31 years ago, we planted a walnut tree in  our garden, to replace the one that had blown down the winter before we moved in.    It has suffered a bit during its lifetime - Jet (labrador, big of body, small on brain) chewed up the main stem when it was about 3 years old, and one of the "branches" became the main trunk - now it is a lovely tree, and we have just picked its fruits - we have a grand total of 13 lbs of walnuts (well that's not counting the pounds that we must have eaten already!

I think we've only had about 4 crops from it in total - it is a tree slow to mature, and needs the right weather at the right time ....and we have to get there to harvest the nuts before the squirrels - and this year we have done so!

Adrian is going to try planting a couple of the nuts, to see if we can't get twiglets to put into the new garden - but I somehow don't think we'll be around to reap any benefits :rolleyes:

Margot

how lovely to have seen the tree grow over 31 years and to have had such a brilliant harvest at last. I have never seen a walnut tree. How tall is it ? My previous golden 'pruned' my Dad's young plum tree for him one year and he wasn't very pleased with her. Now every time he talks about the huge crop of plums he's had from it I remind him of Rosie pruning it !

Oooh lovely Margot Do they taste different to the shop bought ones you get at Christmas ? Also do you pickle them and more to the point why :D :D I can't see how anybody could eat a pickled walnut yuk :D

Have you got any tentative dates yet or are all the cloggs turning at a very painfully slow pace still :rolleyes:

Lucy
xx

how can you not like pickled walnusts, they are gorgeous and i often have one or two with my mash!!! However they have to be picked much much younger for pickling....we did a jar 10 years ago and are still eating them!!

I'm not fond of pickled things and walnuts are, unfortunately Margot, my least favourite nut

Sounds a wonderful harvest, Margot :) Funnily, friends and I were discussing a similar thing about peach trees on Sunday. My grandmother planted a stone from the first peach that she ate after WWII - I ate the produce as a child and we had a marvellous harvest the year before we left the house :) :)

I love being sentimental :D Lets hope that your new walnut tree thrives, Margot - a good omen for your new home :)

Daisy

I haven't ever seen a walnut tree. We must have one close by as I keep finding walnuts when I'm weeding. I potted one up last year but its still quite small. I suppose the squirrel buries them.

how can you not like pickled walnusts

Because I haven't even tried them

It is the look of them as it remind my of rotting flesh :D

I've never tried pickled walnuts either...in fact, I don't recall ever having even seen a pickled walnut! However, as I'm not much into anything that comes pickled, I'm not sure they'd be my cup of tea anyway :)

Margot, your walnut tree is the same age as me :D

there you are then......you dont know until you try them.....go  on ...theyre delicious honest!!:)

Mmm I will be brave one day :) So what do they taste of then as can't imagine pickled walnut flavour It just isn't something that my brain says will taste nice :)