Any one out there with experience renovating an old english walnut with husk fly? We bought an old farm last year-The tree seems very healthy in spite of its age (the farm is 80 + years old-tree is probably similar, looks like maybe a black walnut rootstock but hard to say), but the walnut husks are black and slimy and many of the nut meats are damaged (and the squirrels are taking all the good ones).
I have been told the husk fly comes and goes, but this seems like wishful thinking to me. Keeping it mowed underneath and plan to run some chickens under there next spring/summer to help with sanitation-trying to pick up the nuts and husks as they fall but that is a big job. Sounds like spinosad might be in order but wondering if there were any other good tricks out there.....do pigs eat walnuts? Would they eat the husks too? The squirrels take the nuts and leave the worm infested husks behind to repopulate.....
Hope the fruit show went well-I am planting the grafts I got from the show a year ago finally this fall. Can't wait to see them come into production!
cheers
Laura
Thanks Larry-Well I have a dog that is doing her best to keep the squirrels under control-and we aren't afraid to eat squirrel either-but as we live on the edge of the coast range I am guessing that the supply of squirrels will be limitless. It is a big tree so I think we could share if I could just get enough healthy nuts.
They say that chickens can control fleas and ticks, so fly maggots (easy to see with my naked eye on the husks) seems like they would be in a chicken's wheelhouse. I should probably run them under the tree right now for best effect though. Or at least give the chickens my rakings when I clean up under there.
Anyone else out there with any experience in this?
many thanks
Laura
longrunfarm said
I have been told the husk fly comes and goes, but this seems like wishful thinking to me.
Laura
Laura,
I know codling moth is an issue for walnuts. Codling moth can host in blueberries, apples, and think I have seen them in frost peach as well because frost has tendency of developing cracked pits. If you have no neighbors that have any fruit trees then you still might find codling moth on wild bitter cherry or wild malus fusca apple. In the case you have them from other wild trees or blueberries then I guess you will never know what you have unless you can take a picture.
edit: sorry about the bitter cherry with closed pits mistake. Of course not so I striked it.
Chickens have been used very effectively for worm/maggot control before. It's also good for the chickens unless you have too much pesticide, in which case I wouldn't eat the chickens. Obviously, you are going to make your own decisions. Our little mini schnauzer thinks that chasing squirrels is the greatest sport ever invented. Eating squirrels is a double bonus: you get good tasting meat and more fruit.
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