Black Walnut Toxicity Solution - Raised Beds?

Teacher_Mike · September 14, 2008

Hi to everyone from a long lost T-villian back from the brink... So much happening, which I'll cover later, but first and foremost - I've moved and now have a garden of my own on my acre+...unfortunately, much of the prime garden area appears to be within reach of the roots of the fencerow of black walnut trees that line the property - or at least that is what I attribute to the slow painful deaths of the three formerly thriving tomato plants I planted there in June.

ANYWAY - as I plan for next year, I am wondering if anyone has any experience using raised beds as a solution to this. I believe I read about it in an ag extension office bulletin online, but can't find it at the moment. I'm guessing that to be perfectly safe, I'd have to put a layer of landscape fabric between the existing soil and that added to make the beds - or not? I've read that juglone is poorly soluble in water and generally does not move through soil, so that the primary toxicity comes from direct contact with roots...

So - thoughts? I'm looking forward to what you all have to say!

Mike - (formerly Teacher Mike, now Assistant Principal Mike, who is happy to be back!)

garnetmoth · September 14, 2008

Hiya Mike! good to see you back! congrats on the new job too.

I have some Kentucky Coffee trees and Amur (bush) honeysuckle in the back yard at my dads, and they send tons of roots up into my compost bins- To be safe, I would suggest a layer or 2 of landscape fabric.

I dont have any experience with black walnut trees specifically, but greedy trees may want to move up into good prepared soil.

good luck!

Tomaat · September 17, 2008

Hi Mike, we used to have 2 walnut trees and we did experience the same problems like yours. At the end we chopped down the trees as they were big and all juglone sensitive plant can't grow under its water dripping lines too. All part of walnut tree produce juglon, from bark, leaves, flowers, nuts, roots & shoots !
The highest concentrations seems to be from roots and young shoots (which wash out via rain water and drip down). We did dig out almost all walnut roots and add lots of compost and hummus to the raised bed build close to the chopped down tree area and it seems to work. We only cultivate the raised bed 6 months after adding the compost.
The walnut root can easily penetrate your lanscape fabric, so if possible built your raised bed some 15 ft away from the dripping line (some said 30ft or more)... good luck.

Tormato · September 17, 2008

Mike,

Tomatoes and black walnuts are just about the worst combination you can have. How about movable containers for the tomatoes?

Now if you happen to like raspberries, black walnuts have no effect on them.

Gary

September 14, 2008	#1
Teacher_Mike Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Central PA Posts: 68	Black Walnut Toxicity Solution - Raised Beds? Hi to everyone from a long lost T-villian back from the brink... So much happening, which I'll cover later, but first and foremost - I've moved and now have a garden of my own on my acre+...unfortunately, much of the prime garden area appears to be within reach of the roots of the fencerow of black walnut trees that line the property - or at least that is what I attribute to the slow painful deaths of the three formerly thriving tomato plants I planted there in June. ANYWAY - as I plan for next year, I am wondering if anyone has any experience using raised beds as a solution to this. I believe I read about it in an ag extension office bulletin online, but can't find it at the moment. I'm guessing that to be perfectly safe, I'd have to put a layer of landscape fabric between the existing soil and that added to make the beds - or not? I've read that juglone is poorly soluble in water and generally does not move through soil, so that the primary toxicity comes from direct contact with roots... So - thoughts? I'm looking forward to what you all have to say! Mike - (formerly Teacher Mike, now Assistant Principal Mike, who is happy to be back!)

September 14, 2008	#2
garnetmoth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: cincinnati, oh Posts: 492	Hiya Mike! good to see you back! congrats on the new job too. I have some Kentucky Coffee trees and Amur (bush) honeysuckle in the back yard at my dads, and they send tons of roots up into my compost bins- To be safe, I would suggest a layer or 2 of landscape fabric. I dont have any experience with black walnut trees specifically, but greedy trees may want to move up into good prepared soil. good luck!

September 17, 2008	#3
Tomaat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 154	Hi Mike, we used to have 2 walnut trees and we did experience the same problems like yours. At the end we chopped down the trees as they were big and all juglone sensitive plant can't grow under its water dripping lines too. All part of walnut tree produce juglon, from bark, leaves, flowers, nuts, roots & shoots ! The highest concentrations seems to be from roots and young shoots (which wash out via rain water and drip down). We did dig out almost all walnut roots and add lots of compost and hummus to the raised bed build close to the chopped down tree area and it seems to work. We only cultivate the raised bed 6 months after adding the compost. The walnut root can easily penetrate your lanscape fabric, so if possible built your raised bed some 15 ft away from the dripping line (some said 30ft or more)... good luck.

September 17, 2008	#4
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,959	Mike, Tomatoes and black walnuts are just about the worst combination you can have. How about movable containers for the tomatoes? Now if you happen to like raspberries, black walnuts have no effect on them. Gary