A lot of these seedlings came from California. The strain will do better in a warmer climate. They will grow in this climate but they usually present an unsightly tree due to frost kill and very seldom produce a crop in the colder Pennsylvania climate. 

In the central part of the state where I live, I have seen only a few English walnut trees over 30 years old. More trees are younger and most people who planted the European or Carpathian strain are pleased with their production. German, Italian or Carpathian seed trees will do better in our Pennsylvania climate. English walnut trees do flourish in these countries where their winters are similar to ours. They have some mean cold winters there.

These walnut trees originated in Persia or Iran where a warmer climate exists. They should really be called a Persian walnut. They were transported to Europe and Asia where heartier colder strains were developed during the earlier centuries. 

I may be a prejudiced Pennsylvanian, but I believe the cold weather strains have a better and sweeter taste than the warm weather strains, which I believe to have a slightly bitter after-taste. I have lived in eastern Pennsylvania where I saw a lot of these trees flourishing.  I saw them in the northeastern part of the state where more of these trees are planted and producing. 

The Persian (English) walnut tree makes a well shaped shade tree. It can be a fast grower if taken care of properly. I would not hesitate to plant it in any available area where I wanted a tree to beautify the area. They do good in a well drained area and will usually grow anywhere the black walnut (Junglan Nigra) can be found. 

Some people say they are a slow grower! I plant my young trees in the spring or fall and transplant them to their original ground line in a hole dug to accommodate the spreading roots without crowding, allowing for sinking or settling of loose soil. 

The first couple of years are critical to any tree being planted. Keep away grass and weeds. I like to do this with mulching. Baled hay has proven successful. 

When transplanting these trees, no fertilizer is better than too much fertilizer. I only use a water soluble plant starter. Use only the manufacturer's instructions on the package. A weaker than instructed solution is more desirable than a stronger solution, which would burn the hair roots instead of encouraging them to grow. 

Another disparaging remark is, "I'll never live to see those nuts." I have heard of seedling trees producing in four years. I think this could be exaggerated. The earliest production that I got came from a seven year old tree. Grafted trees do produce earlier than seedling trees. Scion wood from proven and established superior quality trees is grafted on to black walnut seedlings or Carpathian seedlings. 

I have pulled or removed small nuts on the first year of planting. I do this to encourage branch and tree growth in the first two years. Fruit removes energy from the young trees and has a tendency to retard growth. I get a lot of three-foot growth in the second year by caring for the tree. 

Again, mulch and remove weeds and grass. Keep the tree from competing with these in the first couple of years until the tree establishes itself and it will take care of the competition by shading it out. 

These trees are self-pollinating. I like to plant what I call three pair of trees. The tree has pistillate flowers (or small nuts) and catkin type flowers which, when ripe, pollinate the small nut. However, sometimes the pistillate and the catkins do not become ripe and receptive at the same time and planting two or more trees will give a better chance for good pollination.

If you plant two, and one dies in later years, you could develop a pollination problem -- that's why I recommend three trees. The pollen is distributed by the wind and can travel one half mile, but I think 500 yards is more plausible. They do not cross-pollinate with black walnuts, but I do know of a beautiful 15 foot tree that bears a bitter nut with a rough shell similar to butternut that could have been a result of cross pollination. 

I live in south-central Pennsylvania where I recently planted eight acres of English walnuts.  I started as a hobbyist about 30 years ago during which time I gave away hundreds of small trees. We now call ourselves, Bedford County Nursery, and we specialize in nut trees. 
 

GROWING ENGLISH WALNUT TREES

There are a lot of experts in this field, but a lot more novices and beginners. Let us start with the beginners.

There are two basic strains of English Walnuts, the first type is a warm climate strain, such as the California walnut and the other is the cold weather strain that was brought to this country from seed gathered in the higher slopes of the Carpathian Mountains of Europe.

This seed was introduced by the late Reverend Paul Crath, who immigrated into the Toronto area of Canada. He asked about English Walnut trees and was told that none were grown in the area. However, he found the climate similar to his home area of immigration.

Paul later became a Presbyterian missionary in Europe, where he know these Carpathian Walnut trees were growing. He, with the aid of monies secured from several Northeastern Universities in the United States of America and the Northern Nut Growers Association, started to gather seed nuts from the highest slopes of the Carpathians. These nut seeds were shipped back to the Toronto regions where they were planted. Some seed was planted in Northeastern United States while other seeds had been brought into this country from other areas of Europe by early immigrants. Nut seed from Italy, Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia among other European countries was planted here.

The warm weather cultivars will grow in Northeastern United States, but nut production is very poor, or non existent. A lot of dead branches result from our late frosts and the trees usually die.

There are basically two types of trees. Seedling trees that are started from English Walnut tree nuts. The second are grafted trees, that are cloned onto either Black Walnut "Junglans Nigra" rootstock or English Walnut "Junglans Regina" rootstock. Both are compatible and grafts are feasible on these rootstocks.

Buy from a reputable nursery. Advertised trees from most nurseries are seedling trees. Unless it is stated that the named cultivars are grafted, they can be seedlings. Seedling trees do not always possess the qualities of the "mother" tree. They also take longer to come into production. Some take five to ten years to produce nuts. Quality from these trees is not predictable.

Grafted or cloned trees are started on two to three year rootstocks. Scion wood for the grafts is taken from other trees and is more matured, giving characteristics of the parent tree and resulting in earlier production. Sometimes nuts do appear in the first growing season. We want the tree to put all of its energy into branch and root growth, so at the nursery, we remove these nuts when they are pea sized. Leaving these nuts on can result in a stunted tree. Sometimes newly grafted trees are held in the nursery two or more years.

Trees to be planted can come bare root or in containers. Bare root trees should be planted into the ground as soon as possible. If they cannot, they should be hilled in and watered until planting time. Hilling is done by digging a ditch big enough to accommodate the roots, then cover with soil. They should be watered thoroughly.

Planting bare root trees is done by digging a hole large enough to spread the roots without crowding. The tree should be planted to the same depth as it was grown in the nursery. There should be a dark line showing this depth left on the base of the tree trunk. Hold the tree straight, put one third of your best soil on the bottom roots. Water with about one gallon or more of water. Put another third of soil and water again. Place the rest of the soil on top, then press in with your foot to remove all air bubbles. Do not stomp, as this damages smaller hair roots. Build a raised dam around the newly planted tree to hold water and running rain from washing away. If you live in a windy area, your tree can be staked. Trees can be mulched to retard weeds or grass from stealing away nutrients from your new charge.

Container grown trees should be watered when you receive them. Dig a hole wider and slightly deeper than the container. Put some good soil on the bottom of the hole. Place the container in the hole to the proper depth. Make a stiff mud with water and removed soil. Pack this mud mixture all around the containerized tree. Jiggle the container around to remove. Cut and remove the bottom from the container. Cut the diagonal sides. Hold the sides and place into the formed hole. Water and care as any other young tree.

Walnut trees can be planted any place where peaches grow. Try to plant East to West as these trees are wind pollinated and not pollinated by insects. They can self pollinate sometimes, but two or more trees result in better pollination.

Give your tree plenty of water in the first year. In any week of hot summer weather without enough rain to stimulate growth, three to five gallons of water should be given to each newly planted tree. Enjoy the beauty of shade and the benefit of plenty of healthy nuts.

Yours for better nuts,
George Dickum
2845 Cortland Road
New Paris, PA 15554

George Dickum has many years of research, planting in his 12 acre nut tree orchard, and can be contacted by phone, (814) 733-4533, to answer your questions.