Growing Manchurian walnut

Many gardeners in the northern regions dream of growing walnuts. But, even if it is possible to grow a tree to a more or less mature state, it is almost impossible to obtain mature fruits from it. A good alternative to it would be the Manchurian walnut, which does well in the north of the middle zone, right up to the Arkhangelsk region, and in the Urals, and in Siberia.Below are various photos and descriptions of the Manchurian walnut, along with detailed information about the requirements for the culture and its care.

Description of Manchurian walnut

This tree has several other names - Dumbey nut, Ussuri hazel. For residents of the Primorsky region, this giant is not at all a curiosity. Since its homeland is the Far East, China and the Korean Peninsula. In the wild, it grows in river valleys, on humus-rich, breathable soils, in deciduous forests and in mountainous areas up to an altitude of 500-600 m.

Hence its basic requirements for growth conditions. Trees demonstrate high demands on soil fertility. On soils that are too heavy, clayey and cold, it develops slowly, dry tops appear prematurely, and the tree may even die. It can tolerate a temporary lack of moisture because it has a deep root system. And it tolerates flooding only in a short-term mode.

Of all the walnut trees known in nature, this particular variety is the most frost-resistant. It can withstand winter frosts down to - 46 °C, and according to some reports even down to - 52 °C.

True, trees of this species suffer more not so much from winter frosts as from late spring frosts. Its youngest shoots and leaves cannot tolerate even a short-term drop in temperature to -3-4 °C, and can turn black and crumble.Together with them, the flowers also suffer, as a result of which fruiting in the current season may be either too weak or may not be expected at all. Of course, the growth of new young shoots resumes from spare buds, but the overall development of the tree is delayed, and the shoots may not have time to ripen before the next winter.

This nut is light-loving, but can tolerate partial shade. And in the first few years of life it even needs some shading. But if you provide it with a lot of light, this will lead to an expansion of its crown, an acceleration of the onset of fruiting, and an increase in yield.

Trees are relatively smoke and gas resistant. Therefore, they are perfect for landscaping large cities. But even in the country, if you provide it with enough free space, the Manchurian nut will feel excellent, creating shade and comfort and protecting it from blood-sucking insects.

Under natural conditions, trees can reach 28-29 m in height. The trunk width is on average 60-70 cm, but sometimes reaches 100 cm in diameter.

The trunk is usually straight and even, covered with dark gray bark with deep grooves. Young shoots are yellowish-brown, pubescent. The wood has a very beautiful, hard texture. It can be used to make furniture and a variety of artistic products.

Manchurian walnut crown

Walnut trees are distinguished by a decorative crown, which can be spreading or wide-rounded, openwork or quite dense. This is one of the most picturesque trees in the Far Eastern taiga, resembling in its appearance even some varieties of palm trees. Under natural conditions, it often forms several trunks. In cultivation it can be made into a single-stemmed plant.The crown diameter can reach 10 m.

However, in the northern regions it even grows as a bush, which does not at all interfere with harvesting nuts from it.

Manchurian walnut leaves

Of course, such a decorative appearance of the crown is determined, first of all, by the shape and size of the leaves. They are larger in size than walnut leaves. They can reach 100-125 cm in length and up to 40 cm in width. The leaves are imparipinnate. Each leaf consists of 15-19 leaflets.

Manchurian walnut leaves have a rich set of essential oils, phytoncides, alkaloids and other beneficial substances. Therefore, when they are rubbed, a strong characteristic odor appears. The phytoncides that the leaves secrete repel mosquitoes and other insects, so pests practically do not bother the plant. And it itself serves as a reliable protector from blood-sucking insects when designing a recreation area on a personal plot.

In addition, the leaves change color during the growing season, which makes the trees even more attractive. In spring, the leaves are grayish-green, due to pubescence; in summer they become bright green, and in autumn they acquire a yellow-golden hue.

Manchurian walnut roots

The root system of such huge trees as the Manchurian walnut is very powerful and deep. Due to this, the trees are resistant to strong hurricane winds and can even survive short-term droughts. They develop a deep tap root, and shallow lateral roots can also be helped to form. To do this, after the first year of life, the root is cut off at a depth of approximately 40 cm.

How the Manchurian walnut blooms

Being a monoecious plant, Manchurian walnut produces separate male and female flowers. The male flowers look very picturesque, hanging in the form of long earrings that form simultaneously with the buds opening. Female flowers are presented in the form of small, few-flowered racemes formed at the very tips of the shoots.

Pollination occurs mainly due to wind. The time for flowering occurs around April-May. The timing of the blooming of male and female flowers does not always coincide on the same tree, which can complicate self-pollination. Therefore, in order to guarantee harvests, it is recommended to plant several trees of this variety.

