Thinking about why my trees didn't make it...

[Derek Reese 29]

Have 2 trees planted last spring that survive the summer...one was a drop tine and the other was a galarina. Both came as 3-5' whips and seemed to be doing pretty well earlier this year. The drop tine had added good height, branches and leaves and the galarina was doing about the same, albeit a little less. About mid July, both of their leaves started to turn brown, so I tried watering. This did not help at all and now both are crispy and dead. Besides the usual soil composition and too much shade ideas that I was kicking around in my head, I also came to note that there is a black walnut that is equidistant from both, about 15' away. Could the black walnut's autotoxic properties have affected these trees? To note, there are no other trees inside about a 20' radius around this black walnut, which is why I decided to add the 2 now-goner trees. Thanks for the help!

 

[Mortenson]

Yes, that's why they are dead.

 

[Turkey Creek]

The Black Walnut could very well be the culprit. I think you answered your own question LOL.

 

[Tree Spud]

Black walnut puts out juglone into the soil which will kill other tress. Kill th walnut and you will probably need to wait a year or 2 before you can plant again.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Thanks for the responses eveyone..I just didn't know how far out the juglone would reach? If there a limit? And do bigger trees put out more of it?
I had also heard you cannot burn black walnut inside...is this true?

 

[b116757]

Probably double or half again larger than the dripline as a rule of thumb and I’ve burned it indoors no issues but it isn’t a great firewood. I had one come up volunteer between a apple tree and a pine tree it really affected the pine tree but I ended up cutting it down that was a couple years ago now the apple trees production has been definitely higher. The walnut was probably 10”-12” on the stump when I decided it had to go.

 

[gunfun13]

Sounds like I need to make some decisions, do I want 25 years of crabapple production or do I want a saw log in 25 years? I think I'm killing some walnuts this winter.

**I have a young droptine about 7 yards from a 6" DBH walnut..it's been healthy so far but this gives me concern. I'm fonder of crabapples than I am walnuts.

 

[buckdeer1]

Wiggle them to see if they are loose and you can pull out of ground.I had a couple of these that gophers or moles ate all the roots.I have all kinds of trees growing around walnuts and no issues.I have no doubt the jugalone can affect trees I just haven't.I did have trouble with hardpan keeping oaks from growing in an area and had to take and drill as deep as the post hole auger would go then replanted and they are fine.