Walnut as a tree in the country. Medicinal properties of walnut leaves

» Walnut

Usually it is a huge, by our standards, tree up to 25 meters it has a very indirect relation to Greece: the fruits were brought from the south, and "everything is in Greece." Surely, it also grows there, wild forms of this tree are common in Europe.

The tree looks impressive. A separately growing nut not only differs in height - its crown also reaches a diameter of 20 meters.

By European standards, it is a long-liver (second after oak)- specimens of 300-400-year-old trees are often found.

The development of a tree begins with the formation of a powerful tap root, which reaches 1.5 meters deep in the 5th year and 3.5 meters by the age of 20.

Horizontal ones do not grow immediately - they are formed after the rod, located in the surface layer of the soil at a depth of 20-50 centimeters.

The tree begins to bear fruit after 10 years of life., and from the age of 30-40, the time of full fruiting begins.

If the trees grow in groups, partially shading each other, they rarely produce more than 30 kg of yield, while a free-growing nut can produce up to 400 kg of nuts.

But such cases are rare, only a tree 150-170 years old is capable of such a harvest. Usually mature tree 25-40 years in Moldova gives 1500-2000 fruits or 2000-2500 in the Crimea.

Moscow region, central Russia - where else can you plant and grow walnuts

They are found in the European part from the foothills of the Caucasus to St. Petersburg where the northernmost nuts in Russia grow. But these are isolated cases, exceptions that only confirm the rule.

These trees do not freeze completely, but they do not grow to their full potential either.

The main factor determining the possibility of growing this southern tree is not winter at all. subzero temperature. The sum of average daily temperatures above 10 degrees is taken into account. It cannot be less than 190 C.

If in winter the temperature does not drop below -36 degrees and for 130-140 days a year the temperature is above 0 C, the walnut can grow and bear fruit.

The best winter hardiness was shown by hybrids of Manchurian with walnut.

When landing even the best seed material brought from the south, adaptation to a cold climate does not occur - such trees regularly freeze slightly and practically do not bear fruit.

Completely unsuitable for growing varieties from places with a humid warm climate(west and south of Ukraine, Black Sea coast Caucasus).

Only nuts from eastern Ukraine, mountains successfully adapt to the new conditions of central Russia. Central Asia or Caucasus.

Moreover, it is better to grow a nut from the stone yourself- An imported seedling (even from the indicated regions) will be significantly inferior in terms of endurance and adaptability to new conditions.

How and when to plant and grow a tree from a seedling: conditions

It must be planted immediately permanent place . It is unrealistic to transplant a 5-year-old tree already. Therefore, you need to decide to take into account all the factors and calculate the consequences.

A vigorous tree can form a dense shade over an area of ​​approximately 100 sq.m. You will have to delete this area from circulation - there is little that can bear fruit under a walnut(affects the strong overwhelming effect of the biofield of a huge tree).

On the other hand, it is possible to arrange a summer recreation area on this square - walnut essential oils keep flies and mosquitoes away.

We choose a place for planting on the edge of the garden so as not to shade other trees. The walnut is very unpretentious to soils, although it prefers loose sandy-stony soil.

The landing hole is dug with the expectation that under the roots there is a layer of stones of at least 25 centimeters.

Bottom landing pit must be half filled with construction debris (broken brick, pieces of cement, crushed stone) - this technique allows you to shift the flowering time of the tree by 1-2 weeks (the stones warm up slowly, the nut starts growing a little later, skipping the frost period).

Half a bucket of ash, compost or humus is brought into the pit. The soil should not be too fertile, the nut will grow intensively and will not have time to prepare for winter.

You need to take a seedling for planting only from a trusted seller, otherwise you won’t get anything except frostbitten branches of a southern tree, you probably won’t wait for the harvest.

A walnut tree is planted only in the spring, it enters a dormant period too early and will not have time to take root before winter.

It is believed that a walnut planted by hand from a bone will grow into a tree practically adapted to new conditions, which will develop successfully.

Seeds are planted in autumn directly into the ground to a depth of 7-10 cm.. It is advisable to lay sideways on the seam in the soil. spring planting requires 2-3 months of stratification in wet sand.

Special care for seedlings is not required - in middle lane even walnuts have no pests.

How to plant an annual walnut seedling:

Care after planting: spring, summer and autumn

How to care? Walnuts may only need watering in spring and early summer. when there is an intensive growth of green mass. Usually the tree has enough soil reserve of winter moisture.

Water only young trees up to 5-7 years old, if it is completely dry.

Rod root system the southern tree is adapted to find water in the lower horizons. After 10 years of age, watering the walnut should generally be forgotten.

For him, excess moisture threatens too active growth., to the detriment of maturation and preparation of wood for winter. Freezing after a wet summer is guaranteed.

In addition to stopping watering, care must be taken to prepare the root system for winter. So, trunk circles must be mulched with any organic matter or compost:

• in summer - to preserve moisture;
• in autumn - to protect the topsoil from freezing.

In particularly cold areas, the soil is mulched with a layer of at least 10 cm, especially in areas with little snow.

It is useful to cover the trunk up to a height of about 1 m with spruce branches or wrap it with newspapers in several layers (already after the first frosts). This will help to survive -40 degrees and below.

Such shelter is necessary only in the first years. The tree must be hardened naturally.

How to properly care during the growing process: before ripening and after

Like all fruit crops, walnuts need periodic feeding.

In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied, in the second half of summer - only potash and phosphorus, which are responsible for preparing the tree for winter and laying the fruit buds of the next crop.

On cultivated soil, nitrogen can not be fed at all, and phosphorus and potash fertilizers to make (in terms of the active substance) 10 g / sq.m.

Practice shows that the rule applies to all cases where the nut does not grow on obvious stones and clay.

What is especially pleasing - in the middle lane, the walnut has no natural enemies. It has already been said that flies and mosquitoes fly around it.

Moreover, walnut leaves can be used to prepare a very effective remedy against aphids and various caterpillars, which is successfully used in Ukraine.

Completely harmless home remedy allows you to process trees and bushes with ovaries of fruits and berries.

Graft

Unfortunately, walnut cuttings do not take root - reproduction occurs only by seeds.

Vaccination is carried out in cases where:

• there is a seedling of probably winter-hardy Manchurian walnut, for which -40 in winter is not a problem;
• the planted variety did not live up to expectations - it became possible to re-graft it.

One-year-old seedlings are grafted into a split and, under control, grow in a greenhouse to a marketable appearance.

Young trees that have already produced their first few nuts can be re-grafted by the type of "eye budding"- only the bark is removed with a kidney in the form of a half-pipe (the method is called so) and combined with the same cutout on the rootstock.

Until complete healing, the vaccination site is tied with a film.

The result of grafting an adult walnut tree:

Reproduction in the country

The main method of obtaining seedlings is growing from seeds.. To simplify the process, nuts without additional processing planted in autumn to a depth of about 10 centimeters. It is believed that it is better to lay them sideways on the seam.

Whoever did not have time to bury for the winter, put it in damp sand in the basement - the nut must pass the stratification, otherwise it will not hatch.

Walnut is renewed by stump shoots in just a year or two. These trees are able to bear fruit literally in the second year, and in 10 - already a significant harvest.

It turns out that a walnut can be successfully planted and grown in a country house in the middle lane, in the Moscow region. It is enough to follow simple rules:

• the right choice of location;
• seedling - only zoned;
• mandatory mulching of the trunk circle;
• shelter trunk from frost in the first years of life.

All this is within the power of most gardeners.. Choose a sunny location, protected from cold winds - the nut will thank you.

