Is my garden safe with an American Eastern Walnut tree right near it? - Ask Extension
I have a small vegetable garden, and an American Eastern Walnut tree has grown within 25 feet of my garden. This tree has grown very, very fast with ...
Knowledgebase
Is my garden safe with an American Eastern Walnut tree right near it? #842546
Asked July 25, 2023, 2:42 PM EDT
I have a small vegetable garden, and an American Eastern Walnut tree has grown within 25 feet of my garden. This tree has grown very, very fast with the tree now being appx. 50' tall. Knowing that these Walnut trees put off a toxic chemical known as Juglone, is my garden being exposed to this Juglone chemical through the root systems, and is this safe for me and my family to continue to eat from the garden? Please advise,
Thank you,
Livingston County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi Sean, thanks for the question.
This is one of those questions where there seems to be no clear answer. Many people eat from their gardens growing under or near Black Walnut trees. There are many papers on what edible foods can grow or not grow under Black Walnut, but they never say they are safe to eat but they also don't say they are unsafe. Check out the following links:
Growing vegetable gardens near black walnut trees - MSU Extension
Black Walnut Toxicity – Wisconsin Horticulture
Your black walnut tree is out to get you | CAES Newswire (uga.edu)
