mrsartz
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Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 10:30 pm
Location: Zone 5b Central Pennsylvania

Unknown plant=Black Walnut tree that grew from root of tree

I posted up a pic of a plant that I wasn't sure if it was a tomato, herb or weed. With a few tips from you wonderful people (thank you!) I figured out that it was a Black Walnut tree. I went to pull it and it wouldn't budge so I went and got out the spade. I dug and figured out that it's a root coming from the tree that's about 50 feet from the front of my house.

Any suggestions on what I can do to keep the roots and other roots from growing to and through my foundation?

Also, how far away from this tree will I be able to safely plant my vegetable garden?

Ugh!

Dillbert
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Posts: 955
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:29 pm
Location: Central PA

I could be wrong, but to the best of my knowledge black walnuts do not produce "root sprouts" - their root system is mostly a "tap root" - it would however be entirely probable that a nut fell there and rooted....

black walnuts produce juglone aka they are alleopathic - ie they inhibit growth of (most - but not all) other plants.

if you stay farther than the "drip line" - the max. diameter of the branches - you should be okay - but noting that the tree grows every year so every year the drip line diameter gets a bit bigger. not a problem year one to year two - could become an issue year one to year ten.....

mrsartz
Full Member
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 10:30 pm
Location: Zone 5b Central Pennsylvania

Dillbert wrote:I could be wrong, but to the best of my knowledge black walnuts do not produce "root sprouts" - their root system is mostly a "tap root" - it would however be entirely probable that a nut fell there and rooted....

black walnuts produce juglone aka they are alleopathic - ie they inhibit growth of (most - but not all) other plants.

if you stay farther than the "drip line" - the max. diameter of the branches - you should be okay - but noting that the tree grows every year so every year the drip line diameter gets a bit bigger. not a problem year one to year two - could become an issue year one to year ten.....

The tap root makes sense since there was only one root attached to the bottom of the plant. However, it only grew for about a month and a half now and the root is somewhere between a half and 3/4 inch in diameter at it's thickest point and I couldn't find the bottom. I realized it was growing from the direction of the tree. I'd have to dig up concrete to get to the rest of this root.

Good, as far as going beyond the "drip line"...I still have plenty of room for a veggie garden that will get plenty of sun all day long. Thank you!


Again...ugh!

Dillbert
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Posts: 955
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:29 pm
Location: Central PA

>>ugh!

we had a batch of black walnut that had grown wild on a custom build lot.

we took out three of them - about 10-12" diameter, nice straight trunks.

a woodworking guy came in, cut them down, trimmed, ground out the stumps, cleaned up the mess, and left us with $1500 cash for each.

might be a silver Ugh! to the lining . . . (g)

mrsartz
Full Member
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 10:30 pm
Location: Zone 5b Central Pennsylvania

Dillbert wrote:>>ugh!

we had a batch of black walnut that had grown wild on a custom build lot.

we took out three of them - about 10-12" diameter, nice straight trunks.

a woodworking guy came in, cut them down, trimmed, ground out the stumps, cleaned up the mess, and left us with $1500 cash for each.

might be a silver Ugh! to the lining . . . (g)
Thanks a lot! That's good to know. I don't think I want to have it cut down but if I ever decide to then that's great!

It's a double trunk and my neighbor suggested that I put a sling on it if I don't want it to split. Now to figure out how to do that. Maybe hubby will actually ask for directions from the neighbor. :roll:



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