We all love healthy and tasty kernels. walnuts. But I would like the fruits to be brought to us not from afar, but to have the opportunity to grow it in central Russia. And now varieties have appeared specifically for growing walnuts in cold climates.

general characteristics

Walnut - deciduous tree with a huge life expectancy (several hundred years). Its height is 25–35 m. The large, wide crown is covered with complex leaves. The trunk is thick, with gray bark, covered with cracks. The plant is monoecious, dioecious, on which male and female flowers are located. Wind pollinated. A fruit covered with a thick, fleshy skin, a false drupe. Below it is a healthy kernel (80% of the weight of the nut), which is eaten.

It is interesting! As a rule, there is little vegetation near the tree. This is due to the fact that the roots secrete a special substance, due to which the growth of other plants is inhibited.

Popular frost-resistant varieties

There are 4 forms of walnut: English or Persian, White, The black, Japanese. All of them are members of the family. Walnut.

As for the varieties, the culture of the walnut is southern, brought from Central Asia. And for a long time it was believed that its habitat is the warm regions of our country. To date, the market already has varieties that are winter-hardy, productive, practically not affected by pests and diseases that can be grown in central Russia and the Moscow region.

• Dessert. Is different early term ripening and nuts with a sweetish taste. The height of the tree is medium. The crown is wide. The culture is drought tolerant. Winter hardiness is average: in the cold, the kidneys can freeze slightly. Fruiting begins in the 4th season.
• Elegant. A short tree (4–5 m) with an oval crown. It is characterized by medium resistance to frost. Nuts ripen in 5 years. Collect them in early autumn.
• Aurora. Early, tall walnut. Fruits appear on the 4th year, with the new season the yield increases. Frost resistant, disease resistant.
• Ideal. Early variety. Well known to Russian gardeners. He is loved for high productivity and winter hardiness (withstands up to -35⁰С). Flowers form inflorescences and real grape bunches grow from nuts (up to 15 pieces).

It is important that the walnut has stepped outside its habitats. Low growth, good yield, resistance to frost makes the culture accessible to central Russia.

Landing

The best way to propagate is to get a culture from seeds. In this case, you can be sure what results you will get in the end. Pick up a tree and collect several specimens of fruits from it. A seedling grown from such fruits will be well acclimatized to local conditions.

Attention! To grow a crop, it is worth planting more than one tree. The distance between seedlings is 5 m. Keep in mind that over time the crown will grow. On the slopes, a denser landing is permissible - after 3.5 m.

Walnuts should be planted in sunny, lit places. In relation to soil, the plant is unpretentious. He is "suited" with different types of soils and varied terrain. But do not plant in swampy, sandy and poorly aerated areas. Undesirable proximity to groundwater.

Landing technology next:

1. We plant in the spring, because autumn planting can lead to the death of poorly strengthened seedlings from frost.
2. Landing time - April (more specifically, the time is determined based on the region).
3. The landing pit (50 × 50 cm) is prepared in advance, we fill it with a rich earthen mixture. The composition of the mixture: compost + ash + superphosphate. You can add humus.
4. We straighten the roots, gradually sprinkling them with an earthen mixture. Watering. We compact the soil around the seedling.
5. The root neck is covered with earth by 5 cm.

The first fruits should appear in 4 years.

Care

Walnut - planting and care

The plant is not demanding to care. While it is small, you can grow vegetables between the trees.

Attention! Nitrogen fertilizers must be applied with great care, as they can cause the development of bacterial diseases. At the beginning of the growth of the seedling, you should not make them at all.

Why doesn't the tree bear fruit?

There are times when a walnut does not bear fruit, and there is causes:

1. It is typical for young trees in case of strong thickening of branches. It is necessary to remove excess branches and thin out the crown.
2. Good growth, but no flowering. In this case, they say that "the tree has grown fat." Stop watering and fertilizing. If this does not help, then you need to cut the roots.
3. The walnut blossoms, but does not form ovaries. Take a branch with ripe pollen and shake it over a tree where the formation of an ovary does not occur. That is, pollinate the nut artificially.

reproduction

You can get a new plant seeds, vegetatively, grafting.

Reproduction by seeds

Before planting, the seeds are soaked in water, and then in the Zircon growth preparation for 3 days. Planted in April, when the soil warms up to 10⁰C in a pre-prepared fertile soil. Planting depth - 10 cm.

When planting, we do not throw the nut, but set it sideways on the edge. Under " open sky» Growth is slow, seedlings grow much faster in film greenhouses. It is interesting that in their qualities they can surpass the mother plant.

Propagation by vegetative means

Walnut can be propagated by ground shoots that grow in the area of ​​the root collar. Development is much faster than that of seedlings. Fruiting begins already at 3-4 years. If propagated by cuttings, then use the shoots of this year. Landing - the end of April or November.

Reproduction by grafting

As a rootstock, 2-year-old seedlings are used. Vaccination is carried out in March. In the northern regions, seedlings are grown in containers, in December they are left in a warm room. And they vaccinate in February. Disembarkation at open ground produced in May. With this method of reproduction, the qualities of the "mother" plant are completely preserved.

It is important! Seeds must go through a period of stratification (preparation for sowing). This will take from 2 to 3 months (depending on the thickness of the shell), all this time the nuts will spend in wet sand in a cool place. A month before planting, the nuts are transferred to heat, where they are kept in water and growth stimulants.

Pests and diseases: control measures

Compared to other trees, walnuts are less likely to be affected by pests and diseases. But nevertheless, some "friends of the garden" visit it:

• American white butterfly. During the summer it gives three generations, and the third is the most harmful. Butterfly caterpillars, having settled on the leaves, gradually move throughout the tree. To combat them, you can use microbiological preparations or insecticides.
• Apple or walnut codling moth brings 2 generations. Caterpillars crawl inside the nut, eating out its contents. Infected nuts fall off. The method of struggle is pheromone traps that attract males. Reproduction is reduced, caterpillars become smaller. They are treated with viral preparations that cause caterpillar disease and their death. Use and mechanical method: collection of caterpillars and affected fruits by hand.
• Aphid settles on young shoots and buds, forms colonies on the inner leaf surface. Chemicals are used for destruction.
• sapwood- a beetle that settles under the bark, so it is difficult to detect it. Gnawing the bark on a tree, it leaves behind curved channels. Beetles settle on weak plants, cause an abundant flow of juice. During the summer, 2 generations are formed. Control measures: spraying with insecticides. Prevention - sanitary felling of damaged branches.

A tree can also become ill for physiological reasons: poor soil, lack of light, excess moisture, spring frosts, poor care.

Most often, the walnut is struck, bacterial burn, bacteriosis, root cancer.

How to cover a walnut for the winter?

We received winter-hardy varieties, but winters are not snowy and cold, and the tree needs shelter.

Even before frost, you need to wrap the root collar, trunk and skeletal branches with covering material. You can insulate with agrofibre, burlap, roofing felt, linoleum. The base can be covered with spruce branches and coniferous branches. This will protect the tree from severe frosts and winds. In spring, the tree will be healthy and ready to bear fruit.

It is important! When the snow falls, they need to throw a walnut up to the skeletal branches, covering the entire trunk. Throw spruce branches on top. So the tree will better endure the winter. In addition, the root system will not be affected.

Beneficial features

Useful properties are obvious, since the fruit contains:

• Vitamin E"solves problems" of the cardiovascular system, lowers blood pressure;
• Antioxidants rejuvenate, reduce the risk of cancer;
• Potassium important in metabolic processes;
• Cellulose plays a role in intestinal peristalsis, weight loss, obesity prevention.
• cobalt, iron, zinc increase hemoglobin levels, preventing anemia.

