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Would the spot behind this walnut tree be suitable for planting a goldcrest conifer?

deadendwaterfalldeadendwaterfall Posts: 70
in Problem solving
If I cleared up a large patch of the overgrown grass you can see behind the tree, does it look like it'd be suitable for planting conifers? (There is actually a lot more overgrown grass space than you can see in the picture). 

Also, would the conifer be likely to have a detrimental effect on the growth of the walnut tree or vice versa?


Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited July 2023
    Do you know which variety of walnut you have?

    “Allelopathy

    Walnuts secrete chemicals into the soil which inhibit other plants. This is known as allelopathy. However, the effect is more discernable from Juglans nigra (black walnut) than J. regia (common or English walnut). Tomatoes and apples are said to be especially affected”

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/nuts/walnuts



    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • deadendwaterfalldeadendwaterfall Posts: 70
    Dovefromabove said:
    Do you know which variety of walnut you have?

    “Allelopathy

    Walnuts secrete chemicals into the soil which inhibit other plants. This is known as allelopathy. However, the effect is more discernable from Juglans nigra (black walnut) than J. regia (common or English walnut). Tomatoes and apples are said to be especially affected”

    https://www.rhs.org.uk/nuts/walnuts


    It's currently unknown as to exactly what type of walnut it is, I didn't even plant it - we were gifted it by a mystery tree planter. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    No - is the short answer.

    I find it rather worrying that someone can just 'plant a tree' without any regulation or information. I assume this isn't your own garden though. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I don’t think that would work either.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    Walnut trees can be huge. More suited to park land than the average garden.
    Sunny Dundee
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    We have a Walnut (Juglans Regia).  5 years ago, it wasn't much bigger than yours. Now it is a monster, and is still going to be a much bigger tree. Ours was also a gift, and has huge sentimental value, however it is completely the wrong tree for our garden, or any garden, unless it is a huge one.

    At a minimum, I would recommend you move it much further away from your fence, as it's canopy will spread to  4-5 metres within about 5-10 years. We have experienced no problems with ours killing other plants (we have a White walnut), and we have successfully planted immediately around the trunk with no problems whatsoever.

    Your problem is going to be the fast growth rate, and eventual size of the tree. Could you have a friendly chat with whoever bought you the tree, so see if you could replace it with something something more suitable, and perhaps find a better home for it? If not, I think you may find it causes you problems in the future. They don't like to be pruned, they can bleed very heavily, and the natural shape is ruined when you start pruning them. We know this from bitter experience. I definitely wouldn't plant another large shrub near to it, they will compete for water and nutrients.
  • deadendwaterfalldeadendwaterfall Posts: 70
    KeenOnGreen said:
    We have a Walnut (Juglans Regia).  5 years ago, it wasn't much bigger than yours. Now it is a monster, and is still going to be a much bigger tree. Ours was also a gift, and has huge sentimental value, however it is completely the wrong tree for our garden, or any garden, unless it is a huge one.

    At a minimum, I would recommend you move it much further away from your fence, as it's canopy will spread to  4-5 metres within about 5-10 years. We have experienced no problems with ours killing other plants (we have a White walnut), and we have successfully planted immediately around the trunk with no problems whatsoever.

    Your problem is going to be the fast growth rate, and eventual size of the tree. Could you have a friendly chat with whoever bought you the tree, so see if you could replace it with something something more suitable, and perhaps find a better home for it? If not, I think you may find it causes you problems in the future. They don't like to be pruned, they can bleed very heavily, and the natural shape is ruined when you start pruning them. We know this from bitter experience. I definitely wouldn't plant another large shrub near to it, they will compete for water and nutrients.
    If only I knew who to have the 'friendly chat' to. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I would pot it up this autumn and offer it on Freecycle. 

    If it had no takers by Christmas I’d have no compunction about chopping it up. It’s not a sentient being. We can’t save every sapling that ever germinated. Get a tree more suited to the situation .., and then you can enjoy it. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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