It happened to me.  Yes, even me.  I went out last week and planted a blackberry bare-root in the yard and was just about to go out and add a blueberry to the that ‘perfect’ location when … when … I found the evidence.  The squirrels had been busy (thankfully) and had exposed a large stash of Black Walnuts meaning there had to be a tree nearby.  So, even though leaves are bare, I set out and found the culprit.

No, I won’t cut it down.  It’s useless, that is unless I plan on waiting about 20 years for the roots to compost fully.  I just have to rearrange. The blackberry will be moved and I will seek out a new home for the blueberry bush.

Unfortunately, that’s a tall task.  The tree is huge and it’s roots are far spread and I have a very limited open area nestled in thick woods.  I do have two tillable acres on the front of the property but the field can’t be seen in summer when the trees are full and I’ve no plan on providing the neighbors with a plentiful bounty.

Natural and manmade fences and an open view to the front acreage is planned but that’s down the road and not today.  Instead, I search and in the next week or so I replant.  Or do I dream of a beautiful Black Walnut hutch in my future?

Visit the Wisconsin Horticulture Extension website for a chart of plants that are both sensitive and not sensitive to juglone, the toxic substance produced heavily by Black Walnut trees.  And remember that even sensitive plants can often be grown in the vicinity of Black Walnut if they are grown in raised beds, keeping their roots above ground level.