Walnut Shavings

[Tony Wilkins]

I've got a five gallon bucket overflowing with walnut shavings and saw dust now. I know it can't be used for horses but I'm not so sure about using it as much or in my compost bin. I've searched and there doesn't seem to be any consensus as to whether it's safe to use with plants. It seems to be about 50/50 whether it's responses on here, across the net, and even from .edu sources.

So, is there a definitive answer as to if walnut shavings can be used as mulch/in compost?

I have a suspicion but my botany classes pre-date Mendel.

[Duane Meadows]

Depends on what you are going to mulch. Personally I won't take the risk. Every thing I've read says it toxic to at least some plants.

[Steve Voigt]

Depends on what you are going to mulch. Personally I won't take the risk. Every thing I've read says it toxic to at least some plants.
Same here.

[William Adams]

I use it as mulch for walkways where I don't want plants to grow --- what's left-over I put along the edge of sidewalks and driveways to discourage plant growth to make edging easier.

[Jim Koepke]

Did you read this one?

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

My experience is with a black walnut tree. Many walnut trees use black walnut trees for the roots and a cultivar for the nut production.

Many plants have trouble growing near a black walnut tree. If they were mine to get rid of I would only put them where I didn't want things to grow or with the regular garbage.

jtk

[Brent Aukes]

Walnut is toxic to many other plants. The terminology, as I recall it from old memory, is that it is allelopathic to other plants.

Brent

[Jim Matthews]

... as I recall it from old memory, is that it is allelopathic to other plants.Brent

There's a six-dollar Scrabble work, right there.
Your college botany Prof would be proud.

[Andy Pratt]

people who work with plants seem to really avoid it like the plague, not sure if that is based on fact but no one wants it if I am offering it

[Brent Aukes]

You are right about that! I had Botany at college 20 years ago and had to think a bit to get the word back to the front of my skull!

[Chuck Saunders]

walnut shavings are not toxic (allelopathic) after they have been well composted.

[miguel bernardo]

wow, i didn´t knew about this... thanks for the info. i suppose euro walnut is different? my mother in law has a walnut on her yard and it looks like it´s being tortured by all the holm and cork oaks going strong all around it...

[bill tindall]

Data

Once the wood is dry the toxic compound decomposes or otherwise isn't toxic. To prove this statement one year I mulched all my pepper and tomato plants with shavings from KD walnut. There were no ill effects.

Some years earlier I needed humus for a proposed garden area. I had access to saw dust from a mill that exclusively sawed walnut logs. I put a 12 " deep layer on the ground and turned it under. Next year made it a garden spot with no ill effects.

[Ryan Griffey]

I would avoid using it around garden plants. Unless wood products are well aged and broken down they rob nitrogen from the soil as they continue to break down.

I've used walnut shavings around ornamentals as mulch without problems.