the Walnut Wrangle

[Olly C]

hey all, i have this beautiful Walnut in my garden which a previous home owner aparently neglected.Theres blue tits living inside this wound which looks to be healing ok. it doesn't need CPR yet however the multi stems swing wildly in high wind. I braced it around 5 years ago. it looks like it either needs 5 or 6 more braces soon or some serious weight removing from the extremities.

I've allways been reluctant to touch it as there's no buildings near by, just a few chickens underneath.

What do you think guys and girls? leave the old girl be or look in to prelonging her existance?

[Steve Bullman]

walnuts always look crap after being topped, it would be a shame to have to do anything really. but you have to consider the targets, and as you say, preserving it

[Treewarrior]

I'd leave it be until autumn

[High Scale]

All trees look crap after topping.

[Steve Bullman]

All trees look crap after topping.

 

well thats true also:001_smile:

[High Scale]

It still looks pretty young for a Walnut, maybe a little weight reduction on the vulnerable limbs, you can get a nice shape out of a Walnut though, Until it starts regrowing that is.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Just do it in small stages bit at a time

[Mark Bolam]

Fell. Replant.

 

Seriously you would struggle to get it looking as good as it does now.

 

I doubt the tree itself would submit a request to be reduced!

[Luke Quenby]

If there are no targets around, leave as long as possible, Walnuts often don't take that well to being worked on. Or would agree with Dean, and do a little at a time.

Could allways replant a couple elsewhere or save some of the fruit to grow a few on that will have it's vigour to replace it when it finally does go?

[Stephen Blair]

half it, 50% top, any branch under 45 degrees keep, all verticals should be removed. get some light in amongst it for a few years then end load the lower limbs. any form of reduction is topping in my book, some just dont like the word as it isnt 'arby' enough. you cant have your cake and eat it, reducing a tree isnt for the effect you get straight away, its for a few years down the line. walnut is no better a tree than a self seeded sycamore growing out the corner of a garage, its only a value that humans have put on it, the advice any old gardener on pruning is ' get your worst enemy to do it'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this should be interesting now:ohmy: