Walnuts for fruit

Walnuts as a multipurpose crop ~ fruit + timber

Growing walnuts as a multi-purpose crop can be rewarding but there is a compromise between two different growing systems.

Typically short-boled trees of approximately 2 m are developed for timber production, and above, the canopy is allowed to develop to maximise fruit production. The compromise is the production of around 1/3 the amount of timber compared to a typcial timber tree and increased difficulty, therefore cost, of collecting the fruit with reduced yields. Not all fruit varieties are suitable as multi-purpose trees. There are no established markets for black or hybrid walnut nuts in the UK at present.

Walnuts for fruit production

Our recommended grafted varieties suitable for growing and producing fruit (for pickling and nut production) are listed in our WTC plant list. Several varieties should be planted together which have overlapping flowering times to ensure good pollination. This however is less essential with varieties that are self- fertile.
Trees typically start fruiting at 3 to 4 years of age.