How to Germinate Juglans Carpathian

The Carpathian walnut tree is prized for its abundant production.

A hardy variety of the walnut tree, Juglans regia is native to the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe. The cultivar Carpathian thrives throughout the United States in climates as cold as New York, but does not vigorously produce in extreme summer temperatures. On average, this walnut tree grows to about 40 to 60 feet tall and provides abundant shade. If you want a Carpathian English walnut tree in your yard, try germinating the seed at home. Germination occurs when the seed sprouts and begins to grow.

Things You'll Need

• 2 cups water
• Nutcracker
• Planting pot
• Gardening gloves
• Gardening shovel
• Peat moss
• Sand

Instructions

1. Collect about a dozen walnuts that have fallen from a Carpathian English walnut tree. Not all seeds will be viable, so you need to gather more than you wish to plant.

2. Soak the hulls in water for about one hour and then carefully crack the walnut hulls, ensuring you do not crush or crack the walnut inside.

3. Immerse the hulled walnuts in water. Discard any walnut that floats to the top; those are not suitable for planting and won't germinate. The nuts that are viable sink to the bottom of the glass.

4. Pull on gardening gloves and fill a pot about two-thirds full of alternating layers of peat moss and sand. Plant the hulled walnuts about 1 1/2 inches deep and water them thoroughly. If the days and nights are cold enough, you can keep the pot outside, as walnuts require a cold, moist environment before germination. If it’s not cold enough outside, place the pot inside the refrigerator and keep the soil moist for 90 to 120 days. This process is called stratification and is essential for the walnuts to germinate.

5. Water the plant every three to five days, or when the top layer of planting material is dry to the touch. Do not overwater or the seeds can rot.

6. Sow the prepared walnuts directly into the ground after the stratification period. Keep the ground damp, but not saturated. About half of the seeds are likely to sprout, so consider planting at least two seeds in one hole.

Tips & Warnings

• Hulled walnuts may be directly sown into the ground when cold temperatures are sustained in the fall.

• If more than one seedling emerges from a location, wait until they grow about 2 inches high and then pull the less hardy of the sprouts.

• Plant the walnut trees about 40 to 60 feet apart.

References

• Purdue University: Juglans Regia L.
• Iowa State University: Germination of Walnuts

Resources

• University of Minnesota: Growing Black Walnut
• Forrest Keeling Nursery: Juglans Regia 'Carpathian'