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Cedar City, Ut

I need more opionions please...are english walnut leaves bad for organic matter in the garaden. I have heard both and just dont know. please give me your opinions. thanks

10/1/2010 4:17:19 PM

British Columbia

The toxic chemical in walnut is called juglone. Without researching I think it is more potent in black walnut. It is most concentrated in the roots but smaller amounts are in all parts of the plant. I believe it (leaves) breaks down well enough in small quantities in normal compost. Just don't over do it. Compost should ideally be layered to mix the carbon- nitrogen elements anyway. I have put some in my compost at different times. There is one thing that you can do with the leaves and that is to use them as a mulch on an area where you don't won't things growing, Such as a persistent wild blackberry patch or the like. If you have a large tree and are raking up lots I would think of bagging and disposal unless you have a larger property and can piled them out of the way somewhere. You could do an experiment one year and mix them with some grass clippings and a little soil and see what you have in the spring. If it is broken down and looks like soil than the microbes have probably done their job and you should be fine. I have just come to think of my compost as too valuable to want to mess it up, even though I do a huge amount every year. Just collected seaweed today as a matter of fact and was looking at the walnut tree on my way back and was thinking that those leaves are going on some scrub maples that are getting too big.

10/1/2010 8:28:01 PM

43.841677 , -79.086692

juglone is a growth inhibitor and is present in both black and english variaties.
It is present in all parts of the plant including leaves, fruit and bark.
I would avoid it at all costs.

10/1/2010 8:31:35 PM

Cedar City, Ut

cool! thanks for the info.

10/1/2010 10:43:02 PM

Las Cruces NM

Juglone is actually found in all plants in the Junglandacea family, black walnut being the most notable. I would avoid them, but you can, however, you can use the leaves as herbicide (as cucurbitamzxima pointed out). Salt cedar is the only other plant material (abite deseased) I know of to stay clear from in mulch. You don't have to watch C:N ratios and Ph tightly to make good mulch and there is no shortage of better materials out there .... um, yea, except in the NM desert LOL!

10/2/2010 2:20:11 AM