In addition, walnut increases potency in men, has a general tonic effect, and has a positive effect on brain function due to its high protein content. The calorie content of the fetus is 653 kcal / 100 g.

Attention! The product is high in calories, consume it in moderation. To maintain health and well-being, it is enough to eat 7 nut kernels a day.

Harvesting

Green (unripe) nuts have a soft core and skin. The collection of such fruits is carried out in May. They are pierced with a needle and, if juice flows out of the hole, collection can begin. The fact is that unripe fruits are very useful, they are rich in many substances and are widely used in traditional medicine. In cooking, compotes, marinades, jams are prepared from them.

Video about planting a walnut and caring for it

Now, with the advent of frost-resistant varieties of walnuts, every gardener can grow this very useful and tasty nut on his plot. Use the information from our article and you will succeed!

Walnut is a light and heat-loving crop, demanding for watering. However, it is successfully grown by amateurs in the Middle lane. A tree can grow for several hundred years, and in order for the plant to take root successfully, you need to take care of it when planting. Prepare a free fertile site, choose a winter-hardy variety and take care of protection in frosty winters. Then, in five years, the tree that has gained strength will delight you with a valuable nutritious harvest.

Walnut Varieties for the Middle Band

For Central Russia, cultivars are suitable that are resistant to our Russian winter and will not die in the very first year after planting, freezing to the level of snow cover.

Walnut varieties suitable for central Russia are:

• fruitful,
• dawn of the east,
• Duet,
• Marion,
• Pelan,
• Orion,
• In memory of Professor Veresin (up to 6.2 kg per tree),
• Spectrum,
• Anniversary (up to 9 kg per tree),
• Astakhovsky (up to 35 kg per tree).

• Early-growing, drought-resistant plants, characterized by increased winter hardiness
• It is undesirable to grow them north of the center of Russia.
• The fruits ripen in the second decade of September, one adult nut will give 2.5 buckets of fruits.

• It has sufficient winter hardiness, and in the Middle lane the variety shows itself in all its glory.
• It starts fruiting early, forms fruits already in early September.
• Gives up to 20 kg of delicious nuts.

• His resistance to cold is outstanding.
• It is fast-growing, its plants are medium-sized.
• Nuts ripen at the end of September and give a harvest exceeding 10 kg.

Planting a walnut in the Middle lane

All varieties of walnuts should preferably be planted in spring time required before the start of the growing season. In favorable areas of the Middle Strip (but not to the north), it is possible to plant in the fall, before the onset of frost, providing the tree with sufficient care.

If you decide to plant on the site not a varietal walnut plant, but an ordinary seedling, then be prepared for the fact that a real skyscraper will grow on the site, similar to an oak - with a wide crown, a powerful trunk and a massive root system, although if there is enough space, then this only for the benefit.

Place to land

1. Measure for a nut land that is characterized by medium moisture, air and water permeable and sufficiently nutritious.
2. Landing holes are prepared in advance, 2-3 days before planting.
3. The dimensions of the pit are according to the size of the root system of a particular seedling.
4. On rich soil, you can not bring anything into the hole. On a poor one, it is desirable to add 1.5-2 kg of humus and 15-20 g of potash and phosphate fertilizers, and if the soil in the area is acidic, then 250-500 g of lime.

And remember that the walnut is an avid hermit. For him, allocate a spacious area where there will be no other plants.
The fact is that its leaves contain a natural herbicide, which is washed out during the rains, enters the soil and destroys any vegetation under the crown of the tree.
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Walnut care in the Middle lane

top dressing

In the first year after planting, as well as in the next few years, the nut will need to be fed.

1. You can make a complex fertilizer containing the active substance 10 g of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in terms of 1 m². What kind of fertilizer contains these elements is not so important, but the easiest way is to get ammonium nitrate - there is nitrogen, superphosphate - phosphorus and potassium salt - potassium.
2. Do not forget that fertilizing with nitrogen should be carried out only in spring, and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers can be done twice a season - in spring and in the second half of summer.
3. If the soil is rich on the plot, then forget about nitrogen completely, but phosphorus and potassium can be added.
4. For the maturation of wood in the second year of planting, the introduction of dolomite or lime flour will help, directly into trunk circle(200-300 g).

Watering

Watering - weakness walnut.

• Drought usually kills quite a lot of walnuts.
• In June-July, the walnut root system consumes a lot of moisture.
• It is during this period that abundant watering should be carried out. Otherwise, the plants may suffer immediately, which will affect the leaves, shoots and crops, or in the very first winter - they will freeze if weakened.

Always mulch the soil after watering to keep moisture from evaporating too quickly.

Shelter for the winter

Frost control is important in caring for walnuts. After all, this culture is southern, and even the most resistant varieties can suffer in the first winter.

1. Do not be lazy and wrap a freshly planted walnut with agricultural fabric, including its near-trunk strip.
2. Compost or manure can be an alternative to agrofabric in terms of protecting the root system of the walnut (that is, sheltering the near-trunk strip). It must be laid in a near-trunk strip 12 cm thick, while not falling asleep the trunk itself.
3. It is quite possible to use an ordinary spruce spruce branch - just tie it to the trunk and skeletal branches. It does not protect much from the cold, but it will accumulate enough snow.
4. Well, the old way - wrapping in a newspaper. They say that it saves even from frosts below -40 ° C. The main thing is not to hurry with wrapping and wait for the first frosts, otherwise the first rain will soak the newspaper.

Useful properties of walnut

We are all used to seeing nuts in a hard shell, brown in color. However, the young "cover" is completely different - light green, fleshy, very dirty hands if you start to destroy it. The color of the skin of the hands will be like from iodine. Over time, the shell darkens, dries, bursts. And the nuts, in our usual clothes, fall to the ground.

Walnut fruits are perfectly stored, and their contents are a whole pantry of useful substances.

• Walnuts contain fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals, among which are the most potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, iron and iodine, as well as tannins, all vitamins and most amino acids.
• Just a pound of walnuts will provide you with a daily requirement of calories (there are 4250 of them), so consuming large quantities of nuts can greatly improve.
• Walnut should be included in the diet. Together with dried fruits, honey and lemon, you can prepare a healthy vitamin mixture that will support immunity, replenish energy resources and saturate the body with vitamins and microelements.
• Only 1 tbsp. l. walnuts a day will help. They contain taurine, which normalizes blood pressure.
• Also, the inclusion of walnuts in the diet helps the brain and supports vision.

However, the benefits of walnuts refer exclusively to the fruits. But its leaves harm other plants - they are poisonous. Therefore, they need to be collected and burned, without even using ashes.

Walnut is a tall thermophilic plant that can delight gardeners with abundant harvests for decades. If you provide the tree with proper care, it will bear fruit abundantly every year. Walnut is grown not only in the southern regions of our country - it will take root well in temperate climate if you choose the right way and time of landing.

Can you grow a walnut? from seeds or by grafting. The second method, although it allows you to save the best varietal qualities of the "mother" plant, is only suitable for experienced gardeners– this is the highest skill! It is much easier to buy a healthy seedling in the nursery and root it on your site.

What kind of walnut to grow?

If your main goal in growing walnuts is to harvest a bountiful harvest of tasty fruits from the tree at the end of each season, choose prolific walnut varieties. Breeders have bred many types of plants that are not afraid of cold weather, resistant to diseases and pests, and are famous for the high quality of ripe nuts.

