When to transplant walnut seedlings

[Mike Seager]

Last fall we had a tremendous crop of black walnuts from some yard trees. On a lark I saved some of the nuts and planted them in one gallon pots with a mixture of topsoil and leaf compost. They responded better than I expected - I now have a dozen seedlings 6-12 inches tall in these pots.

When should I set them out? I had thought to wait until they were dormant in the fall, or perhaps keep them potted until next spring, but at the rate they are going they will outgrow the pots soon. Should I put them out now? Transplant them to larger pots?

 

[Rebecca Hargrave]

Hey Mike,

Now is a good time. Trees can be planted almost all year, except when the ground is frozen. It's not recommended during the really hot weather of July and August. In 1 gallon pots, you could wait until next year to plant them, there should be enough rooting space. If you do hold them over in the pots be sure to bury the pots in the ground or mulch them well so they don't freeze. The advantage of keeping them in the pots another year is that it's easier to keep track of and protect small trees when they are all close together.

Glad to hear they are doing so well.