Rod wrote in message ...
On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 17:52:30 +0000, Neil Robertson wrote:


"Neil Robertson" wrote in message
...
I have a walnut tree approx 13 years old that needs light pruning. Could
anybody tell me the best time and way of going about this task. I live
in
East Anglia and the tree is a good bearer of nuts most years.


I subscribed to this newsgroup thinking I would be able to obtain
sensible
answers to my gardening questions. How silly I was if what I see are the
only replies to date!


Walnuts are not a big part of my experience but don't prune in the spring
- it will bleed quite badly from large cuts. I am not sure why you need to
prune it unless it's getting too big for the place you've planted it in.

Hoping Anton's around somewhere he will be able to give you more reliable
info.


RHS 'Fruit' says:
Cut out any dead or awkwardly-placed branches in August. Protect the cuts
with wound paint.

One day, I dream of having suffficient growth on any of my walnuts for them
to need some pruning!

My record on walnuts is a bit like Norway's (or, more recently,
ours), in the Eurovision song contest. I planted a 'Franquette'
and it was badly shocked by the move- it took about 3 or 4
years to start growing again. I then found out that, unlike
seedling walnuts, it needs a pollinator, so I planted 'Broadview'
a couple of years ago to be its special little friend. There was
one nut on the Franquette this year, presumably taken by a
bird. Meantime, half a dozen seedling walnuts planted about 4 years ago
have only just emerged from the top of their tree shelters, so I'd guess
that they are at least 5 years away from bearing.

Happy pruning (/turns green again/)

--
Anton