Choosing a walnut variety for planting on your site, consider the following indicators:

yield;

terms of fruit ripening;

Resistance to cold, pests and diseases;

Taste qualities of fruits.

Let's designate the most popular walnut varieties that will take root on the site of an ordinary summer resident:

Ideal. The most popular variety that takes root well in any climate, even in the north. Since trees can withstand temperatures down to -35 ˚C, they can not be covered for the winter if the thermometer in a particular region does not fall below this mark. The plant begins to bear fruit already in 2-3 years. Adult specimens reach a height of 4-5 m. You can harvest in September. The kernels are very tasty. Reproduction of the Ideal variety is possible only by seeds.

Giant. The seedling will bear fruit only for 5-6 years after planting, it reaches a height of 5 m. The fruits are very large, rounded.

Elegant. A drought-resistant variety resistant to many diseases and pests. It does not tolerate severe frosts well, therefore it is more suitable for cultivation in southern and middle latitudes. The tree bears fruit 5 years after planting. The kernels ripen at the end of September.

Breeder. The tree bears fruit with nuts with a thin shell, resistant to pests and diseases. You can taste the ripe kernels already in early September.

Abundant. The plant stretches up to 4 m in height, comes into fruition for the 4th year of planting. Walnut is resistant to disease, but does not tolerate cold.

Dessert. A mid-ripening variety that produces slightly sweet fruits already in early September. The tree is drought-resistant, in severe frosts the wood of the plant can be damaged - you can’t do without winter shelter. The kernels on the branches appear 4 years after planting.

Harvest. tall, productive variety, entering into fruiting for 3-4 years. The nuts are ready for harvest at the end of September.

Dawn of the East. An early ripening variety, loved by many Russian gardeners for excellent nuts. palatability. The plant up to 4 m in height perfectly withstands severe frosts. Fruits for 4-5 years.

Aurora. The tree can grow up to 6 m in height. It begins to produce tasty fruits for 4 years of life. Harvesting takes place at the end of September.

For growing walnuts northern latitudes choose winter-hardy early maturing varieties . For the middle band, almost any kind of plant is suitable.

Where to grow walnuts?

Walnut not only gives delicious fruits, but also decorates the garden. In order for the crown of the tree to please with lush foliage, choose a suitable place for the new resident of the garden.

give preference sunny, ventilated areas with well-drained soil. The walnut will not tolerate waterlogged soils. The best place to grow it will be the plot behind the house - so tall tree will not shade other plantings.

Seedlings will grow strongly over time, and therefore, settle them at a distance at least 5 m apart. When planting a plant on a slope, you can follow a different scheme - 3.5 m between specimens. The rows, according to the advice of experienced gardeners, should be directed from north to south - this will give the best angle of illumination of the trees in the daytime.

Preparing the soil for growing walnuts

Walnut prefers loose carbonate loams. If the water does not drain well from the ground, the tree will stop its growth and will not give a bountiful harvest at the end of the season. If there are poor soils on the site, it is advisable to replace (or at least additionally feed) the top layer of the earth. To do this, enter here manure, ash and superphosphate with the subsequent digging of the landing site by 50-80 cm. Such a “replacement” of the soil will have to be carried out every year in the future, digging up the earth in the trunk circle along the width of the tree crown.

To make the tree grow faster and produce bountiful harvests for several years before planting prepare the ground:

Dig a planting hole 50 cm in diameter and 40 cm deep.

A couple of days before planting seedlings, lay fertilizers at the bottom of the hole - humus, phosphorus and potash top dressing.

Stir the nutrient mixture and pour 40 liters of water.

In the first years of the life of a walnut on the site, the “correct” composition of the soil is very important for him. Therefore, do not ignore the importance of the preparatory stage.

Planting walnut seedlings

The easiest option for a beginner gardener is to buy a tree seedling 3-4 years old. Take planting material in specialized nurseries or from trusted private sellers. The seedling must have developed shoots without traces of disease and wilting.

If you live in the middle or northern regions, plant in the spring, when the threat of a return of frost has passed. The seedling will withstand autumn planting only if warm winter, which is observed only in the southern regions.

walnut sapling

Before planting, remove damaged roots and treat them with a special solution that will improve the plant's survival in new conditions. Root the tree in a prepared hole, carefully spreading its roots. Make sure the root neck is at ground level. Tamp the earth a little and water it.

If necessary, a support can be provided for the nut for the first time.

Planting walnut seeds

Growing a walnut from seeds is a rather laborious method of planting. But its main advantage is that with proper care of the plant, it can surpass the “mother” tree in terms of quality. The main problem is to buy high-quality seed material. Head to the farmers market for the "right" nuts:

large,

With an intact shell

No traces of rot.

Buy seeds from the previous season. It is impossible to say exactly when they will hatch. It all depends on the specific variety, quality of the material and climatic conditions. Seed preparation begins long before planting.

Be patient and follow the technology:

Soak nuts for 2-4 days warm water. To do this, you can use special solutions that accelerate germination. Change the water every day to prevent the kernels from rotting.

Stratified seeds germinate better. To do this, they are placed for a couple of months in slightly moistened sand or sawdust. Hold planting material at a temperature of 2-5 °C.

After this time, transfer the seed container to a warmer place, change the soil in the pot. This is where they will grow. Sprouted nuts can be planted in the ground in early May or grown indoors until the autumn planting.

Sprouted walnut seeds

When planting seeds in the ground, lay them on their side, to a depth of 5-11 cm. Sprinkle with earth on top and tamp a little. In the first years of life, the walnut will require careful care. But as practice shows, with good care, seeds planted in spring by the end of autumn give a seedling up to 20 cm high.

Growing walnuts in a greenhouse shows a good result. In a couple of years you will get ready to land on open area seedling.

Proper walnut care

Young plantings are especially in need of care. Now they need a lot of light and nutrients for active growth. In the future, when the tree stretches, it must be cut regularly.

The rules for caring for a nut are as follows:

Watering. Plantings are actively watered in the spring and summer - 2 times a month will be enough. Water young trees more frequently in hot weather. If you choose a drought-tolerant nut variety, the plant can survive a month without watering. Moisten the ground with the calculation of 3 buckets of water per 1 m2 of land. To protect the soil from drying out, mulch tree trunks with sawdust

Top dressing. Walnuts are fertilized 2 times per season. In early spring, before plowing the area under the trees, nitrogen fertilizers are applied. Use such top dressings carefully, as their excess can lead to the spread of diseases. In the first few years of fruiting a nut, refrain from using nitrogen - this is important for obtaining later high yields. In the fall, before the plant goes into hibernation, feed it with potash and phosphorus fertilizers.

Pruning. Only young seedlings need to form a crown - adult specimens do not need this. Try not to cut dried branches from the tree in early spring - the plant can lose a lot of juice, which will affect its growth and development. All manipulations should be carried out no earlier than June. Do not completely remove the shoot - leave a small knot until the next season.

Walnut pruning pattern

Walnut does not like deep loosening- its roots during the period of active fruiting should remain at rest. Even fertilize without intensive digging of the tree trunks.

When to harvest?

You can easily determine the time of harvesting ripened fruits by the green pericarp. When they start to crack, you can enjoy delicious nuts. But from the "fresh" fruits, the pericarp is peeled off poorly. Therefore, hold the nuts in a dark place for a couple of weeks - a basement will do. The shell will soften, you can easily remove it from the fruit.

Walnut in the pericarp

Doesn't hurt while cleaning. put on gloves, since there is a lot of iodine in the pericarp - the hands will turn black. Rinse the nuts well and dry in the sun.

