What is best time to? Husk outside she’ll? Neighbor says something about placing them in a bucket of water. Float or sink are the best to plant?

I usually just pile them up out in the weather so they will soften up. Of course you may need a fence around them or the squirrels will rob you blind and/or plant them where you don't want them. To plant I like in winter when ground is not frozen and when the ground is really soft and just heel them in.

The state of Illinois used to would only supply seedlings if you had north slopes, they said if you plant them on south slopes the sun shinning on frozen trees would cause them to split. I never did believe it much. But the college boys know best, but they weren't smart enough to not import the Russian Olives in from up north where the cold weather helps control them. They really flourish down here.

Don’t plant them anywhere near a place you might want to grow a garden later. That’s all I know about them lol

Bob is correct. They are toxic to many plants.

Don't plant them where you mow, we have a huge black walnut tree in the yard that always yields many walnuts, it is a pain in the neck to pick them up to mow every week.

my horses and squirrels always planted mine...so I guess its not rocket science.

The floaters are the bad ones

I have planted hundreds. I have transplanted hundreds. I have a Black Walnut bush also. No kidding. I have found the best way to plant black walnuts is the same way squirrels do. I drop a green nut on the ground, grind it in with my heel then kick some duff over it. They absolutely have to freeze it seems. So not too deep or too much duff. Plant plenty as the critters will find some. The black walnut bush was by accident. I cut a "squirrel planted" walnut in my wood lot early one spring. the stump sprouted several shoots right away. I left it go for a year then next spring cut the shoots about 4 foot. Now I just keep it knocked back every spring. Its about 10 or so years old now. I have a few odd shaped trees and bushes, just because I could. I have a Lilac with 3 trunks growing through a old 1950s Schwinn bike, one in each rim and one through the frame....

Another thing I notice about Black walnuts, just seen it today as mine are just starting to drop. All the squirrels around turn into Black Face squirrels. Their faces and front paws are all black from shucking them hulls. I got my trap dye batch all gathered. I use one of those wire fish baskets, fill about 1/4 with whole nuts then into the boiling water for dying traps. Lift it out drop in the traps. I then put the basket back in on top of the traps.

My rat trapping partner has two big ones in his yard. Their gardens needed to be moved as the trees grew and picking up bushels of walnuts gets old for sure.

Bryce

Feedinggrounds has it right, they are easy to grow. I get volunteer Black walnuts and butternuts popping up all over my property from squirrels planting them and just from falling and getting covered lightly with leaves.

They do need cold and moist before they will germinate. Either plant them in fall or use cold-stratification in your fridge.

nt2 is right, if you want to check, the floaters are the bad ones.

Soon time to start seeing black-faced squirrel around here.

I just mow over them Nittany.

all you need is a garden or flower bed within a hundred yards of a walnut tree and the squirrels will make it a nursery. mike

all you need is a garden or flower bed within a hundred yards of a walnut tree and the squirrels will make it a nursery. mike

I'm planning on planting a couple dozen around the edges of two small swamps on my property

Do deer like them? What about bears?

Never seen deer eat them, or bear. But I have Hazelnuts that the deer been getting too close to.

I find they will grow on dry uplands, but semi damp but not wet areas are best. I guess what I am saying is they are not like a Black Ash that can thrive when roots are submerged in the spring for a bit. But surface ground stays above water, but the Walnuts roots can find water easily. Then on the other hand, having worked with the Black walnut wood, the slow growing dry upland tree gives much better wood quality. The bottom land faster growing tree gives more and bigger walnuts. At the end of the day, the walnuts are plentiful, plant them everywhere and the trees that are going to make it will. And yes they will pop up where ever the black faced squirrels put them. I find plenty every winter as I work through my covered firewood stacks, wondering how the squirrel got them tucked in there.

We have an Indian Reservation about 40 miles from where I live. I attended several seminars on planting walnuts for timber production in those Missouri River Bluffs (hand, machine and aerial). The absolute best success they had was to drive an old pick-up through the logged over trails and deposit (shovel) small piles of walnuts out of the tailgate every 200 yards, come back in November and hunt the heck out of the local squirrel population!!!! More cost effective and better distribution of desirable tree seeds than the other methods used. Low maintenance and about as Green as you can get with excellent results. I liked that Forester.......................................... the mike

Wearing a pair of rubber gloves (stain) and plant nut w/shell and all. Put them about 3-4 inches down in good soil.

Do not plant near a garden or your home yard. You will be sorry.

Didya think how the squirrels do it? They have been planting for 1000s of years.
They are very good at it.
BTW I've never seen a walnut tree in a swampy area.

just