After my accident I eventually got around to gathering walnuts from my walnut tree. A few walnuts fell off when some of the leaves came off after the first freeze. The walnut tree has changed. It used to be that once we had the first freeze all the leaves would immediately turn brown and then all would fall off within a few days. The leaves still turn color but not as fast or dark. Then coming off the tree? It takes weeks and weeks now.
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| How the tree leaves looked after the first freeze. |
I thought when the leaves came off the walnuts would too. But only a few walnuts came off. The majority stayed on the tree. As I was recovering from my accident I just waited for the walnuts to eventually fall off. More leaves slowly came off when it was windy, but no more walnuts.
The next photo shows how the walnuts looked as they grew. After the freeze the green sack turned black and also shriveled a bit as there was no more moisture in the sack.
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| Walnuts this past Summer |
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| The walnut sack after the first freeze. |
I waited for the walnuts to drop from the tree. They wouldn't. Eventually one afternoon, since 80% to 90% of the leaves had fallen, and I was feeling a little better, I climbed up on a ladder to get some of the walnuts, then climbed my fence and partially in the tree to pull off the rest of the walnuts from the tree. I have an old metal two gallon paint pail and I filled half the pail with walnuts. I didn't fall from the ladder, tree or fence.
I waited for the walnuts sacks to completely dry inside my house. But they really didn't. As least not fast enough. I opened a few walnut sacks and found shells were starting to mold. So I peeled off all the sacks from the walnut shells then split the walnut shells to get the walnuts. A few of the walnuts were starting to mold so I tossed them. Most the rest of the walnuts were soft and rubbery. I waited for them to harden. But that was not happening very fast. So I ate them over time. Some of the walnuts had a bitter taste.
So I researched on the internet of how and when to harvest walnuts. I was way late in harvesting the walnuts in early November. One is suppose to harvest them in September or October and before the sack gets black. One doesn't, or shouldn't, have to wait for the first freeze to start the harvest.
Next year I'll do it better.
Info on harvesting walnuts:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/nut-trees/walnut/walnut-tree-harvesting.htm
https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-harvest-english-walnuts-1388177
