Walnuts grow up to 30 meters high, give us shade in the summer and delight us in the fall with their precious fruits - the delicious walnuts. That's all very nice, but unfortunately the walnut tree is a frost-sensitive plant whose leaves and flowers freeze extremely quickly in late frosts. This guide provides you with the most important information about frozen walnut trees.

Late frosts can cause great damage to the walnut tree

Late frosts cause problems for the walnut

Originally comes from the walnut tree

  • from the eastern Mediterranean region,
  • from the Balkan Peninsula and
  • from the Near East and Central Asia.

In short: the walnut developed in warm climates.

Walnut trees were already cultivated in Germany in Roman times - but only in the (warmer) south-west. Wild walnut trees were (and still are) found mainly in the regions of today's Federal Republic of Germany that have mild winters.

Given the origin of the walnut, it is not surprising that it is a frost-sensitive plant. The walnut tree does not cope particularly well with late frosts.

The most dangerous time for the walnuts are April, May and June. During these months, walnut trees develop leaves and flowers. During this critical phase, temperatures just below freezing point are enough to cause frost damage.

"Late frosts" after the early onset of spring

There is another special type of "late frost": If spring comes earlier than usual, i.e. the temperatures rise early, the walnut tree feels stimulated - and sprout earlier. If a longer cold period suddenly follows, the fresh shoots are defenseless against the frost and damage is inevitable.

Identify frozen walnut tree

It's easy to tell if a walnut tree has frozen. A frost-damaged plant shows overnight

  • black leaves and
  • brownish to black flowers.

Saving a frozen walnut tree - how?

Depending on whether the leaves or blossoms have frozen, you can take appropriate measures to help your walnut tree to recover, or you have to rely on the plant's pronounced self-healing powers.

Frozen Leaves

You are not completely powerless against frozen leaves. However, you have almost no choice but to hope that your walnut tree will sprout again.

Watch the tree. After a few weeks, new growth should begin. With the right fertilizer you give the plant additional strength. Also make sure to give your tree enough liquid.

Important: After the late frost, the walnut tree MUST sprout leaves. He needs them to survive. Without leaves, the walnut dies.

By the way, it makes no sense to cut off frozen leaves. This would only result in open wounds that would require even more strength for the tree to heal. It is therefore advisable to leave the disposal of the frozen leaves to the wind.

An exception are grafted walnut trees. In this case, after the frosty night, you should cut off all the frozen leaves. But leave the petioles standing. A few days later, new shoots will sprout from the Beiaugen. Then connect the lead drive. After a few more weeks, carefully cut off the frost-damaged shoot.

Frozen Blossoms

Frozen buds can mean a complete loss of harvest. Late frosts always affect the male flowers (they usually emerge four weeks before their female partners).

In this case, there is only a realistic chance of an autumn harvest if there is another (healthy) walnut tree nearby.

Prevent damage from late frosts

Adult, large walnut trees cannot be protected from late frosts. They're just too big. With smaller trees, however, you can counteract this with a fleece. At least this measure helps to limit the damage.

Note: By planting a late flowering variety, you reduce the risk factor "late frost" right from the start.

Category:

Vegetable garden