruiting nuts of the present species are found up to the latitude of St. Petersburg. In the climate conditions of Tula, the fruiting nut turned out to be more winter-hardy, maintaining the air temperature of -38 ° C. In the scientific description of the black walnut is indicated: in comparison with the walnut, it is more cold-resistant. But this variety is inferior to the Manchu and gray varieties.
Important! Adult nuts without severe damage to the trunk well tolerate winter frosts down to -40 ° C, but the young (up to three years) need additional protection from frost and winter winds.
In the first three years, the young tree is very sensitive to spring frosts, even in its homeland, in North America. After the formation of the crown, the cold temperature drops in the nut are not terrible.
Relationship to moisture
This variety of walnut tree is the middle of drought tolerance between the varieties of walnut and Manchurian nuts. Botanists recommend planting a black nut in the floodplain of the river. The tree is well aware of short-term floods. In North America, it can withstand a month of flooding the trunk without damage to the roots, trunk and crown.
Relation to the soil
A tree plant does not perceive sour soil. In order to grow a nut from the stone or in other ways, it is desirable to choose a neutral or slightly alkaline soil. In such an environment, trees stop their growth in time, preparing for a frosty winter.
If your site for potential disembarkation is in non-black earth conditions, be sure to deposit wood ash and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers in the planting pit. Further around the trunk, fertilizers of lime content are applied to maintain the acid-base balance (pH - 5.5-8.2). Avoid excess nitrogen in the soil of the plant - the tree will stop growing and the wood will lose its frost-resistant properties. Take care of an acceptable microrelief of the black walnut breeding ground. Plants do not tolerate the northern and northeastern streams of cold wind.
Growing black walnut
Growing this tree has its own characteristics that must be considered.
How and when to plant a nut
The landing pit is digging with the expectation of getting free space for root growth in all directions. It is advisable to fertilize its bottom with humus, wood ash and potassium phosphate fertilizers. To better preserve the moisture, the roots of the seedling are covered with 80% of the soil and watered abundantly. Water is absorbed in a few minutes. Next, you need to fill the rest of the soil and mulch pristvolnogo circle. To increase the survival rate of the plant, consider the light-loving nut. More "tanned" part of the trunk and shoots should go to the south side.
Nut Reproduction
Walnut multiplies in three ways:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- prischepami
Did you know? The most popular ways of breeding this crop: growing nuts from seeds and planting one-, two-year-old seedlings. If your site is located in the oak forests of the Lower Don, you should not use nesting sowing. Ordinary sowing of fresh seeds requires careful maintenance.
How to care for black nuts
For good walnut growth, black need to loosen the soil well for planting. Before disembarking skincare wood, grind the soil. In July-August, stop loosening to avoid the growth of nut pagons.
How to water black walnut
Provide a sufficient amount of moisture during the growth and flowering of a young tree. This is important for the care of a nut in the middle lane. Reduce watering in the second half of July for the timely completion of the tree development process, the ripening of the trunk wood to prepare for the winter cooling. In the high season and summer drought, timely watering is necessary. For a fruiting nut, it is necessary to maintain sufficient moisture during the fruit filling period (July - mid-August).
Trimming and shaping
The tree itself forms its crown - the form is laid by its genetics. For better development, you can cut out dried and heavily thickening crown branches. The best period for pruning is spring, the period of passing the threat of too low temperatures (below -10 degrees).
Experts recommend pruning after bud break. You should not shorten the crown to the middle or end of the summer season - as you provoke a re-awakening of the buds and the growth of shoots for the winter, which can die in winter.
Fertilizer and Nut Nutrition
For planting in the spring you need to prepare the soil in advance since autumn. For planting nut seeds in the fall - in the spring months. For six months, the earth will accumulate the necessary moisture for the nut-bearing plants.
- For one square meter you need to make 3-4 kg of manure humus or compost.
- Two weeks before planting the nut, the prepared pit (diameter and depth - 0.5 m) fill the upper layer of soil mixed with superphosphate (150 g), 2-3 medium buckets of humus (can be replaced with 5-8 kg of manure) and a small amount potassium salt (50 g).
- The prepared fertilizer is distributed in the upper and middle parts of the planting pit. In the center of the formed mound, place a wooden stake, next to which a nut seedling will be planted.
- Before planting straighten the roots, dip in a special solution for the root system.
Important! At the time of planting add to the depth of 15 cm several handfuls of land with mycorrhiza from under the hazelnut. This refueling 3-4 years will feed a sapling with necessary microelements.
Neighboring Plants
The tree is characterized by a deep rod root system with powerful lateral branches and anchor roots.
Roots emit toxins (juglon), which can significantly harm some other plants:
- alfalfa;
- tomatoes;
- potatoes;
- apple tree;
- black currant;
- pine;
- birch;
- rowan.
The best neighbors for the black nut will be: small-leaved linden, some varieties of maples, hornbeam, common pear, forest apple and cherry plum. The bushes of dogwood, common viburnum, hazel, Tatar honeysuckle, black and red elderberry, Japanese quince are not afraid of the neighborhood with this breed of walnut tree.
