[Lawn Lad]

Is Ribes Alpinum (Alpine Currant) affected by the juglone chemical that is put out by the Black Walnut tree?

We have a customer who'd privet hedge is being affected and I'm looking for a suitable replacement to create a hedgerow. Any other suggestions on what could be trimmed into a formal hedge like privet? Would Ribes be a good alternative? The hedge faces east with heavy shade on the west side of the hedge, getting little afternoon light.

[VoodooChile]

There's quite a bit of Hort-extension agency handouts on Juglone tolerance you can find searching the web.

The four I've found don't list Alpine currant either way, maybe because it is such a poor looking plant that you can't actually tell or care when its struggling...

The shrub species that would make a decent hedge and are Juglone tolerant in my sources are: euonymus, forsythia, arborvitae, most honeysuckle, most Viburnum and witch hazel.

Some of these sources contradict each other regarding other plants.

I'de go with Burning Bush, species or cultivar depending on how big you want it to be. Good shade tolerance and some ornamental value.They hack them into oblivion round here in many commercial plantings, and they hold up to the pruning abuse pretty well for a deciduous shrub.

I don't buy that Arbs make good shade barriers, cause they get awfully thin over time, and the deer are brutal on them.

Good Luck!

[Lawn Lad]

This is an OSU factsheet about the topic:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1148.html

As you said Voodoo... it's not listed as being observed growing near Black Walnuts - but I suppose the list can't be all inclusive.

We did plant burning bush along the property line where the BW tree is located, and the customer doesn't want the upright/vase shape of the burning bush across the front of their property.

Forsythia looks best in it's natural branching characteristic - long and flowing, not trimmed tight like a privet. The plant wants to grow too large for the area/hedge row.

Honeysuckel might be okay, but I'm not a big fan, particularly with aphids and they tend to get really woody quite quickly. I don't find that they shear very well. They respond better to hand pruning, but they also tend to flop more like forsythia.

As for arbs - we want a deciduous hedgerow. And with witch hazel, I've always thought of these as more of a specimen type planting, or at best massing. I've never created a hedgerow out of them... how would it shear? It's slow growing and gets thick, heavy wood, so not as condusive I think to heavy, regular pruning/shearing.

[VoodooChile]

'Rudy Haag' is a dwarf version of the Burning Bush that might work, altho I think it is dwarf cause the bunnies like it so much. Less vase like...

Given the presence of Black Walnuts, the client it gonna have to give up some aesthetic preconceptions. Plants that will thrive in spite of Juglone are few...

[pineapple]

Along the same line...

I am removing a 2 inch seedling black walnut tree from a client's bed. She said they have already had problems with plants dying around there.

Is there anyway to treat the soil once it is removed to get ride of the bad stuff?

[spiderlily]

From the Ontario Ministry of Ag. and Food handout Walnut Toxicity

Excellent soil drainage will also help reduce toxicity problems, even among sensitive plant species. In well-drained soil, toxic reactions only occur when direct contact is made between walnut roots and roots of sensitive species. In poorly drained soil direct contact between roots is not necessary to cause toxic reactions since juglone moves through the soil water. It has been suggested that plants having shallow root systems are more tolerant of juglone than deep-rooted species. Tolerance to juglone by shallow-rooted species may also be attributed to better drainage of soil water in upper soil levels.

Although I've read some articles which claim that Juglone is poorly soluble in water, the consensus appears to be that it is water-soluble.

So once the tree is removed it should be possible to flush the soil with periodic flooding. Amending the soil after removal would help too.

Bear in mind that the Black Walnuts roots will continue to release Juglone as they decompose.

I'm wondering pineapple if the seedling has some parents nearby who might be causing a greater problem?

[pineapple]

There might have been a big walnut somewhere, but I havent seen it. Don't know why anyone would plant a new one!

Unfortunately flushing the soil would send the juice into a stand of mature spruces.
Hmnn..

[VoodooChile]

Is this seedling even producing nuts yet?