How to protect a walnut from diseases and pests?

Compared to other fruit trees, walnuts are less frequently attacked by insects and diseases. But certain measures to protect it from "misfortunes" will still need to be taken.

Trees get sick, as a rule, due to improper care - either the plantings do not have enough sunlight, or water stagnates on the site. Dangerous diseases walnut:

Brown spotting. fungal disease manifests itself during heavy rains or with excessive watering - the flowers fall off, as a result of which the yield of the plant is significantly reduced. The fungus, if you notice traces of it, must be destroyed, since its spores can overwinter until the next season, further damaging the plant. To do this, spray the plantings with 1% Bordeaux liquid at least 3 times per season.

Bacteriosis. The disease develops in the spring - when warm, damp weather is observed outside. You will notice it right away - dark spots form on the shoots, leaves and flowers. The affected plant will produce much less fruit as the ovaries die off. For the prevention and treatment of walnuts from bacteriosis, spray it with solutions of urea and Bordeaux mixture.

Root cancer. An infected plant completely stops growing and bearing fruit, as its roots are damaged. You recognize the disease by bulging growths on the roots. They need to be removed, treated with caustic soda and water in the places of cuts.

Cancer-affected walnut roots

Insect pests that infect walnuts - walnut warty mite, white butterfly, aphid, codling moth, moth.

The danger is not even the insects themselves, but their larvae - they suck out from the tree all the juices necessary for the development of the plant.

Gardeners fight bug invasions with similar methods - cutting and burning damaged shoots.

The main task is to prevent insect caterpillars from spreading all over the tree.

It is better not to use pesticides (especially during the flowering period) - biological agents are more suitable.

Walnut is the strongest tree of the Walnut family. He has a long life cycle. The homeland of the plant is warm countries, but today it can be grown in the middle lane.

Walnut is an unpretentious, cold-resistant plant, so it is often planted as a valuable fruit and ornamental crop.

plant description

The walnut has two sexes and is pollinated by the wind. Male buds are located on the side branches, collected in inflorescences. Their pollen spreads within 100 m or more. Buds with female flowers are based on the tips of one-year young shoots. Sleepers are on the central branch. If the aerial part is damaged, they restore the plant.

young walnut tree

Different-sex flowers do not bloom on the same tree at the same time, for this you need to plant varieties on the same plot different type blooms to get a harvest. This is how cross-pollination occurs. If this is not possible, it is necessary to graft a cutting from another variety to the tree crown.

Character traits

Walnut loves warmth. There are many varieties of plants that can tolerate a short-term drop in temperature, reaching -25 ̊С. In the case of a decrease in temperature to -30 ̊С, one-year shoots freeze slightly and are damaged.

Nut sprouted

The most dangerous are spring frosts. Even at the slightest drop in temperature, young shoots die. The walnut tree in the middle lane is being restored with the help of dormant buds.

Given the shortcomings of the plant, scientists have developed different varieties that tolerate winter and frost. They are:

• undersized - 8 meters;
• dwarf - 5 meters.

Persistent and fruitful are the varieties "Ideal", "Osipov". The first has a number of advantages:

• super-precociousness;
• winter hardiness;
• the core tastes pleasant and sweetish, the shell is thin.

This variety is popular not only in Russia. There are new varieties of hybrids that contain the properties of "Ideal".

The cultivation of walnuts in Central Russia is carried out with additional manipulations. So, in winter they are covered with snow.

walnut tree sprouts

seating methods

Walnuts are transplanted in several ways:

• seeds;
• grafting;
• with the help of cuttings;
• layering.

A common cultivation of nuts is by seeds. With this method, the plant receives 80% of varietal characteristics. In this regard, the tree must be grafted. To grow a plant in central Russia, frost-resistant, high-yielding, large-fruited seeds are selected. They do not last more than a year. At autumn planting walnut seeds can not be dried, much more worries during spring sowing.

sprouted nuts

Growing vegetatively ensures a good nut. When grafting a tree, young branches are used, on which there are large vegetative buds.

You can grow a walnut in central Russia by bending down the layers and additionally filling them with snow. How the process is carried out can be seen in the photo.

planting seeds

Planting a walnut in the middle lane is carried out in autumn and spring. Before spring planting, it is necessary to inspect the material, selecting unsuitable specimens. The roots of the remaining seedlings are processed. How the process takes place is shown in the video.

A pit for planting is prepared in the fall. It must be fertilized:

• humus;
• peat;
• superphosphate;
• potassium chloride;
• dolomite flour;
• wood ash.

Planting a plant with this fertilizer will provide it with the necessary nutrition for 5 years. Autumn is more suitable for planting in southern parts country.

Planting a germinated nut in the ground

Planting land requirements

To achieve effectiveness in obtaining fruits, you need to know how to choose the right soil. Any soil is suitable for growing a tree. She must be:

• fertile;
• loose;
• drained.

Walnuts are planted on clay soil, where there is little acidity and groundwater is low. Plots of land with strong compaction and waterlogging are not suitable for growing a plant.

Young walnut sprout

We should not forget about the useful elements that the earth should receive. With such care, the tree fully develops. The necessary trace elements are found in special fertilizers and green manure.

Judging by the reviews, in the middle lane it is impossible to do without fertilizing the soil.

Care

Walnut growing in Russia needs proper care. It includes the following points:

1. Pruning. The procedure is carried out in two stages. The first is in the spring. The end of March is more suitable for the northern strip of Russia. The second stage is in autumn.
2. Watering. It is needed by a young tree, the roots of which have not yet reached the groundwater.
3. Whitewash. "Wounds" on the trunk are treated with copper sulphate. Whitewashing is done with garden lime in the spring.

young tree shoots

Based on the reviews, scrupulous care increases the effectiveness of fruiting.

Spring frosts are considered the main danger for growing walnuts. Therefore, you need to choose early-ripening varieties.

Usually it is a huge, by our standards, tree up to 25 meters it has a very indirect relation to Greece: the fruits were brought from the south, and "everything is in Greece." Surely, it also grows there, wild forms of this tree are common in Europe.

The tree looks impressive. A separately growing walnut not only differs in height - its crown also reaches a diameter of 20 meters.

By European standards, it is a long-liver (second after oak)- often there are specimens of 300-400-year-old trees.

The development of a tree begins with the formation of a powerful tap root, which reaches 1.5 meters deep in the 5th year and 3.5 meters by the age of 20.

Horizontal ones do not grow immediately - they are formed after the rod one, located in the surface layer of the soil at a depth of 20-50 centimeters.

The tree begins to bear fruit after 10 years of life., and from the age of 30-40, the time of full fruiting begins.

If the trees grow in groups, partially shading each other, they rarely produce more than 30 kg of yield, while a free-growing nut can produce up to 400 kg of nuts.

But such cases are rare, only a tree 150-170 years old is capable of such a harvest. Usually an adult tree 25-40 years old in Moldova gives 1500-2000 fruits or 2000-2500 in the Crimea.

Moscow region, central Russia - where else can you plant and grow walnuts

They are found in the European part from the foothills of the Caucasus to St. Petersburg where the northernmost nuts in Russia grow. But these are isolated cases, exceptions that only confirm the rule.

These trees do not freeze completely, but they do not grow to their full potential either.

The main factor determining the possibility of growing this southern tree is not at all the winter sub-zero temperature. The sum of average daily temperatures above 10 degrees is taken into account. It cannot be less than 190 C.

If in winter the temperature does not drop below -36 degrees and for 130-140 days a year the temperature is above 0 C, the walnut can grow and bear fruit.