Manchurian nut fruits

The fruits of the Manchurian walnut slightly resemble walnuts, but differ in size, shape and, most importantly, internal content, which is clearly visible in the photo of the tree:

They are fixed on the branches in the form of clusters of 3-8 pieces. Their ripening occurs during the period of yellowing of the foliage, which, depending on the weather conditions of the region, can happen either at the end of August or throughout September.

The fruits are oval and even slightly oblong in shape. They are covered with a pericarp, which at first is a thick green peel. As the nuts ripen, the pericarp begins to turn brown and then become covered with dark spots. This means that the fruits inside are ripe. The ripening process is usually uneven and can last for a month. Ripe nuts fall down from the tree and the pericarp is fully opened.

The fruits themselves have a very durable and strong shell, compared to walnuts. The fruit sizes are about 3 cm wide and up to 6 cm long.

The nut kernels inside are not only edible, but also have a delicious taste. They contain about 55% valuable edible oil. True, the mass of nucleoli in relation to the mass of the whole fruit is only about 20%. In addition, they are quite difficult to extract from nuts.

But the good quality of the fruit reaches 98%. This means that the percentage of high-quality (unspoiled) kernels in nuts is very high.

Walnut shells are a valuable material for making decorative jewelry, boxes and other folk art items. It is also used as a dye to create various dark color shades.

How fast does Manchurian nut grow?

This nut is capable of developing and growing very quickly. One-year-old seedlings have a height of about 25-30 cm. Already in the second year, depending on growth conditions, they can reach a height of 50-80 cm. At three years, the height of some seedlings can exceed 100 cm. And at 5 years, reach 2 m. In the period from 5 to 20 years, the growth rate may be greatest. Thus, annual growth during this period can range from 50 cm to 1 m.

Under natural conditions, 10-year-old trees can reach a height of 4-5 m, and the diameter of their trunk is 5-6 cm. The most intensive tree growth continues until 80-90 years, and then slows down significantly. At the same time, trees easily live up to 200, and sometimes up to 300 years. But after they turn 100 years old, the main growth stops, and new shoots grow only to replace the damaged ones.

What year does the Manchurian nut bear fruit?

The timing of fruiting depends on the growing conditions and the care provided to the tree. Under good conditions, the first fruits can appear at 5-7 years of age. But decent yields from a tree can be expected only in the 12-14th year of life.

How to germinate Manchurian nuts at home

Seed propagation is the main method of this nut. Because cuttings take root very poorly and require the use of stimulants and a special professional approach. Some valuable varieties can be propagated using grafting to maintain the purity of the variety. After all, when propagating from seeds, it is not always possible to guarantee complete preservation of the qualities of the mother plant.

The germination rate of seeds when sown in soil is about 70%. And if you germinate nuts at home, their germination rate can be increased to 85-90%. But for this it is necessary to carry out preliminary stratification, and the planting of the Manchurian walnut will be carried out in the spring. For successful germination, it is best to take one- or two-year-old fruits. Starting from the age of three, the germination rate of nuts begins to rapidly decline.

The following describes step-by-step steps for germinating nuts at home.

1. Immediately after collection, the nuts are stored in a cellar or other cool place until stratification begins.
2. Stratification can last from 2 to 6 months. Therefore, already in November or December, the fruits are removed from the storage place and placed in a container filled with wet river sand.
3. The nuts should be completely covered with sand.
4. The container is placed in a plastic bag with several holes and placed for two months in a place with a temperature of about + 3-5 ° C.
   Important! Once a week, the container with fruits must be checked to ensure moisture is maintained and there is no mold.
5. After just a few months, some nuts may begin to germinate on their own.
   
6. In any case, about a month before the intended planting in the ground, the fruits are removed from the sand and washed in warm water.
7. The nuts are then placed in a deep container filled with warm water for about 10 days. The water in the container must be changed every day.
8. At the last stage, the fruits are placed in a box with sterile light soil at a depth of about 7-8 cm.
9. The box is left at room temperature.
10. Within a month, the nuts should germinate to some extent. For some, the shell may simply break apart, while others may even develop a root and sprout.

Now the fruits are ready for planting in the ground. If it’s still cold outside, they can be temporarily planted one at a time in large pots. But it should be borne in mind that the development of seedlings can occur too quickly, and the root can be easily damaged during transplantation.

There is another method, the so-called accelerated stratification of nuts. To do this, in March, the fruits are filled with hot water (with a temperature of about + 50-70 ° C) for a day. Then the fruits are buried in damp sand and left in normal room conditions. Within a month, the nuts begin to sprout and can be transplanted into open ground, preferably to a permanent place.

