Have a couple of trees I planted about 15 yrs ago. Started yielding nuts about 4 yrs ago. About 25 ft tall,6-8” at the base. Some limbs are now laying on the ground. Normal? Should they be trimmed and what time of yr? In zone 4-5.
Thanks

I have several in the yard. I prune them so I can mow under them. I'll have limbs so full of nuts that they will break. I would trim them. I don't worry about the time of year I figure pruning is better that them breaking.
Leave an inch or two so the trunk doesn't rot leaving a easy path for insects.
just

I have a good friend who grows 600 acres of them. They always prune after harvest, in late October or early November.

It does seem to matter when you trim fruit or nut trees.

Pete

I have native walnut in my yard I planted in the mid 80s. Cant remember when it started bearing nuts but I get a bumper crop every year since. I don't trim anything on it, although the line companies do every 5 years. Biggest mistake of my life, I cant mow under or around that tree for nuts. We never had grey squirrels around much til they started bearing and the squirrels cant even keep up with cleaning them up. Im guessing its 12" and about 40' tall.
Funny story- My neighbor was complaining to me about MY squirrels trashing his house. They were storing walnuts above his drop ceiling until they couldn't bear anymore and collapsed. He said he had a foot of walnuts through his kitchen on the floor. He was literally using a wheelbarrow to cart them out.

We have a huge black walnut tree in the backyard. Lot of branches have broke off this summer. Loaded with walnuts-squirrels are happy/ my wife not so happy!

We have 9 of them out back. I can't shoot the red squirrels fast enough. Mind are all pruned up high so they aren't in the way

Thanks

don't leave a stub (but DON'T "flush cut" with the trunk, either!)

learn how to make proper pruning cuts just outside the branch bark collar.

Wow whagt a mess!!!

Everytime I see a squirrel running across the road towards his house with a nut in its mouth I smile.

2X

I was trained it's better on a tree to trim during its dormant period to prevent disease but as AKAjust mentioned trim before a limb snaps.I'm jumping on this post mainly because if you have a true black walnut and not an English variety the hulls of a black walnut makes an outstanding trap dye. I have never tried an English variety but am advised they make a brown dye not comparable to the black. If I had access to a black walnut tree bearing fruit I doubt I'd ever buy bagged dye again.

Our Foresters trim in mid to late August here. It gives the tree time to seal over before frost and it is late enough that the leaves have converted/stored enough carbs for winter that the few weeks lost in the growing season will not hurt. They do not prune or trim during the dormant season due to the unprotected condition of the tree. THEY WILL prune/trim in April when the tree first shows signs of sap movement so the tree can repair and seal the new cut(s). This is all done for producing the best marketable tree they can with the time allotted. In a farmstead or field wind break the walnuts (and most other nut bearing trees) are planted on the inside rows and trimmed for 3-5 years depending on height. I planned and planted hundreds of windbreaks/tree block plantings where we used cottonwoods as "trainer" trees for walnuts, then walnuts as "trainer" trees for red oaks and finally red oaks as "trainer" trees for white oaks. This was done to get the faster growers to cause the slower ones to grow up and not out reducing the lateral/angled branches, producing a straighter, trunk/log. They will self prune and put more growth up for sunlight. All the "trainers" have value and can be cut and marketed as the target trees develop. My experience...... the mike