Re: COMPOST--and Black Walnuts

Hi everyone!
For what it's worth, my folks have had iris beds under some very old black
walnut trees for as long as I can remember.(Zone 5 KS)  Now, they've never
been serious iris fanatics, these are old, most of the names lost - but they
still put on a show year after year and my folks giveaway increase to anybody
who wants some.  Would they be even better in another location?  Probably, but
it ain't gonna happen. :-)  They (with my sis & BIL's help) *have* created a
new perennial bed in a clearing south of their house which includes some newer
iris complete with nametags! (hopefully another successful transfer of iris
fever :-)  
P.S.  They just burn the leaves.  
Carolyn (long time Iris Happy Gal)
IrisHapyGl@aol.com  Zone 5 KS 

<< Lorraine Miller asked:
 
 <<  At our February Iris Club meeting we had a  speaker who told us that you
 should never put walnut leaves in the  compost pile.  Guess they are supposed
 to be toxic to plants. . >>
 
 Black Walnuts (Juglans nigra)and the closely related  butternut (Juglens
 cinera) inhibit growth in most plants that try to grow beneath them. A
 chemical called juglone is diffused from the roots into the soil and leaches
 out of the fallen bark, leaves and fruit. This chemical has an allopathic
 effect, meaning it suppresses growth. Plants differ in their sensitivity to
 juglone, even within the same genus. In the absence of any indication that
 composting eliminates this allopathic capability, I would not add any Black
 Walnut leaves and detritus to a compost pile. For a list of plants which will
 survive under these trees, see the article "Under the Black Walnut Tree" in
 Horticulture, October, 1986, from which this post was cribbed.
 
 Anner Whitehead, Richmond,VA 23221
 Hery Hall   henryanner@aol.com  >>
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