How to plant Manchurian walnut

The planting site for good growth and development of trees should be chosen taking into account the following factors:

1. There should be no permanent buildings or tall trees at the planting site or nearby within a radius of 10 m, in order to avoid problems with the root system in the future.
2. It is known that secretions from Manchurian walnut leaves have a depressing effect on the growth and development of some plants, in particular grapes and serviceberry. Therefore, walnut plantings should not be placed near these plants.
3. The place should not flood in the spring, and the groundwater level should not be too high.
4. The reaction of the soil for planting seeds can be anything: from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. It is only advisable to ensure good drainage and some supply of nutrients. Typically, wood ash is added for these purposes.
5. To ensure good drainage, the bottom of the planting hole is filled with a mixture of stones or broken bricks and sand to approximately 1/3 of the depth of the dug hole.

If there are any ambiguities in the description of planting a Manchurian walnut, then a photo or attached video will help illustrate the intricacies of the process.

The depth of planting seeds is 8-10 cm. Usually 2-3 nuts are placed in one hole, and then only the strongest sprout is left. In this case, the distance between the holes is left about 10-12 m.

You can do it differently. Sow the seeds in the so-called school, from where they will be transplanted to a permanent place of growth in the fall. In the school on one square. m you can place no more than 10 fruits.

You should know that Manchurian walnut seedlings in the first year of life, first of all, grow a tap root, the length of which can reach 50-70 cm by autumn. And the above-ground part develops at a much slower pace. For this reason, it is advisable to carry out the transplant as soon as possible.Already in the second year of life, there is a possibility of causing significant damage to the root system when transplanting the seedling to a permanent location.

If you treat the fruits before planting with kerosene or another means of protection that is unattractive to mice, then the best option would be to plant them in the ground in the fall, almost immediately after harvest. In this case, there is no need for stratification, since it occurs naturally. Nuts germinate much faster than during spring planting, the seedlings are more powerful and viable, and by autumn the wood on the shoots has time to ripen well and thereby prepare for harsh winter conditions.

Fruits are usually planted shortly before permanent snow cover is established. And they make sure that in winter the landing site is constantly covered with a large layer of snow.

How to grow Manchurian nut

Growing this variety of nut is not as difficult as it might seem, especially if you follow all its basic care requirements.

How to water and feed

Manchurian walnut is quite demanding on the amount of moisture present in the roots. It cannot tolerate long-term stagnation of moisture (more than 5-7 days) or its lack. Young seedlings whose root systems are not yet sufficiently developed are especially sensitive to lack of moisture. In the first two years of life, young plants require regular watering, at least once a week, especially if the weather is dry. From the third year of life, it is enough to water the trees once a month. In severe drought, young seedlings can be additionally irrigated with a hose or sprayer to maintain the freshness of leaves and young shoots.

Feeding is necessary for young trees, starting from the second year of life. It is best to apply it in May-June, during the period of the most intensive growth and formation of trees. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are used as fertilizing. Most often it is wood ash with superphosphate. If necessary, fertilizing can be repeated at the end of July, beginning of August, but not later, so as not to cause excessive growth processes during this period.

A useful procedure for growing all types of nuts is to annually dig up the trees in a strip running approximately around the circumference of the crown. This is usually done in the spring after the ground has completely thawed. This procedure helps saturate the upper layers of the earth with oxygen. You can lightly fill the dug trench with humus, which will serve as additional fertilizer for the tree.

How to trim Manchurian walnut

If the Manchurian walnut has a sufficient amount of free space for normal growth, then it practically does not need pruning and crown formation. It naturally forms an attractive wide crown without any special tricks. Therefore, pruning must be carried out exclusively for sanitary purposes, while removing dried or broken branches.

Moreover, this procedure is carried out mainly in late spring, so as not to cause too much trouble for the trees at the moment of maximum sap flow.

How to shape a Manchurian nut

The formation of a tree, as mentioned above, is not required if the plant is provided with optimal conditions for growth and development.If for some reason the gardener wants to form a bush from the tree or reduce the overall height of the plant, then in the second year it is necessary to cut the central trunk in half. In this case, the tree will grow in the form of a multi-trunk composition.

How to prepare Manchurian nuts for winter

It is advisable to additionally insulate young seedlings before winter. To do this, the trunk and main skeletal branches are wrapped with non-woven insulating material or simply burlap. To protect the Manchurian walnut tree from damage by rodents, it is additionally wrapped in a net, which is also buried in the ground around it. After heavy snowfalls, the surface of the snow around tree trunks is additionally trampled down to prevent rodents from making tunnels in the root zone of trees.