The best winter hardiness was shown by hybrids of Manchurian with walnut.

When planting even the best seed material brought from the south, adaptation to a cold climate does not occur - such trees regularly freeze slightly and practically do not bear fruit.

Completely unsuitable for growing varieties from places with a humid warm climate(west and south of Ukraine, the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus).

Only nuts from eastern Ukraine, the mountains of Central Asia or the Caucasus successfully adapt to the new conditions of central Russia.

Moreover, it is better to grow a nut from the stone yourself- An imported seedling (even from the indicated regions) will be significantly inferior in terms of endurance and adaptability to new conditions.

Walnut is found in the European part of Russia from the foothills of the Caucasus to St. Petersburg

How and when to plant and grow a tree from a seedling: conditions

It must be immediately planted in a permanent place.. It is unrealistic to transplant a 5-year-old tree already. Therefore, you need to decide to take into account all the factors and calculate the consequences.

A vigorous tree can form a dense shade over an area of ​​approximately 100 sq.m. You will have to delete this area from circulation - there is little that can bear fruit under a walnut(affects the strong overwhelming effect of the biofield of a huge tree).

On the other hand, it is possible to arrange a summer recreation area on this square - walnut essential oils keep flies and mosquitoes away.

We choose a place for planting on the edge of the garden so as not to shade other trees. The walnut is very unpretentious to soils, although it prefers loose sandy-stony soil.

Walnut prefers loose sandy-stony soil, it should not be too fertile

The landing hole is dug with the expectation that under the roots there is a layer of stones of at least 25 centimeters.

The bottom of the landing pit must be half filled with construction debris.(broken brick, pieces of cement, crushed stone) - this technique allows you to shift the flowering time of the tree by 1-2 weeks (the stones warm up slowly, the nut starts growing a little later, skipping the frost period).

Half a bucket of ash, compost or humus is brought into the pit. The soil should not be too fertile, the nut will grow intensively and will not have time to prepare for winter.

You need to take a seedling for planting only from a trusted seller, otherwise you won’t get anything except frostbitten branches of a southern tree, you probably won’t wait for the harvest.

A walnut tree is planted only in the spring, it enters a dormant period too early and will not have time to take root before winter.

It is believed that a walnut planted by hand from a bone will grow into a tree practically adapted to new conditions, which will develop successfully.

Seeds are planted in autumn directly into the ground to a depth of 7-10 cm.. It is advisable to lay sideways on the seam in the soil. Spring planting requires 2-3 months of stratification in wet sand.

Special care for seedlings is not required - in the middle lane even walnuts have no pests.

How to plant an annual walnut seedling:

Care after planting: spring, summer and autumn

How to care? Walnuts may only need watering in spring and early summer. when there is an intensive growth of green mass. Usually the tree has enough soil reserve of winter moisture.

Water only young trees up to 5-7 years old, if it is completely dry.

The tap root system of the southern tree is adapted to find water in the lower horizons. After 10 years of age, watering the walnut should generally be forgotten.

For him, excess moisture threatens too active growth., to the detriment of maturation and preparation of wood for winter. Freezing after a wet summer is guaranteed.

In addition to stopping watering, care must be taken to prepare the root system for winter. So, trunk circles must be mulched with any organic matter or compost:

• in summer - to preserve moisture;
• in autumn - to protect the topsoil from freezing.

In particularly cold areas, the soil is mulched with a layer of at least 10 cm, especially in areas with little snow.

It is useful to cover the trunk up to a height of about 1 m with spruce branches or wrap it with newspapers in several layers (already after the first frosts). This will help to survive -40 degrees and below.

Such shelter is necessary only in the first years.- the tree must be hardened naturally.

Walnut may need watering only in spring and early summer, when there is an intensive growth of green mass.

How to properly care during the growing process: before ripening and after

Like all fruit crops, walnuts need periodic feeding.

In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied, in the second half of summer - only potash and phosphorus, which are responsible for preparing the tree for winter and laying fruit buds for the next crop.

On cultivated soil, nitrogen can not be fed at all, and phosphorus and potash fertilizers can be applied (in terms of the active substance) at 10 g / sq.m.

Practice shows that the rule applies to all cases where the nut does not grow on obvious stones and clay.

What is especially pleasing - in the middle lane, the walnut has no natural enemies. It has already been said that flies and mosquitoes fly around it.

Moreover, a very effective remedy against aphids and various caterpillars can be prepared from walnut leaves, which is successfully used in Ukraine.

Completely harmless home remedy allows you to process trees and bushes with ovaries of fruits and berries.

Graft

Unfortunately, walnut cuttings do not take root - reproduction occurs only by seeds.

Vaccination is carried out in cases where:

• there is a seedling of probably winter-hardy Manchurian walnut, for which -40 in winter is not a problem;
• the planted variety did not live up to expectations - it became possible to re-graft it.

One-year-old seedlings are grafted into a split and, under control, grow in a greenhouse to a marketable appearance.

Young trees that have already produced their first few nuts can be re-grafted by the type of "eye budding"- only the bark is removed with a kidney in the form of a half-pipe (the method is called so) and combined with the same cutout on the rootstock.

Until complete healing, the vaccination site is tied with a film.

The result of grafting an adult walnut tree:

Reproduction in the country

The main method of obtaining seedlings is growing from seeds.. To simplify the process, nuts are planted without additional processing in the fall to a depth of about 10 centimeters. It is believed that it is better to lay them sideways on the seam.

Whoever did not have time to bury for the winter, put it in damp sand in the basement - the nut must go through stratification, otherwise it will not hatch.

Walnut is renewed by stump shoots in just a year or two. These trees are able to bear fruit literally in the second year, and in 10 - already a significant harvest.

The main method of obtaining seedlings is growing from seeds.

It turns out that a walnut can be successfully planted and grown in a country house in the middle lane, in the Moscow region. It is enough to follow simple rules:

• the right choice of location;
• seedling - only zoned;
• mandatory mulching of the trunk circle;
• shelter trunk from frost in the first years of life.

All this is within the power of most gardeners.. Choose a sunny place, protected from cold winds - the nut will thank you.

In recent years, some previously considered strictly southern cultures have moved far north. Among them are persimmon, apricot, peach, cherry and walnut. Attempts to expand the habitat of the latter were made at different times by both scientists and enthusiastic gardeners.

Professor A.K. Skvortsov devoted almost 30 years to experiments with walnuts. In 1977, he laid the first experimental plantation, which was based on seedlings grown from the fruits of trees that grew on the territory of the Moscow enterprise NIUF Experimental Plant. Later, seedlings from other places were added to them.

For many years, the landings were closely monitored, but the final conclusion, which A.K. Skvortsov announced in 2005, was disappointing.

In one of his articles, he wrote: “In relation to the Moscow climate, no significant features have been found that would distinguish plants grown from different batches of seeds ...

With regard to stability, they apparently depend more on the situation and on the combination of circumstances in the course of the life of each tree than on its genotype. This was to be expected, since the genetic potential of the species' adaptability to more severe climatic conditions has long been practically exhausted.

This is especially evident in our reproduction plants: they have not shown themselves to be more resilient than their parents.”

A significant number of walnut trees can be found in the metropolitan area. One of them grows very close to Moscow, in Shcherbinka. It was grown about 22 years ago from a walnut brought from the Donetsk region. The tree, covered from the winds by the wall of the house and receiving additional heat from it, does not freeze over and gives, although small, but tasty and thin-skinned fruits (photo 1).

