When Is the Best Time to Plant Walnuts? A Detailed Look at the Benefits of Scattered Planting

Walnut is a nut with high nutritional value. People often say that eating walnuts boosts intelligence, because the internal structure of a walnut resembles the structure of the human brain. Walnuts are grown in many parts of our country, and trees over a hundred years old can still maintain a relatively high yield. So when are walnuts generally planted? What are the benefits of scattered planting?

1. When are walnuts generally planted?

Generally speaking, from the time walnut saplings enter the “dormant” or “semi-dormant” state (the Start of Autumn) until the saplings bud the following year, this whole period is tree-planting season. But within this period, the earlier you plant, the better. Why? Because during late autumn and early winter, whether in the south or the north of our country, soil temperature (ground temperature) is mostly above 15°C. When ground temperature is above 15°C, the root system of walnut saplings remains active. Plant at this time, and the sapling's roots quickly grow into the soil; when air temperature rises in spring, the water and nutrients in the soil are rapidly transmitted through the roots to the tree body, so the sapling grows fast, vigorously and strong. If you plant in spring, air temperature rises quickly, and the tree body urgently needs water and nutrients to sprout, but at that time the seedling roots have not yet grown into the soil and cannot supply them, so many saplings die from “cut-off of nourishment.” Even if they do not die, they remain in a “neither dead nor alive” state for a long time, with essentially no growth at all. So we often say: planting trees in autumn is like a dream, planting trees in spring is like a disease.

2. What are the benefits of scattered planting of walnuts?

1. Maintains ventilation and light penetration. The walnut tree is a light-loving species, and only under conditions of ample sunlight, good ventilation and a warm, cool climate can it set fruit heavily and yield well. If planted as a block plantation, the canopies connect with one another, light inside the canopy is weak and ventilation is poor, the leaves inside the canopy are few, thin and small and tend to fall early, the inner canopy sets little or no fruit, and the fruit is distributed only on the branch tips at the outer edge of the canopy; yield per tree and yield per unit area are both 20%-40% lower than with scattered planting.

2. Does not compete for farmland soil. Scattered planting of walnut trees makes full use of scattered open spaces such as field edges, field borders, ditch slopes, gaps, village surroundings and courtyards, without competing with farmland for land. At the same time, the environmental conditions of scattered planting are also favourable to the growth and development of walnut trees, so high yields can be obtained.

3. Per-plant yield is somewhat increased. Scattered planting of walnut trees gives high yield per tree, a wide suitable planting range and a large total planting area. With scattered planting, they can be planted on small plots unsuitable for crops, such as field edges, field borders, ditch slopes, gaps and open spaces beside villages, and can be planted by tucking them into any available spot. The number of plants and the spacing between rows and plants are not restricted, but the spacing between two adjacent plants should be no less than 10 m.

4. Suppresses the occurrence of pests and diseases. Scattered planting has a certain suppressive effect on the occurrence and spread of walnut pests and diseases, promoting high quality and high yield of walnuts.