In article ,
"brooklyn1" wrote:
"Stephen Henning" wrote in message
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"brooklyn1" wrote:
"VSAvatar" wrote in message
I planted a black walnut from a bare root sapling about 3 years ago
and it only seems to grow about 3-4 inches per year instead of the
1'-1.5' I hear it's supposed to grow. While I don't have a problem
with it taking 100 years to reach full height, I'm more concerned that
it will simply stop growing at age 20 and I'll have an 8 foot walnut
bonsai tree. I assume part of the problem is that the tree is only in
partial sun rather than full sun because of some maple trees not too
far away, but I don't know if that's all that can account for it. It
appears rather healthy except for the lack of growth. Any ideas?
Partial shade is a big part of the problem. Also soil type and nutrients
available will have a large effect, as is adequate water. It's probably
still small enough to easily move it to a better location.
The maples are a big part of the problem. Not much of anything
including grass grows under maples.
You've got it back asswards; not much grows under walnut, they poison the
soil.
The OP already indicated that his yard is rather small so any discussion
about his growing walnut is rather moot... walnut trees grow huge... his
choices are to grow a smaller tree or get a larger yard.
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/treesel...fm?PlantID=217
Lots of things won't grow under Black Walnut (Juglans nigra L.) and
Butternut (Juglans cinerea L.). They produce a substance known as
juglone (5-hydroxy-alphanapthaquinone) which is toxic to many plants
including: tomato, potato, blackberry, blueberry, azalea, mountain
laurel, rhododendron, red pine and apple. Some things that grow under
black walnut a
Tolerant grasses
Tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass grow well near black walnut except
during drought conditions when soil moisture is low. When moisture is
adequate these grasses may grow better under walnut trees than in other
parts of the lawn, possibly because the soil may be more basic. Soil
under black walnuts tends to be alkaline, with the pH often 0 .7 points
higher than beyond the roots, thus influencing the growth of many
different plants.
Tolerant trees and shrubs
* arborvitae, American
* ash, white
* barberry
* beech, American
* birch, black; 'Heritage' river
* boxelder
* buckeye, Ohio
* catalpa
* cherry, black
* crabapple
* daphne
* dogwood, flowering
* elderberry
* elm, American
* forsythia
* fringetree
* goldenraintree
* globeflower
* gum, black
* hawthorn
* hemlock, Canadian
* hibiscus
* hickory
* holly, American
* honeylocust
* honeysuckle, amur; tatarian
* hydrangea
* lilac
* locust, black
* maple, red; sugar; black; Japanese
* ninebark
* oak, white; red; scarlet
* pawpaw
* pear, callery
* pine, Virginia
* privet
* red cedar, eastern
* redbud, eastern
* sassafrass
* serviceberry
* silverbell, Carolina
* spruce, Norway
* sumac
* sweetgum
* sycamore
* tulip tree
* viburnums (some species)
* witchhazel
Tolerant vines, ground covers and flowers
* anemone
* aster
* astilbe
* bee balm
* begonia
* bittersweet
* calendula
* clematis (virginsbower)
* coral bells
* creeper, Virginia
* daffodil
* daisy, shasta
* daylily
* evening primrose
* fern
* geraniums, hardy
* goldenrod
* grape, wild
* hollyhock
* hosta
* hyacinth, grape; oriental
* iris, siberian
* ironweed
* jack-in-the-pulpit
* lamb's ear
* liriope
* lobelia
* may apple
* morning glory
* mullein
* phlox
* primrose
* raspberry, black
* rose, wild
* rudbeckia
* scilla
* sedum
* speedwell
* spiderwort
* St. John's wort
* sunflower
* trillium
* tulip
* violet
* wisteria
* yarrow
However, Norway Maple is on the invasive species list because virtually
nothing but moss grows under them. The Japanese maples are entirely
different and would be great in a small yard.
--
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