Walnut tree

[Odsox]

I resurrected this post to let you know that my walnut tree actually has flowers on it this year.
But one other thing, does anyone know if they are self fertile, as I can see several clusters of female flowers but as yet no male catkins ?

[Green Aura]

I've just bought one - well a few months ago - it said it was self-fertile. Hope so. It'll probably be the only one for miles

[Millymollymandy]

I don't know the answer as I've got 3 and there are about 10 in the immediate vicinity. I hope you get nuts Tony as it's a long wait until they start flowering/fruiting! Can you google the answer?

[Odsox]

Can you google the answer?

Yes I already did that, also when I had a walnut tree years ago it had loads of nuts and I would have said the nearest next tree was miles away.
What I should have said was ...... my tree (this year) has many female flowers but no sign of any male catkins.
Will unfertilised flowers develop into nuts ?

Or have I got the worlds first lesbian walnut tree ?

[Millymollymandy]

Well maybe they come later like courgettes and melons etc always have a load of flowers of one sex first.

I can't help you as my trees are over the road in the orchard and I never seem to really be over there when they are in flower so I don't notice any male/female flowers and I'm more interested in the pretty blossom on the apples!

[Odsox]

Here's an old thread, apologies if you started at page 1 to get to this post

UPDATE ... my walnut tree has male catkins at last. Not many, in fact I've only really seen one, and that's on a low branch where the pollen will just drop to the ground, but I kid myself that I can see some more up at the top of the tree.

So, after a bit of a long wait, I may well have one or two walnuts this autumn.

[Uller]

We have 4 large trees and I think we got 60-70kg of nuts from them last year. We don't have to compete with squirrels, just our dogs for whom walnuts are a delicacy. Still, that many nuts is quite a bit for two people and three dogs to get through in a year!

In terms of harvesting, we tend to leave them on the ground until the husk is completely removed, hose them off, dry in the sun for a few hours and then hang in mesh sacks somewhere dry and cool - they'll keep for at least a year that way.

[Odsox]

I'm looking forward to eating fresh walnuts again, cracking them immediately the husk splits, when you have to peel the inner greenish skin. I used to love them like that, but haven't had the opportunity to have any for many, many years.
Hopefully this autumn ......

[Odsox]

An old post I know.
I was mistaken last year and the tree DIDN'T have a male catkin, or if it did it fell off immediately.
BUT ... this year I can see loads of male catkins all over the tree, so maybe I just might have some nuts this year

Not bad after waiting over 18 years and at least 8 years after it started producing female flowers.

[ina]

I admire your patience.

[Flo]

Perhaps he just thinks that the tree looks good and likes it whatever it doesn't do.

[Odsox]

Well yes and no, Flo.
I do like the tree for what it is, but I planted it at the top of what is now my apple orchard, and the closest trees suffered as the walnut spread it's branches.
In the 8 years that it was producing masses of female flowers without any males it was threatened many times with the chainsaw. It was saved by the combination of "just maybe next year" and the 2 most affected apple trees produced not very tasty fruit.

[Flo]

Yes, well better a looker than two useless apple trees!

[Viper254]

Resurrecting an ancient thread for what appears to be the fourth or so time; we've come to the realisation that what I thought was a birch is a walnut tree, and we're being peppered with walnuts falling down from above. This is a big tree, and probably the same age as the 40-odd year old hazelnut it's next to.

I'm starting to gather them up, but it's a race against the squirrels!

[Green Aura]

Lovely surprise! Pickled walnuts here we (you) come.