Is it OK to compost walnut leaves? A friend of mine tell me that I shouldn’t because they contain some kind of acid or chemical that is no good for your vegetable garden.
Re: How to compost cuttings correctly and KALE? Walnuts and related species (butternut, pecan, and hickory) create a plant toxin called juglone. It will stunt the growth or kill SOME plants (including most garden vegetables and fruit trees), while others, such as paw-paw and oak, are not affected. So if you compost walnut leaves, simply use the compost around juglone resistant plants and keep it out of our vegetable garden, and you will be fine. A list of juglone tolerant plants can be found at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/info_walnut_toxicity.htm But really... its takes a lot of walnut leaves to kill a tomato vine, so dont be worried about the odd leaf in your vegetables.
