I bought the bush walnuts from Garfield Shults in Idaho. The trees are growing and three of the walnuts have cracked the shell and showing life. I followed his instructions (see below several previous posts on this topic). The other 3-4? haven't cracked yet, so I'm waiting to see how they do. He says to wait a bit yet, but if they're already visibly growing, I say, plant them.

In other news, my guerrilla gardening of planting a regular walnut in a park worked. It has new growth and seems to be healthy. In addition, it's on a hillside, so it will probably help the hill from eroding. It's near my house so I hope in a few years I can swing by and gather walnuts.
John S
PDX OR

Trees for the NW & Garfield Shults
Garfield Shults of Homedale, ID has a bush form of English walnut that gets to be about six to eight feet tall. I have one started. The nuts are normal size and flavor. Walnuts are subject to husk fly in Oregon, but they mainly stain the nuts. Also, it would be simple to net a small tree with row fabric to prevent the flies from reaching it.
The trees come true from seed and Mr. Shults sells them for $1.25 a nut plus postage Hurry, it's nearly nut time now and he is old and may not have a lot of years left.
Mr. Garfield Shults
1526 Hill Road
Homedale, Idaho 83628

I sent a note and $10 (a check that has still not cleared, so I wondered if it was already too late) to Mr. Shults within a week of lonrom's 9/24 post. Just got my eight walnuts, and some handwritten answers to my desperately ignorant questions. Now I'm hoping some of you can help me make sense of what I'm not sure I can read.

Quoting the 3x5 card as best I can, "Walnut seed needs stratified 25 - 35 degrees 3 to 4 months (slightly moist). Plant 1 3/4" deep sand over and under. Plant when you can plant string beans. Trace mineral over seed helps sprout. Fertilize lightly after growth is good. Prune annually Sept/October or when nuts split (something incomprehensible that looks a bit like '?chuets') Keep desired size by pruning annually. Questions - phone me (I'll give any legitimate member his phone number, but only off-list. Too many mercenaries cruising this forum.) Garfield"

So what does "stratified" mean in this context? What might that indecipherable word be? How many of these should I reasonably keep to get two bushes? ('cuz I don't know if walnuts are self fertile or not, or if my neighborhood English walnuts will do the trick.)

And might anyone else want some of these if I need far fewer than what I've got?

mh

Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:47 pm

John S

Joined: Sun May 15, 2005 9:57 am
Posts: 459
Location: Portland, OR
Re: Best small nut trees for the NW?
Stratified means that they have to get enough chill hours in order to germinate. This ensures that the seed will germinate after winter, not during winter. IMagine how many would die if they sprouted during a cold winter.

I would plant all of them and see how many grow. Even if they are somewhat self pollinating, they might set better with two.
John S
PDX OR

Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:36 pm

scrub

Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:08 pm
Posts: 11
Location: Portland, OR
Re: Best small nut trees for the NW?
Oh! I forgot to mention: you can eat the kernels of any of your Prunus genus trees (cherries, plums, peaches, apricots, etc). High in cyanide, so you want to use caution, but the seeds can taste very almond-y and delicious. (Or very bitter--use extra caution with these since they have more cyanide.)

If you don't like them, or find it too tedious and slow to get much useful meat from the smaller kernels like cherries, you can always crush them up with rocks or a grain grinder and let your chickens at 'em.

I wrote a lot on this subject at: http://farmerscrub.blogspot.com/2007/09 ... ealed.html

Norris

Fri Nov 06, 2009 6:33 pm

jadeforrest

Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:22 am
Posts: 189
Location: SW Portland, Oregon, USA
Re: Best small nut trees for the NW?
Hi Marsha:

I got my order the same day you got yours. Here's what my note said:

Walnut seeds will need to be stratified - kept lightly moist and 25-35 degrees for 90-120 days. Check for mould work it off use less moisture for rest of stratifying period. Fish or similar organic plant food after leaves appear. A good mineral amendment will aid sprouting (hard to read, maybe bronardite) is best, trace mineral mixes okay.

Plant seeds 1 3/4 in deep some sand over and under.

I've had reports of 90% (something) germination.

Let me know what percent sprouted as early as possible. Have fun Garfield Shults

When trees reach desired height prune in September/October contain at 10, 12, 16 ft as you like.