Hello,
I am considering planting English walnut tree at the front of the property. Would you have any advice or recommendations. Thank you
Thanks for contacting us with your question about growing an English Walnut (Juglans regia) at the front edge of your property.
It is great that you want to plant a tree. We need all the trees we can get! However, it is quite difficult to provide advice without knowing more about the growing conditions you have – sun or shade, poor or rich soil and whether it is sandy or clay, how much space you have, whether there are overhead electric wires, etc. All of these things would factor into plant choice and successfully growing a healthy tree.
Here is a link that will provide some things to consider before making a decision: English Walnut Growing Guide – thespruce.com
If you want to grow a native walnut tree rather than English Walnut (which is originally from Asia) you could consider planting a Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) – it has similar growing requirements as the English Walnut. However, you should be aware that the Black Walnut contains juglone, which can be toxic to certain plants including some grasses (although there are many plants which can be grown successfully under this type of tree). Juglone can also be toxic for small children and pets and perhaps is not best as a street tree. English Walnut also contains juglone but not to the same extent as Black Walnut. Here’s a question that we have responded to in the past about Juglone and these two varieties of walnut.
I’m also including a link that provides a list of trees that are native to Ontario – these will provide shelter and shade and help combat climate change by cooling the atmosphere and storing carbon in our soils. All trees will do this, but the native trees also provide food for wildlife and are more likely to thrive for you. Ontario Native Trees