Another of the walnut trees, brought as a seedling from Rostov-on-Don, grows in a holiday village near Khimki. From the north, it is reliably protected by a house and a large oak tree. Every year the owner collects a bucket of nuts from a tree.

And for A. Bukin, a gardener near Moscow, growing walnuts has long become the most common activity. He repeatedly demonstrated his seedlings from the Leninsky district at various specialized exhibitions.

There are separate fruiting walnut specimens in Kratovo, Kolomna, Ruza and other settlements of the Moscow region.

In addition, I am aware of two trees obtained from Baltic nuts and growing in the Aptekarsky Garden (Botanical Garden of Moscow State University, Moscow), as well as one specimen in the Novogireevo region (in the east of Moscow).

Probably the northernmost walnut plantation was founded in the stronghold of the Leningrad Botanical Garden, located 100 km north of the city, on the Karelian Isthmus, in the village. Otradnoe. There, the botanist I.N. Konovalov was engaged in the introduction of this plant from the beginning of the 50s.

Big science is silent about the results of those experiments, but in botanical garden Petersburg, trees grown from the fruits of the Konovalov selection of walnuts grow and live. True, in unfavorable years, due to a lack of heat, the fruits do not ripen on them.

There are at least two more walnut trees in the city on the Neva. One of them is on the street. Yesenin, grows in a strong thickening and looks oppressed, although at the same time it bears little fruit.

But the second one - on the Sea Embankment - feels very good (photo 2). It was planted more than 20 years ago by amateur gardener Valery Yevtushenko with a seedling brought from Rostov.

For the second decade, the tree has been producing bountiful harvests. As the owner himself notes, sometimes there are more than two hundred nuts per season.

So far, we have been talking about ordinary nuts, which begin to bear fruit ten years after planting. But our colleague Valery Goryachev from the city of Krasnoarmeyets, Moscow Region, managed to grow a fast-growing dwarf hybrid nut of I. Levin's selection. This nut gave the first harvest after 4 years (photo 3)

See also: Korenovsky walnut - frost-resistant variety "Ideal"

At the same time, the gardener does not cover his seedling in any way.

As you can see, the walnut is not so rare in the middle lane, although it is not very stable - it often freezes and remains without a crop.

Nevertheless, growing it is within the power of most gardeners. The main thing is to create a nut favorable conditions– provide a sunny location, protected from strong cold winds.

Most of the plants I've seen are in just such conditions, under the cover of trees, fences or buildings.

And although Professor A.K. Skvortsov argued that walnut plants from different regions differ little from each other in terms of resistance, it seems to me important where the planting material came from.

For example, I have a seedling grown from a Crimean nut, even under snow every year it freezes almost to the ground, and seedlings obtained from plants near Moscow and Kharkov, for the most part last winter like they didn't notice at all.

So, in my opinion, walnuts, albeit with some reservations, can be grown in regions with a completely non-southern climate.

The experience will be crowned with a big nut!

Just yesterday, no one could even think of growing a heat-loving walnut in Central Russia. Today, thanks to domestic breeders, this becomes possible. But still, adapting culture to local conditions is not an easy task.

What are the best walnut seedlings?

The boundaries of the natural distribution of the walnut - Krasnodar region and the North Caucasus. In the Central Russian latitudes, southern seedlings freeze hard in winter, and in spring their shoots die from night cooling. As a result, the culture turns into a stunted, undersized tree that does not yield a crop. Therefore, experiments with walnut seedlings brought from areas with a warm climate do not give positive results. How to be?

Breeders have found the most frost-resistant forms among all varieties of walnut. They took seedlings from the highlands of the Caucasus and Central Asia, where the temperature in winter sometimes drops to 40 °.

There, in the walnut forests, plants are represented in the wild. The cultivated winter-hardy varieties were found among gardeners in the Belgorod, Voronezh, Bryansk, Kursk regions of Russia, as well as in the Baltic states, Belarus and Ukraine in the Kharkov region. When growing seedlings in these latitudes, the Kamensky, Voronezhsky, Krepysh and Shevgenya varieties performed best.

Another way is selection. Gardeners took the fruits of nuts collected in the mountainous regions of Dagestan and Ukraine. Planted them in the gardens of the Moscow region. And then from the seedlings obtained, already slightly adapted to local conditions, the most frost-resistant seedlings were selected. These seedlings were able to develop into trees of normal size and bear fruit. Breeders who grew up in a harsh climate sowed nuts and got even more winter-hardy plants. From their fruits, seedlings of the third generation came out even more adapted to the conditions of Central Russia.

Worth the risk?

Used by gardeners and the method of crossing plants different types- the so-called interspecific hybridization. They took the seedlings Manchurian walnut(a frost-resistant relative of the walnut, but with lower fruit quality - a thick shell and a small kernel) and pollinated its flowers with walnut pollen. From the fruits grown after this, the breeders selected those that most resemble walnuts in appearance and taste. They planted seeds, and when the seedlings grew up, they selected trees from them that looked like walnuts and gave corresponding fruits. True, from these fruits, which are identical in appearance to walnuts, Manchurian walnut seedlings still grow.

Certain difficulties arose due to the fact that walnut trees, accustomed to a long growing season in the south, suffer greatly from spring and autumn frosts. Gardeners succeed in making them bloom later in the spring by collecting snowdrifts around the boles and covering the snow with boards from rapid melting. Then on cold nights they throw on the trees nonwoven fabric. And in the fall (at the end of August - in the first days of September), the ends of non-lignified branches are pinched from the seedlings, and phosphorus-but-potassium top dressing is applied under them. For trees, this is a signal for the end of shoot growth and preparation for winter.

So far, work on the adaptation of walnut for the central regions of Russia has not yet been completed. But there are already separate experimental landings in the Moscow region, Leningrad region where the trees grow well and bear fruit. The first varieties with all the necessary qualities have been obtained: high winter hardiness, early maturity, late flowering, with large and tasty fruits, thin shells. These are Osipov, Ideal, Old Man Makhno, V Elite.

You can already find and purchase seedlings of these varieties in many nurseries, so do not be afraid to experiment, for sure the experience will be crowned with a large nut!

© Natalia Starovoitova, Moscow region

Walnut: food for thought

In the middle lane, it is best to plant walnut seedlings in the spring, after the ground has thawed and the danger of return frosts has passed. In the spring, grafted seedlings are also planted, and seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place.

Grafted plants are planted only in spring to protect them from winter damage. best time in our latitudes - from mid to late April. Seedlings grown from seeds, as more winter-hardy, you can try to plant in a permanent place in the fall.

Where to plant a walnut

Walnut prefers flat terrain. Feels good also on medium and upper parts small slopes, southern and western. Planting a walnut in the lowlands is unacceptable: in the off-season, in spring and autumn, rain and melt water accumulates there, cold air stagnates. The best option when growing walnuts in our latitudes - planting on the south and south-west sides of buildings, near the walls. This will increase the amount of active summer temperatures by several degrees, and the buildings will also protect the plants from the wind. But plants planted too close to the house, growing, with their powerful roots, can damage the foundation of buildings.

Neighbors are unwanted

Under the branches of a walnut tree, hardly anything will grow. Firstly, the extensive and deep root system of the plant takes all the nutrients from the ground, leaving nothing to the neighboring plants. In addition, walnut leaves contain juglone, an element toxic to other plants.

Some vigorous varieties of walnut at the age of 25-30 years have a crown diameter of 8-12 meters. Not far from the walnut only feel good berry bushes. They manage to give good harvest for a five-year-decade, and when the tree grows, they can be uprooted.

