6 pointers for growing nut trees

Nut trees are valued for providing not only edible fruits but also natural beauty, shade, and habitats for wildlife. Read six pointers for growing and harvesting different nut trees.

What is a nut? Botanically, it's a one-seeded dry fruit with a tough shell that won't split when ripe.

• True nuts include acorns and beechnuts, but the term can be applied to any hard fruit, such as the almond, chestnut, macadamia or coconut.
• Almost all nuts grow on trees or shrubs, with the notable exception of annual peanuts, which produce their nuts underground on their roots.
• Because nut trees are usually slow-growing hardwoods, they take many years to reach their full size.
• Choose a planting site carefully and make sure that falling nuts won't create a problem overhead or underfoot.

Once they're planted, nut trees don't require much attention.

• Water young trees deeply once a week until they are established, which usually takes less than one season.
• Mulch with 15 centimetres of compost to retain moisture and deter weeds.
• Snap off any suckers that appear around the base of grafted trees, because they will weaken the top growth and diminish production of the nut crop.
• Finally, steer clear of young nut trees when working with lawn mowers and weed trimmers — the number one enemy of nut trees grown in home landscapes.

• To get a good crop, choose a selected cultivar that has been grafted onto a seedling stock; trees raised from seed may not produce fruits of good quality.
• Plant more than one tree because many nut trees, including pecans and walnuts, require cross-pollination in order to bear fruit.

Devastated by fungal blight, the majestic native American species has virtually disappeared, although plant breeders hope to soon have blight-resistant varieties available.

• As a substitute, you can plant the smaller, disease-resistant Chinese chestnut.
• To get fruit, be sure to plant at least two varieties.

Related to the cherry, almonds are pretty flowering trees whose blooms — and fruits — can be devastated by spring frost.

• Plant them in a protected site where temperatures don't dip below –12°C.

• To harvest black walnuts without getting stained by their sticky juice, spread plastic sheets under the tree before you beat the branches.
• You can gather up the crop in the tarps without having to touch the nuts.

• To harvest pecans, mow beneath the trees before the nuts begin to fall.
• Gather nuts on a dry day, because pecans store best when dry.