Is it really true that I will not be able to get anything to grow under my black walnut tree in Berkeley? Are there any soil amendments out there which will help my plants to compete with the tree?
Hello, Check out this thread: Toxicity of Walnut Trees Particularly, the fifth post in the thread gives a link to an article about the toxicity of walnut trees, but more important to you, the article also gives a list of plants that will survive beneath the canopy of a walnut tree.
Daniel has pointed you towards a great link...........a lot of great information in that write up. "Is it really true that I will not be able to get anything to grow under my black walnut tree in Berkeley? " In regards to your question...................all Black Walnuts (Junglans nigra) release growth inhibiting chemicals called Allelopathic chemicals which inhibit the growth of many of its competitors. This isn't location specific. It can happen the backyards of Illinois or in my own backyard up here in southern Manitoba. Regardless, if anyone is thinking of planting a new Black Walnut or is trying to correct any problems that an existing Black Walnut has created or if anyone wants to know what to plant in adjacent areas around an existing Black Walnut, they really should do some reading to adequately understand what is happening or what is going to happen in the future...................perhaps the link that Daniel has brought to our attention. T. Shane Freeman