Will an SFG survive near a Black Walnut?

I just learned that black walnuts are extremely toxic to many plants. I just assembled and filled my box about 10' away from one. The garden in on a cinder block pad so I am not worried about the roots, butt he leaves and walnuts worry me. Can I manage this or shoudl the chainsaw come out???!!!

OntarioGardener

Check this link>>Black Walnut Toxicity

One of our members did a lot of research and her results may help you.

Hi OntarioGardner - Oh please don't get the chainsaw out.. A couple of comments based on what I've read. First, I'm not a tree expert, I'm just someone who has a very LARGE black walnut shadowing most of her backyard. Second, I'm not a gardening expert, but have LOVED how helpful everyone here has been. I am in love with the idea of SFG for our situation, in additional to all the other benefits, because it removes the problem of the juglone in the soil.

Some plants are more susceptible to juglone (the yucky tree chemical) than others. Some plants need more sun than others (and if it's a very large tree 10' may still give you quite a bit of shade). You are right that the leaves/twigs/buds etc. from the tree do have juglone in them. Here is how I'm attacking it this year:

I planted some of my most tolerant items in my box nearest to the tree. Some plants which have been observed growing within the dripline of a black walnut are: squashes, melons, beans, carrots, black rasberry, beets, corn, onions, parsnips.

I've got a few plants that I don't know how they'll do in the beds farther away. These are mainly items that were not listed in either the tolerant or intolerant list. If I can't keep up with removing tree debris quickly, I'll start trying to cover them with netting. However, I'll have to keep in mind that if I cover something that needs to be pollinated to fruit, I'll have to consider hand-pollinating.

Lastly, the following are listed as SENSITIVE to the juglone in the tree: blackberry, blueberry, cabbage, pepper, tomato, eggplant, potato, double flowered cole vegetables. I've taken my tomatoes and peppers and actually built a nice little bed in my front yard (away from the tree) for them. One advantage to SFG is that you can make it look nice enough that you can use it in the front of your home or even if you have HOA police (which, thank goodness, I do not. My blueberries are as far away from the tree as I can get them in large pots.

Given all that, if that is where I needed to locate my bed, I would not let it stop me. I would try different things and go heavier on the plants that are known to be juglone tolerant and see how it goes. Please keep me posted as I'm always interested in knowing what works for others with black walnuts.

PS Do you husk and dry yours in the fall? I have for two seasons now, but OMG, they are TERRIBLE to crack open...

With as expensive as rare as it seems those suckers are, I'd be figuring out a way to crack them open and sell them. At least it might pay for your SFG exploits eh?

My dad said when he was a kid his dad ran over them with the car to crack them open! LOL

Newbie panic attack! I will not be cutting down my black walnut! I checked the tree last night and the canopy is not that big. Removing a few strategic branches should do the trick for this season, without having to adjust my SFG plan. Next year I will move some plants around if I notice an issues this year. Trial and error will be the name of this season for sure in so many ways.

On another note, I was outside first thing this morning to see if the local critters decided to pay my newly planted garden a visit. I was pleasantly surprised to discover they had NOT (yet)!

Have a great day!

OntarioGardener: I've got a couple of lilacs and blueberries with some curled leaves that are on the edge of my dripline...hoping they can stand strong or else I'll have to move the blueberries (in containers)....just not sure WHERE to move them to...the lilacs hopefully will make it...

Middlemamma - yep I've heard that one but then you have to go and search out all the smashed pieces in your driveway... The best I've seen was a youtube video on it where the guy made it look SOOOOO easy...but it doesn't work that easily for me - I think you have to be old and have to have had about 100 years of practice.
How to crack black walnuts

UnderTheBlackWalnut wrote:OntarioGardener: I've got a couple of lilacs and blueberries with some curled leaves that are on the edge of my dripline...hoping they can stand strong or else I'll have to move the blueberries (in containers)....just not sure WHERE to move them to...the lilacs hopefully will make it...

I underdstand that the juglone has no effect on lilacs (that is what I read). I have one under the dripline as well and it seems to be okay.

Wow - I'll have to keep researching! Both Ohio State Extension and Purdue Extension say that lilacs are sensitive to juglone...If you have bookmarked where you saw that, I'd love to have it, please. Always looking for new info.

Ontario Gardener, sorry I didn't see your post on the Canadian forum. Not that I know anything about Black Walnut trees but as your regional host I should have responded to you. Thanks everyone for taking care of Ontario Gardener for me.

Gwynn

OntarioGardener - you give me hope then....I LOVE lilacs - am so hoping they will make it under the tree.... Have you ever tried to save the nuts?

Old Hippie - I LOVE your posts. You are awesome! I read some of them to the hubby who is in your age range (a little older than me) and he gets a big kick outta them!

Why thank you, UTBW! You are a sweetheart. So you married an older man did you . Was he a hippie too?

Gwynn