Topic: Walnut leaves in leafmulch????

[7oaks plot]

Ive been collecting leaves for about 18 months now, the last 6 months worth in one wire bin and the previous 12 months worth in another which has now turned into lovely dark brown soft crumbly stuff....but....i now read in last months "Grow your own" mag never to use Walnut tree leaves because they contain a chemical that activaly stops other plants from growing under the trees and never to add them to your compost heap......well guess what, yep, amongst other leaves ive put thousands of Walnut tree leaves in mine and now worry that i might have to throw 18 months worth of collecting away......im distraut.
Can anybody help me out here, ive read dozens of articals about leafmulch over the years and not once have i heard this before, the only leaves they suggest not composting are everygreen stuff like pine leaves etc because they takes years to break down and cause the results to be very acidic.......but never anywhere before did anybody ever mention walnut leaves, except for last months mag.......HELP.......ARRGGGGG

Anybody know anymore on this?

[Deb P]

I confess this was a new one on me too, so I've had a quick google and came up with this info......from that I think I would be tempted to try the 'tomato test' they suggest. It seems the roots are much more of a problem...

And what about making compost with the leaves? Dr. Roth told me he never puts ANY black walnut leaves in his compost pile; he saves them to use as a ‘killing mulch’ to get rid of unwanted plants! (VERY clever! And I’ll add that the chipped up roots would be even more effective!) The experts at Ohio State say that well-shredded walnut leaves lose their plant-harming capability after a month of hot composting. But if you have a LOT of black walnut leaves going into your pile, they suggest you test the finished compost by planting some extra tomato seedlings in it before you use it on a larger scale. Juglone, they explain, is tomato Kryptonite!

[7oaks plot]

Thanks Deb, it seems that after a few months the harmful chemicals in the leaves lose some strength so i guess that after 18 months to 2 years (as mine will be once i come to use it) that it should be hopefully harmless, but as you suggest i think ill try the Tomamo test just to make sure.

Thanks again Deb and have a great christmas.

Mark xx

[Borlotti]

I do not think I would risk it, why not use it on your paths, then it will rot down over the years and not do any harm.  Live and learn but I do believe I heard somewhere that some leaves are better than others.

[7oaks plot]

I do not think I would risk it, why not use it on your paths, then it will rot down over the years and not do any harm.  Live and learn but I do believe I heard somewhere that some leaves are better than others.

Yes i agree that some leaves are better than others but until yesterday i had never heard of a leaf that actually KILLED other plants, but this seems to be the case with Walnut leaves. I cant possibly throw 2 years work away so ill put it in one of my beds next year and see what happens, if it kills all the vegetables in that particular bed then so be it but at least i wont have killed everything in the other beds and i would have learned a lesson.

[telboy]

Go for it,
if rotted for 12 months with other leaves/oak/beech especially, I can't see a problem.