- 1). Prepare the ground for planting. Reducing weeds and other vegetation competing for water and nutrients can give your seeds a better survival rate. Remove any stumps and sod and rototill the area where you plan to plant your seeds. If you want to use chemicals to control weeds, the University of Minnesota Extension recommends pre-emergent chemicals, which have less chance of hurting the seeds than other types of chemicals.
- 2). Determine the proper spacing for your trees. Allow 200 to 300 square feet around each black walnut tree, unless you plan to harvest the trees for timber. For timber production you can reduce the spacing to 50 to 100 square feet. For chestnut trees, The American Chestnut Association recommends a spacing of 150 to 200 square feet around each.
- 3). Give seeds a head start by planting them indoors between February and the end of March. Plant them in cardboard milk cartons lined with wadded newspaper or shredded paper. Both paper and cardboard degrade, allowing the roots to grow through them. Mix 50 percent soil with 50 percent peat moss.
- 4). Plant trees in the starter boxes. For black walnuts, soak the seeds and remove the husk before planting. If the seeds float, discard them. For chestnut seeds, plant them on their sides. Push the nut to a depth of ½ to 1 inch and cover with soil, using one seed per carton.
- 5). Place your starter seeds in a sunny area. On a daily basis, water the soil so it's damp but not soaked. You can check the soil to determine whether it's moist before you water; if so, wait a day to water.
- 6). Determine the last frost date for your area. The farther north you go, the later this date will be. In the South, the last frost date may be as early as the end of April, and in the North, it often won't occur until late May. The dates changes from year to year, but the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) provides an annual map showing the probability of frost by state. (See Resources).
- 7). Transplant your seeds to their permanent home. Dig a hole twice the size of your starter box and add a layer of peat moss. Poke holes in the newspaper and the box to help them degrade and place the box in the hole. Fill in any gaps with soil and water the transplants immediately.
- 8). Take care of your seedlings as needed. The water needs will vary based on climate, but on average the soil around the trees should be moist. You may also want to install rodent guards around your trees to keep rodents and pests from digging them up.
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