But
first let me tell you why some things don’t grow well under them.
The Black
walnut produces a chemical called Juglone, and it is a nasty secretion that
seems to kill plants from within. The “killing zone’ is within the root system
of the tree; which typically is as wide as the tree canopy. You might want to
go out an additional 10 to 15 feet just to be on the safe side when
planting.
Plants
that cannot live under this tree are:
Tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, rhubarb, asparagus, red peppers, eggplants,
basil, most Rhododendrons, petunias, azalea, viburnum, blueberries,
and Spruce trees.
Black
Walnuts are not the only trees that produces Juglone. This chemical is also
secreted in smaller amounts by English walnut, and hickory. Others trees that could
give your plants fits are: sugar maple, hackberry, American sycamore, American
elm, cottonwood, black cherry, sassafras, red oak and black locust. If you seem
to be having a “growing” problem near or under these trees this may be why.
They don’t secrete Juglone, but it is similar.
There is
no cure; it’s just the nature of this beast. The only solution is to not plants
the plants mentioned. Sorry.
i am interested in farming and gardening so much that i read informative blogs like these in my free time, all the time. this post is quite useful to me in many ways. thank you for posting
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