How to Grow Walnut
Juglans regia
Plant a walnut tree in a sunny, open position with plenty of space — mature trees are very large. Prune only in late summer to mid-autumn to avoid heavy sap bleeding. Be patient, as trees are slow to start cropping but long-lived and productive once established. Collect fallen nuts promptly in autumn and dry them for two to three weeks before storing.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Mulch with compost in spring. Established trees rarely need feeding.
Watch For
- Walnut blight
- Walnut leaf blotch
- Codling moth
- Squirrels
Companions
Comfrey, Clover
Track your Walnut care schedule — pruning, feeding, and seasonal tasks
Start planning freeCare Requirements
☀️ Light
Full sun for best nut crops
Full sun for the best nut production. Walnuts tolerate light shade but cropping will be reduced. Choose an open, sunny position.
💧 Watering
Water young trees; established ones rarely need it
Water young trees regularly during the first few years. Established trees are deep-rooted and rarely need watering except in severe drought.
🌱 Fertilizing
Spring compost mulch; rarely needs extra feeding
Mulch with compost in spring. Established trees on reasonable soil rarely need additional feeding. Avoid high-nitrogen feeds near fruiting.
✂️ Pruning
Late summer only; minimal pruning needed
Prune only in late summer to mid-autumn to avoid heavy sap bleeding. Keep pruning minimal — remove dead or crossing branches only.
🍎 Harvesting
Collect fallen nuts; dry for 2-3 weeks
Collect fallen nuts in autumn. Remove the green husks promptly and dry nuts in a warm, airy place for 2-3 weeks before storing.
Growing Tips
Prune at the right time
Only prune from late summer to mid-autumn. Walnuts bleed sap heavily if cut at other times, which weakens the tree and invites disease.
Harvest promptly
Collect fallen nuts daily in autumn before squirrels take them. Remove green husks promptly and dry nuts in a warm, airy place for two to three weeks.
Mind the allelopathy
Be aware that walnut roots produce juglone, which inhibits the growth of many nearby plants. Keep sensitive crops well away from the canopy drip line.
Protect from late frost
Late spring frosts can damage walnut flowers and wipe out a year's crop. Choose a sheltered site away from frost pockets if possible.
Pests & Diseases
Pest Walnut Blister Mite
Identification: Raised yellow-green blisters on upper leaf surfaces, turning brown later in the season
- Tolerate — damage is purely cosmetic and does not harm the tree
- No treatment is necessary or effective once symptoms appear
- Not warranted
Pest Codling Moth
Identification: Small holes in nut husks with frass; larvae found inside nuts at harvest; premature nut drop
- Hang pheromone traps in May to monitor and reduce male moth numbers
- Encourage birds — blue tits and great tits eat larvae
- Collect and destroy fallen nuts promptly
- Deltamethrin spray timed to egg hatch (June-July) — difficult on large trees
Pest Squirrels
Identification: Nuts stripped from branches while still green; gnawed shells on the ground; bark damage on young trees
- Net small trees if practical
- Harvest nuts as soon as they fall — check daily in autumn
- Cage young trees to prevent bark stripping
- Not applicable
Disease Walnut Blight Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis
Symptoms: Black spots on young leaves, shoots and developing nuts; nuts may shrivel and drop; dark sunken lesions on husks
Treatment: Prune out affected shoots. Improve air circulation within the canopy.
Prevention: Avoid overhead irrigation. Prune to open the canopy. Choose resistant cultivars where available.
Disease Walnut Leaf Blotch Gnomonia leptostyla
Symptoms: Large brown blotches on leaves from midsummer; premature leaf drop in severe cases; dark spots on nut husks
Treatment: Rake up and destroy fallen leaves in autumn to reduce overwintering spores.
Prevention: Improve air circulation. Remove fallen leaves. Avoid planting in damp, sheltered hollows.
Disease Honey Fungus Armillaria mellea
Symptoms: Sudden dieback of branches or whole tree; white fungal sheets under bark at base; honey-coloured toadstools in autumn; black bootlace rhizomorphs in soil
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected trees including as much root as possible. There is no chemical cure.
Prevention: Maintain tree health and vigour. Avoid damage to trunk and roots. Physical root barriers can slow spread.
Popular Varieties
Broadview, Buccaneer, Franquette, Rita, Fernor
Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 835 cm |
| Row spacing | 1050 cm |
| Mature height | 1500 cm |
| Mature spread | 1000 cm |
Large tree. Black walnut allelopathic to many plants. English/Persian walnut less so. Late to leaf out.
Log Walnut in your garden — track growth, care, and harvests year after year
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