This variety of nuts is particularly resistant to sunburn, which poses a particular danger in the spring. Therefore, in both autumn and spring, the trunk and main skeletal branches must be coated with a mixture of lime and clay mortars with the addition of an adhesive.

Features of cultivation in different regions

Due to its special frost resistance and relative unpretentiousness, Manchurian walnut can be grown in various regions of Russia, where it can easily replace more heat-loving and unstable varieties of nuts.

Growing Manchurian walnut in Siberia

Oddly enough, the harsh Siberian conditions are quite suitable for the successful cultivation of this variety of nut. After all, trees can withstand especially low winter temperatures relatively easily. Both spring and summer in Siberia come later than in the middle zone.But on the other hand, the trees wake up later and do not have time to fall under spring frosts, which can greatly delay the development of nuts in the middle zone.

Of course, the sowing of seeds in Siberian conditions shifts to May and approximately coincides with the period when potatoes are usually planted. And in the fall, it is advisable to wrap young seedlings more tightly, especially in the first years of life. Otherwise, planting and caring for Manchurian walnut in Siberia is fundamentally no different from other regions.

Growing Manchurian walnut in the Urals

When growing Manchurian walnuts in the Urals, all standard requirements for caring for this crop must be observed.

Of the features, we can only note that it is advisable to plant and transplant seedlings in the spring, so that the trees have more opportunities to take root in a new place and grow stronger.

The second care feature concerns the pruning procedure. In the conditions of the Urals, both early (in April, May and even the first half of June) and late (July-August) pruning can cause damage to trunks and branches, which will be more susceptible to freezing in these places in winter. Therefore, tree pruning can be done in the Urals only in the second half of June or early July.

Growing Manchurian walnut in the Moscow region

In the Moscow region, special attention must be paid to fertilizing and the health of the tree, since its viability and ability to overcome adverse weather conditions (late spring frosts) most of all depends on this. Both planting and caring for Manchurian walnuts in the Moscow region must be carried out very carefully, in compliance with all agrotechnical practices (watering, fertilizing, mulching, digging and loosening).

For fertilizing, you can use complex fertilizers at the beginning of summer and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers in the second half of summer.

Warming young seedlings for the winter and protecting them from spring sunburn is also more than important.

When to collect Manchurian nuts

Depending on the climatic conditions of the region and the characteristics of this particular nut variety, its fruits ripen from late August to late September. Usually, ripe fruits fall from the tree on their own, so collecting them is not particularly difficult. The fruiting period can be extended for 3-5 weeks. If you want to make jam from green fruits (similar to what is made from walnuts), then they are collected green directly from the tree at the end of June or July.

Why does the Manchurian nut not bear fruit?

The most common reason for the lack of fruiting in Manchurian walnut is the freezing of female and male flowers during late spring frosts. After all, for them, a one-time drop in temperature to -1-2 °C is enough so that ovaries cannot form in the current season. And if this situation repeats every year, which in recent years can be quite a frequent occurrence, then fruits may not form for several years in a row.

Planting seedlings in conditions of significant shading can also cause a significant delay in the onset of fruiting.

Sometimes the demands of nuts on soil fertility can be affected. Although sometimes they can “grow fat” in too comfortable conditions, and in this case you may not expect fruit either.

And the simplest reason for the lack of fruit is growing a single tree, in which male and female flowers bloom at different times.To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to ensure in advance that the trees do not grow in splendid isolation, but have several brothers growing nearby.

How to propagate Manchurian walnut

Manchurian walnut produces active shoots from a felled stump and is able to retain this ability until old age. Therefore, the tree can be rejuvenated at any time.

But the most common method of propagation of this nut is by seed, which is described in detail above.

Experts also practice the method of propagating particularly valuable varieties using grafting.

Manchurian nut grafting

The main problem with this propagation method is that an adult tree is not suitable as a rootstock. It is necessary to grow the rootstock from seeds so that its trunk is approximately equal in diameter to the branch that is going to be grafted.

Particularly popular is the Manchurian walnut grafting. This makes it possible to grow a walnut tree more resistant to low winter temperatures.

Pests and diseases of Manchurian nut

With proper care, this type of nut is practically not affected by pests and diseases. Mainly due to the actively secreted phytoncides of the leaves, which repel parasites.

Among the potential pests, only the gall mite and gall mite can be noted, which are controlled with the help of special insecticides. And the only disease that occurs is black spotting, which is easy to get rid of with the help of copper-containing preparations.

Conclusion

The photo and description of the Manchurian walnut, which can be found in the article, will help, even in difficult climatic conditions, to grow trees that produce fruits that are not inferior in taste and nutrition to southern walnuts.

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