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Even despite the fact that the walnut is a purely southern plant, its fruits have long been very popular in Russia. They are known to be used both in cooking and for medicinal purposes. People's love did not ignore the nut shell either. The outer shell was used primarily for the production of various tinctures and decoctions. But the use of walnut shells in the garden deserves no less attention, especially in those regions where a significant harvest of these fruits can be harvested.
Useful properties of walnut shells
Many do not at all recognize any benefit from using the shell of this nut and believe that the easiest way is to simply throw it in the trash. Owners of their own home with stove heating, or at least with a bathhouse on the site, still recognize the possibility of using it as a good kindling. Indeed, the shell burns well, releasing quite a lot of heat.
More advanced gardeners consider it advisable to use the ash obtained from burning shells for gardening and other household needs. But the scope of its application does not end there.You just need to take a closer look at its composition to understand that the peel can be used not only in the garden, but also when growing plants at home.
So, what is included in the walnut shell:
- like many plants, it consists of more than 60% fiber;
- extractive-type substances also occupy a significant volume in its composition - more than 35%;
- proteins make up 2.5% of its volume, and fats – 0.8%;
- about 2% are ash compounds;
But, besides this, the composition of the peel includes:
- amino acids;
- steroids and alkaloids;
- organic, including phenolcarboxylic acids;
- coumarins;
- proteins;
- vitamins and microelements;
- tannins.
Many of these substances, to one degree or another, affect the growth processes occurring in plants. Some of them, in small quantities, serve as growth stimulants, especially the development of the root system. With an increase in the concentration used, they can also serve as inhibitors of growth and development.
Tannins and some other substances can serve to restore damaged tissues in plants and can fight many harmful microorganisms.
Using walnut shells in the garden
In those areas where walnuts are grown in industrial quantities (from several trees on a plot), it is most advisable to use its shells in the garden in the form of drainage. In low areas of the site, where water often stagnates, several bags of shells are poured out and evenly distributed.You can also use walnut shells to create a drainage layer when planting seedlings of ornamental and fruit crops, as well as to create high beds in the garden.
But the nut peel can be useful as drainage and in small quantities when growing seedlings or indoor plants. To do this, when replanting, the bottom of each flower pot or container is covered with a layer of shells 2 to 5 cm high, depending on the size of the container itself. The container is filled from above with soil to a depth no less than the height of the drainage layer.
This is done so that excess moisture does not stagnate in the recesses of the shell.
If large volumes of walnut shells are available, they are actively used as a mulching material in the vegetable garden and garden. That is, to maintain optimal soil moisture so that the plants do not need to be watered again. For trees and shrubs, you can use either half shells or pieces about 1.5-2 cm in size. To mulch flower beds and garden beds, the shells are crushed with a hammer to a finer fraction. The optimal size of the pieces should not exceed 0.5 cm. So that the mulch not only performs a moisture-retaining function, but also protects against weed, it is necessary to make the layer thickness at least 4.5-5 cm.
And the largest pieces of shell can be used to create or design paths in the garden. In this case, the thickness of the layer should be significantly greater - from 10 cm or even more.But even in this case, pieces of shell can sink into the ground over time, especially if compacted well. To prevent this from happening, it is advisable to initially remove the turf on the site of future paths and cover the entire surface with dense black material. A layer of prepared walnut shells is already placed on it. At the very end of the work, the pedestrian area should be compacted as much as possible.
The most popular way to use walnut shells in the garden is to add it to the soil as a fertilizer or soil loosening agent. True, in this case it is necessary to grind the shell to an almost powdery state with a piece size of no more than 1-2 mm.
But there are several problems here:
- Firstly, grinding the shells to such a fine state is a rather labor-intensive operation, and not all gardeners are ready to do this.
- Secondly, many gardeners are afraid of the adverse effects of nut shells on plants in the garden due to the natural antibiotic juglone contained in the fruits.
But juglone is found mainly in the roots, bark, leaves and green skin of walnuts. As the fruits ripen, its concentration in the shell decreases sharply. In addition, there is the most optimal way to deal with both problems - to burn the nut peel and use the resulting ash as fertilizer in the garden. As a result, there will be no need to perform labor-intensive actions to crush the shell, and all substances unsafe for plants will disappear.
The ash itself from burning walnut shells contains at least 6-7% calcium, about 20% potassium, 5% phosphorus, and, in addition, a varied amount of microelements presented in the most digestible form for plants: magnesium, iron, zinc, sulfur and others.
The use of ash from burning the peel is possible in two ways: simply by mixing it with the soil or using it dissolved in warm water for watering or spraying plants.
The main thing to remember is that walnut shells are saturated with a large number of biologically active substances. Therefore, it should be used with caution. You can try to start with small doses, if the effect is only positive, then you should expand the scope of its use in the garden.
Advice from experienced gardeners
Experienced gardeners advise taking a comprehensive approach to the use of walnut shells. Grind a small amount of it whenever possible and add it to the soil for growing tomato and pepper seedlings to improve the mechanical composition.
Larger particles are great for planting mature tomato seedlings and for planting cucumber beds in the garden as drainage.
If there are still concerns about using fresh shells for the garden, they can be placed in the compost heap and avoid any negative impact on the microbiological composition of the soil.
Many lovers of organic farming try to form high or warm beds; even uncrushed peels are also ideal as a filler for their lower layer.
Some gardeners use crushed shells to sprinkle the soil in pots so that it remains loose and does not become crusty from hard watering water.
The ash obtained by burning nut peels is an ideal fertilizer for almost all types of garden crops and flowers. It just needs to be used in moderation. Because its composition is more concentrated than that of ordinary wood ash.
Conclusion
The use of walnut shells in the garden is very diverse. If desired, even a small amount of it can be used to benefit plants or seedlings. And those who are lucky enough to grow walnuts on their plots can afford to utilize this product for the benefit of both the plants and the garden itself.
