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| A black walnut birthright (March 2007) |
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Planting a grove of prized hardwoods leaves a lasting legacy
By Larry Reichenberger
If you want to leave your family more than just your good name, then consider a grove of black walnut trees. Planting only a few acres of these timeless hardwoods may be the smartest investment you can leave - easily worth several times more in 40 to 50 years than they would be now.
“There’s always been a demand for high quality wood and walnut has historically been one of the most prized,” says Carolyn Turney, who works with husband Roy to care for two black walnut plantations on their acreage near Emporia, Kan. “We planted these trees 32 years ago and, though we won’t see the final harvest, someone in the future will benefit and know that we cared. You don’t plant black walnuts for yourself - you plant them for the next generation.”
What trees are worth
In today’s market, a top quality black walnut tree with a 24-inch diameter trunk is worth $1,000 or more. That’s more than a ten-fold increase in the 50 to 60 years it took to grow such a tree. The rapid pace of that price increase may not continue, but the trend is still in place.“Walnut prices are as high as they’ve ever been, and they’ll probably continue on that trend,” says Marty Hewins, a logger from Wathena, Kan. “The average walnut tree that we cut is worth around $200, but a top quality tree will always bring a fantastic price,” he explains. “The key to that high price is to plant trees in the right place, plant them at the proper spacing, prune and thin them as required, and prevent damage from fire, equipment, and livestock or wildlife.” Bare-root black walnut seedlings are available for about $1 each from the conservation department in most states. The Turneys planted their seedlings 12 feet apart in rows that are also spaced 12 feet wide.
“Keeping the weeds and grass out and providing water and fertilizer in the first few years is critical,” says Carolyn. “We planted 400 trees, but have gone in a couple of times to thin them out,” adds Roy. “This releases the crowns of the best trees and speeds growth, but it’s hard to do because you get pretty attached to them.” Pruning is a critical management factor, according to Hewins. “Start pruning early in the life of the tree before side limbs are one-inch in diameter. Loggers are most interested in trees where they can get two to three 8-foot logs from the trunk,” he says.
Pick the right place
Black walnut trees are widely adapted in the east, central, and southeastern parts of the U.S., but Felix Ponder, soil scientist with the USDA Forest Service in Columbia, Mo., says picking the right spot to plant them is a critical factor. “Walnuts grow best on deep, fertile, well-drained soils,” according to Ponder. “Silt loam, loam, or sandy loam soil types are best because of their moisture-holding capability.”
You should chose a site with at least three feet of depth to a restrictive layer, such as clay subsoil, in order for roots to grow and develop properly. Ponder recently analyzed the environmental factors that influence the growth rate of black walnut trees at more than 200 sites and found that these factors - soil type and depth to the restrictive layer - accounted for 74% of the variation in height. “Avoiding sites with shallow soils and other properties that reduce water availability will increase the growth rate and enhance the value of the trees,” says Ponder.
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