Digging a hole for a walnut in autumn

It is recommended to prepare a landing pit for a walnut in the fall. Most of The root system of the walnut is located in the projection area of ​​the tree crown. In an annual seedling, the roots penetrate into the thickness of the earth to a depth of up to two meters, and in an adult plant - tens of meters deep. Therefore, an adult tree can adapt to different soils, extracting the missing elements from different layers. But while the plant is young, it is very important for its proper development that the soil around (about a meter across) is suitable for it.

If the landing pit is properly prepared, it can provide young plant the nutrients it needs for the first five years, until the root system gets stronger and the plant adapts to growth conditions. The size of the planting hole varies from 60 cm in diameter and 60 cm deep to a meter in diameter and a meter deep. If the humus layer (on fertile soils)

The skeletal roots of the walnut should be located at a depth of about 60 cm. This allows the plant to suffer less from cold in winter and drought in summer. If the hole is not deep enough, the walnut root system will be too close to the soil surface and injured, the plant will experience a lack of nutrients is 25-30 cm, the hole can be smaller, if the soil is not so fertile - a larger planting hole is needed.

As usual when planting fruit trees, when digging holes, the upper fertile layer and the lower, infertile layer are separated. It is necessary to fill the pit with a substrate consisting of the top fertile layer of soil, peat and humus, taken in equal proportions.

When planting walnut seedlings, fresh organic matter should not be brought into the planting pit. Not decomposed will damage the roots of the seedling, and this will prevent the penetration of the plant's root system into the deeper layers of the soil.

When preparing landing pits, it is necessary to make mineral fertilizers. For one plant - about 3 kg of superphosphate, up to 800 g of potassium chloride, from 500 g to 1 kg of dolomite flour, 1.5-2 kg of ash, which will become a source of microelements valuable for the plant. You can replace these mineral fertilizers with 200-250 g of nitroammophoska for each planting hole.

Fertilizers should be evenly mixed with the substrate, and then fill the pit with a mixture of two-thirds of its volume. After filling the pit, it is watered (about 20 liters of water per pit), after which a support stake about one and a half to two meters high is installed in its center. When the water is absorbed, a landing hill is poured in the center of the pit, 3-5 cm above ground level. When planting a walnut, the root neck of the seedling should be at ground level. After planting, the soil will settle, and the root neck may go underground. To avoid this, it is necessary to make sure that the planting mound is above the soil level.

In a walnut, the root neck is clearly distinguished: the central root is strongly thickened and the place of its transition to the trunk is clearly visible.

Preparing seedlings for planting

Seedlings should be inspected before planting. Broken branches are removed, damaged roots are carefully cut. After that, the roots are dipped in a clay mash, its composition is decomposed manure (one part) and clay (three parts). You can add growth stimulants to the talker - Epin or Humat.

Planting is done in the same way as any other garden trees. The plant is placed in a hole on compacted soil (root collar 3-4 cm above ground level). The roots must be carefully spread over the entire diameter of the planting mound, cover the roots with a mixture of fertile soil with fertilizers, tamp and trample the earth, water for a better fit of the earth to the roots (from 3 to 6 buckets of water per plant). After the water is absorbed, the trunk circle must be mulched with a thin layer of humus, chopped straw, peat, etc. From the infertile soil that was taken from the bottom of the planting hole, you can make a hole around the tree. The seedling must be tied to a peg: in a walnut, the crown has a large windage due to large leaves (up to 40-50 cm or more in length), and the wind can damage a fragile tree.

Below are other entries on the topic "Cottage and garden - with your own hands"

Early-growing walnut (photo) - planting and care: Early-growing walnut variety - ... Walnut: benefits and cultivation: Planting a walnut in the garden ... Growing a walnut - care and reproduction: Walnut: "bread" for heroes Once upon a time ... Walnut walnut seedlings in the Middle lane: Growing walnut seedlings in ... Planting and growing walnuts - gardener's advice: Walnuts - proper planting ... Pecan nuts (photo) - planting and care: Growing pecans A friend of relatives from ... Reproduction of walnuts and an overview of some interesting varieties: Walnut - what varieties ...

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How to grow a nut in the middle lane

Over the past few years, cultures that were previously considered exclusively southern have spread to the northern part. Among them are apricots, cherries, peaches, persimmons and walnuts. Growing walnuts in the middle lane on this moment quite possible. Quite a lot of trees can be seen in the Moscow region. In Shcherbinka, near Moscow, one of them grows. The wall of the house covers it from the wind, and also provides additional warmth.

Walnuts also grow near Khimki, brought from Rostov-on-Don. The tree is also protected by the wall of the house, nearby there is a fairly large oak that covers the nut from the wind. Every year the owner manages to collect a bucket of nuts.

So what needs to be done so that growing walnuts in the middle lane does not turn into a waste of time?

This plant is distinguished by its resistance to cold, unpretentiousness. In order to grow a nut, you do not need special efforts Still, it's worth getting to know the theory. After reading one or two specialized articles, you will learn how to grow a walnut in the middle lane. Walnut, although it can withstand low temperatures, loves heat and light. Do not worry if the shoots are damaged or even die in winter, as the tree is characterized by rapid self-healing, which contributes to the growth of new ones. For cultivation in the middle and northern lane, it is better to use a frost-resistant tree variety, which is distinguished by a powerful root system. The roots penetrate deep into the earth layer, so they are not afraid of winter frosts.

Reproduction methods

Many people are interested in where the walnut grows in Russia and how to propagate it. Walnuts can be propagated in several ways. Alternatively, you can purchase a grafted four-year-old tree, the crown of which has already begun to form. Seeds are also suitable for planting. It is better to plant them in autumn or in spring period. It is better to use the seeds of past crops, after soaking them for several days in warm water. It is necessary to make a furrow into which the seeds will be sown. The depth should be 8 centimeters. Practice has shown that it is better to plant nuts in the fall, because. seedlings are more viable and strong.

In the case of planting in the spring, the beginning of May is best. Seeds need to be germinated before planting. Toward the end of January, the seeds are planted in small containers filled with peat with the addition of wet river sand. After that, the seeds are cleaned in a room where the air temperature does not exceed 7 degrees. Choose in advance the site on which the tree will grow, as germinated seeds are planted in a permanent place. It is desirable that this area has protection from the wind and is well lit. The distance between the seeds should not be less than 75 centimeters. Close up, lay the seeds on their sides, and then level the ground from above and start watering. After two weeks, the first shoots should appear.

After sifting, throughout the year, the plants need to be regularly looked after. It is necessary to remove all weeds in a timely manner, loosen the ground and ensure periodic watering. Sunflowers or corn can be planted between rows so that young walnut seedlings do not suffer from wind or snow in winter.

If you refused to plant seeds in favor of a young tree, the plant is endowed with all varietal positive properties.

A little about the problems

There are times when among healthy trees there are damaged or neglected nuts, with an untidy appearance. As a rule, they bring smaller nuts or cease to bear fruit altogether. At the same time, the growth of a tree may stop completely, or vice versa, gain intensity, in comparison with others. If the plant is already many years old, then there is no point in treating it and trying to restore it. It's better to dig out given tree planting a young sapling in its place. If a diseased tree has been growing for only a few years and has a strong skeleton, then its properties can be restored by providing proper care.

First of all, carefully inspect it for a variety of pests or diseases. Once detected, corrective action must be taken. In addition, you need to remove all affected, dry and diseased branches. The earth must be fertilized, and the walnut trunk should be partially emulsified.

How to grow a walnut in the middle lane: Video