# Walnuts, Pecans, Chestnuts



## Elinor0987 (May 28, 2010)

Lately I've noticed the stores putting out the seasonal varieties of nuts and was wondering if anyone here has ever tried to grow a tree from them. I have a few small trees on order and awaiting shipment, along with some fruit trees. I also ordered some seeds to try to sprout later. It will be the first time that I've ever tried to grow trees from seeds. I usually try to order seeds from multiple sources as an insurance against the non viable ones. I'm not sure if what we have in the grocery stores are the gmo type or not, but it seemed like a good idea to add them to my seed inventory.


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## redhorse (Dec 27, 2012)

I you are going to try chestnuts, grow them in an area on your property where you won't be walking a lot, or the livestock don't have access too. When they drop their nuts, they are in very spiny casings. I walk around barfoot for most of the year, and let me tell you those suckers HURT when you step on them. Even in tennis shoes. I had one in the pasture too. Two of my horses got abcesses in their hooves that year after the chestnuts dropped. On the plus side, they yield a lot of good eating. 

Walnuts are good too, but can be toxic. Don't have these anywhere around livestock. There are a few other people on here that have them, and do compost the leaves, but I have not as of yet. 

Its too cold up here for pecans.


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## Elinor0987 (May 28, 2010)

redhorse said:


> I you are going to try chestnuts, grow them in an area on your property where you won't be walking a lot, or the livestock don't have access too. When they drop their nuts, they are in very spiny casings. I walk around barfoot for most of the year, and let me tell you those suckers HURT when you step on them. Even in tennis shoes. I had one in the pasture too. Two of my horses got abcesses in their hooves that year after the chestnuts dropped. On the plus side, they yield a lot of good eating.
> 
> Walnuts are good too, but can be toxic. Don't have these anywhere around livestock. There are a few other people on here that have them, and do compost the leaves, but I have not as of yet.
> 
> Its too cold up here for pecans.


Thanks for the warning! On the Arbor Day website I am right on the USDA growing zones 5-6. Pecans grow better at the 6-9 areas so it will be a gamble as to whether I can grow them, but I'm still going to try.


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## Cast-Iron (Nov 8, 2013)

I would consult with a County Extension Agent if there is one in your local area. Many commercial fruit and nut trees are varieties that have been grafted onto a suitable rootstock which is better for certain areas or growing conditions. We have lots of native pecans and walnuts around these parts, but the fruit is often too small and the crops unreliable so folks will have them grafted if they want a useable harvest. If you planted the nut from an improved variety there is a good chance that the tree will never do well on its own rootstock. If so, you may have wasted your time and effort. I guess at that point you could try to take cuttings and graft them onto a known rootstock so it wouldn't be a total loss either way.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

toxic... To a point.

Look into it before giving them a toss. 

IMO


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

If you are prepared for a chance of failure I'd give it a try. Grow the seed with the view to using them as rootstocks, grafting is a useful and pretty easy propagation method. Most modern rootstocks are used to adapt trees to extremes of climate, speed cropping time and to reduce size to a more manageable height. If you're in an area that roughly suits the trees you want to grow them go for it. 
I've grown many many trees form seed over the years, some better than others. I've always thought of them as shade trees that MAY give me a harvest. A few that have been outstanding strong trees with less than reliable crops I've grafted named varieties onto to bring them into production. 
These are long term projects spanning decades (all of which I've had to leave behind  ) I'm in the process of starting again, experimenting with local 'old homestead site' trees as rootstocks and grafting onto them.
For me it's about the money, a walnut tree is about $50.00 AU retail, a bit cheaper if you buy them by the hundred. I'll plant a couple at that price but also try to extend my orchard as cheaply as I can.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Just planted 25 hazelnuts yesterday.  They aren't producing yet. 

We have:
3 English walnuts (two named grafted, one seedling)
5 black walnuts
1 pecan (plan to put in at least two more in the next couple weeks)
3 shagbark hickory

The hickory and the black walnuts produce well, the others are too young yet.

I like the idea of nut trees very much - they've just taken a backseat to getting fruit trees/bushes in the ground. I need to find some good trees for planting in the woods, too, maybe some chinquapin.


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## Elinor0987 (May 28, 2010)

Thanks everyone for the advice. I recently ordered a tree pruning book and the next item on my to do list is to buy a tree grafting book. I've seen mixed reviews on some of the plant propagation books but will keep looking.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

I have 4 Propagation books, but Michael A. Dirr's Manual of woody Landscape plants is best in MHO.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

goshengirl said:


> Just planted 25 hazelnuts yesterday.  They aren't producing yet.
> 
> We have:
> 3 English walnuts (two named grafted, one seedling)
> ...


I am curious about your black walnuts. How old are they and how are they doing? In our area, the arborists have issued requests that they all get taken down. They suffer from some disease that causes cancors (sp?). It takes them about 3 years to die.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

weedygarden said:


> I am curious about your black walnuts. How old are they and how are they doing? In our area, the arborists have issued requests that they all get taken down. They suffer from some disease that causes cancors (sp?). It takes them about 3 years to die.


I have not heard of this - wonder if it's local to your region? I have no idea of the age of our black walnuts, they came with the house.  One is a young guy (about 5 ft, just a few years old, not producing), the rest are significant - 18-24in in diameter and 50ft tall or so. My mom's place has some black walnuts, too, and they're all healthy. But now I will look into it...


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## redhorse (Dec 27, 2012)

weedygarden said:


> I am curious about your black walnuts. How old are they and how are they doing? In our area, the arborists have issued requests that they all get taken down. They suffer from some disease that causes cancors (sp?). It takes them about 3 years to die.


We have 2 mature, 30 something year old black walnuts. So far so good, they will have a huge yield this year. I'm going to have to look up the disease, I'd hate to lose them. Thanks for the heads up.

For some reason, we have next to no hazelnuts on our three bushes this year :-( I think the frosts for them last spring. The bushes look healthy at least. Bummer, I love hazelnuts too.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

our Black walnuts are doing good here in S.C.
Hickory & peacans too.


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