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My dad uses the dye from the hull(?) for woodworking. I personally managed to scrape the green shell off of a couple of them...by then I was to tired to try to eat them. LOL I have about 5 waiting to be de-hulled. Sooo...you need to de-hull them and then dry them, right? I'll try that.
they are a lot of work, between getting the hulls off and breaking that incredibly hard shell open w/out pulverizing the nutmeat. incidentally, the shells are so hard that they are used industrially as an industrial abrasive.
hickory nuts are almost equally hard to shell, plus there is less nutmeat inside.
they are a lot of work, between getting the hulls off and breaking that incredibly hard shell open w/out pulverizing the nutmeat. incidentally, the shells are so hard that they are used industrially as an industrial abrasive.
hickory nuts are almost equally hard to shell, plus there is less nutmeat inside.
In post number 4 azoria mentions a bench mounted vice. I have a large vice that is excellent at cracking these shells. The advantage of the vice is that it allows slow pressure - instead of shattering the shell and meat of the nut.
This is still best done after the nuts have dried.
Does anybody know the best way to plant walnuts to start new trees? Is it as simple as just burring the nuts in the ground or do we have to worry about squirrels and chipmunks?
In post number 4 azoria mentions a bench mounted vice. I have a large vice that is excellent at cracking these shells. The advantage of the vice is that it allows slow pressure - instead of shattering the shell and meat of the nut.
This is still best done after the nuts have dried.
Does anybody know the best way to plant walnuts to start new trees? Is it as simple as just burring the nuts in the ground or do we have to worry about squirrels and chipmunks?
I have a lot of vices, as well. I wonder which one is bad enough to crack a walnut shell?
In post number 4 azoria mentions a bench mounted vice. I have a large vice that is excellent at cracking these shells. The advantage of the vice is that it allows slow pressure - instead of shattering the shell and meat of the nut.
This is still best done after the nuts have dried.
Does anybody know the best way to plant walnuts to start new trees? Is it as simple as just burring the nuts in the ground or do we have to worry about squirrels and chipmunks?
yeah, a good vise is the best bet to avoid powdered nuts.
as for planting, i started some seedlings by filling a big pot half-full of soil, layering on a half dozen hulled walnuts, topping it off with soil, and then left it out in the weather all winter to get rained/snowed on, as they need vernalization. they started emerging in april or may. i was concerned the squirrels might dig them up but didn't have any problems. your mileage may vary..
yeah, a good vise is the best bet to avoid powdered nuts.
as for planting, i started some seedlings by filling a big pot half-full of soil, layering on a half dozen hulled walnuts, topping it off with soil, and then left it out in the weather all winter to get rained/snowed on, as they need vernalization. they started emerging in april or may. i was concerned the squirrels might dig them up but didn't have any problems. your mileage may vary..
Thanks uggabugga,
My mother just lost a walnut about 18 inches in diameter. I have three nice eight foot logs I cut out of the trunk. I think that I know somebody with a portable saw mill. I will also try to start some seedlings.
I did that with a large wild cherry tree at my house. I paid to have the wood cut and then hauled it down to a Mennonite cabinet maker. He dry killed the wood and made my wife a corner cupboard and a great kitchen table. What is also very special about the furniture is that we have the whole history taped to the underside - we took pictures of before the tree fell, as it was cut into lengths, as it was cut into boards and finally the finished pieces. It is a great way to have your own heirloom furniture.
kinkytoes,
Normally the bigger the vice the more pressure you can exert with the same force.
My mother just lost a walnut about 18 inches in diameter. I have three nice eight foot logs I cut out of the trunk. I think that I know somebody with a portable saw mill. I will also try to start some seedlings.
I did that with a large wild cherry tree at my house. I paid to have the wood cut and then hauled it down to a Mennonite cabinet maker. He dry killed the wood and made my wife a corner cupboard and a great kitchen table. What is also very special about the furniture is that we have the whole history taped to the underside - we took pictures of before the tree fell, as it was cut into lengths, as it was cut into boards and finally the finished pieces. It is a great way to have your own heirloom furniture.
i don't understand why black cherry isn't one of the most popular trees around - it's tough as hell, a fast grower, not particularly messy [unlike black walnut], and produces beautiful wood that also makes superior firewood.
i bought a couple cords of firewood in indiana that was mostly cherry, and it was so pretty [smelled great, too] that i felt guilty splitting it up and putting it in the woodstove
i don't understand why black cherry isn't one of the most popular trees around - it's tough as hell, a fast grower, not particularly messy [unlike black walnut], and produces beautiful wood that also makes superior firewood.
i bought a couple cords of firewood in indiana that was mostly cherry, and it was so pretty [smelled great, too] that i felt guilty splitting it up and putting it in the woodstove
I own five acres and had many wild cherry trees when we first move here. Every spring my garage doors were covered with the tent caterpillars. It was easier to put the trees in the woodstove than to try to spray to eliminate all the tent caterpillars. My troubles went away after I removed the smaller trees. After the large cherry trees get pretty big; they do not have the same problem. I did leave my largest trees - but they have their own issues with carpenter ants (that is why we had one large one sawed up and made into furniture).
By the way; wild cherry is one of the most difficult woods to hand split. I used to swing a monster maul and I remember one cherry, that I cut almost all the way down with the chainsaw, to get it to split. I would rather split rock or red oak any day.
I own five acres and had many wild cherry trees when we first move here. Every spring my garage doors were covered with the tent caterpillars. It was easier to put the trees in the woodstove than to try to spray to eliminate all the tent caterpillars. My troubles went away after I removed the smaller trees. After the large cherry trees get pretty big; they do not have the same problem. I did leave my largest trees - but they have their own issues with carpenter ants (that is why we had one large one sawed up and made into furniture).
By the way; wild cherry is one of the most difficult woods to hand split. I used to swing a monster maul and I remember one cherry, that I cut almost all the way down with the chainsaw, to get it to split. I would rather split rock or red oak any day.
interesting comments. i have had little problem with tent caterpillars on cherry in either IN or MD - just small infestations on a couple of the younger trees, as you mentioned. and i haven't found cherry to be very difficult to split with a maul or wedges - maybe b/c it was already fairly well seasoned?
the worst-splitting wood i have tackled is probably siberian elm, but i liked the way it burns when it finally is split. also i had some pieces of mystery wood in a couple of cords of slabwood i bought last winter that was the worst of all- i never figured out what kind of wood that was but it had distinctly red underbark and the wood itself was very white-appearing.
interesting comments. i have had little problem with tent caterpillars on cherry in either IN or MD - just small infestations on a couple of the younger trees, as you mentioned. and i haven't found cherry to be very difficult to split with a maul or wedges - maybe b/c it was already fairly well seasoned?
the worst-splitting wood i have tackled is probably siberian elm, but i liked the way it burns when it finally is split. also i had some pieces of mystery wood in a couple of cords of slabwood i bought last winter that was the worst of all- i never figured out what kind of wood that was but it had distinctly red underbark and the wood itself was very white-appearing.
Possibly it was just a very gnarly cherry tree? I used to burn 16 cords of wood a year - that is a lot of work. I got tired of wood over the years. I installed oil hot water heat and got away from electric heat years ago. I even sold my wood burner and got rid of the fireplace insert. I did not want to look back. We still have two fireplaces - which we only burn on special occasions.
I’m in northeastern PA. I also have apple and pear trees. After I got rid of the cherries; I did not have as many problems with the apple and pear trees - I still sprayed the fruit trees. I almost forgot that I had peaches about that time. The peach trees died off over the years - they also had problems with the tent caterpillars.
I have been trying to find my old portable sawmill man for my mother’s walnut. So far I have not had any success. I am hoping to get some decent furniture lumber out of the tree. Have you ever considered having one of your trees cut for lumber to make furniture? You have plenty of Amish and Mennonite cabinet /furniture makers in Indiana. The idea of having the entire history of the wood, with the furniture, really appealed to us.
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