r/composting • u/dockellis13 • Sep 06 '26
Humor Can I compost these?
Courtesy of local squirrel. Tree of heaven nuts I believe. 17 gal tub
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u/Mister_Green2021 Sep 06 '26
You can eat black walnut btw. Look up on how to process.
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u/hysys_whisperer Sep 06 '26
It's a really tasty tree nut. Too bad it's a bitch and a half to get to without permanently staining any fabric within 10 yards of where you process them black. Oh, and any skin the juice gets on. And the juice smells like a pile of rotting anuses.
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u/Natte_Boterham Sep 06 '26
You don’t sell it very well
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u/Pleased_to_meet_u Sep 06 '26
They're using reverse psychology. They want to keep all the walnuts for themselves.
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u/hysys_whisperer Sep 06 '26
Juice not worth the squeeze (pun intended).
They taste really good, but unless I'm really hungry I'm passing on them because the process to get to them.
If someone else processed them, I'd romp through a couple of pounds of them in like 12 seconds, lol.
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u/Auntie_Venom Sep 07 '26
It’s not that bad wear nitrile gloves and wear an apron you don’t mind trashing… It’s the black walnut apron now.
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u/CenturyEggsAndRice Sep 07 '26
I did half of that... (the gloves)
I just wore these butt ugly yellow shirt and shorts set I had for messy farmwork and dyed it with the hulls after my first 'harvest'.
The new color was world's better than the original "old piss" color. Came out a deep green-brown and I liked it so much, I tie-dyed some t shirts in it too.
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u/Auntie_Venom Sep 07 '26
I think that’s pretty awesome! I don’t know much about natural dyes, but I’m sure there’s a way to set it so it doesn’t fade or bleed on to other clothes in the wash.
I have black walnut stains all over my dry stack limestone block from the squirrels.
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u/CenturyEggsAndRice Sep 07 '26
Yeah there is. I used vinegar. It faded some because that’s not the best mordant, but I kinda liked how it faded. Made the clothes look a bit heathered which appealed to me.
Iirc, iron water is the mordant that sets walnut dye. But all the info is on the internet somewhere, I learned it from my aunt but natural dye is a fun hobby and lots of online info about it.
I’d really like to try growing indigo.
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u/Auntie_Venom Sep 07 '26
I love how natural dyes look! Too bad in just nuked all my pokeweed! (It is not in the compost)
I was thinking vinegar, from dyeing Easter eggs. 😆
Indigo would be really neat to grow and use. It would be lovely to grow anyway
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u/YogurtclosetFirst899 Sep 07 '26
you’re not kidding about the smell. equal to the eau de parfum of cleaning a wild boar
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u/ArtfulBludger Sep 07 '26
The wood/sap smells the same. We had one growing up, and I remember having to pick up the fallen nuts every time my parents needed to mow. Then, as an adult, I was weeding the landscaping in front of my first house, and I started pulling a tiny sapling. Realized the roots went way deeper than I realized. Then smelled my hands and got hit with the memory of all those damn green walnut shells. I couldn't get that sucker out of the ground fast enough; it was right by the foundation and would have had the potential to wreck shop if I'd left it.
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u/Open-Preparation-268 Sep 07 '26
We had a black walnut tree in our backyard, when I was a kid. I didn’t like them, but if I cracked and picked the meat out for my dad, it sure made him happy.
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u/Any_Needleworker_273 Sep 08 '26
Yup. I would LOVE to have a black walnut tree. I remember sitting around with my dad as a kid picking the meat for cookies and what not. I actually like the smell of the hulls, and you can also use the hulls for ink once they blacken.
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u/tezacer Sep 06 '26
Black walnut shells contain juglone, which acts as an allelochemical; suppresses growth of nearby competitors. They're probably fine next to shrubs and trees that coevolved alongside it but I would imagine large amounts of those shells would leach over time and kill ornamental and edible plants.
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u/PurinaHall0fFame Sep 06 '26
Hot composting does seem to break juglone down, so it's less of a risk if you have a properly maintained hot pile.
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u/evictedSaint Sep 07 '26
I wonder if you can put them in the oven and bake them, if that would break down the jug like and allow for composting without worry
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u/PleaseUseYourMind Sep 06 '26
Can black walnut shells be used to kill tree of heaven root structures? Or as a xeriscape weeds preventer?
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u/MayEsdot Sep 06 '26
ToH still sprout right underneath my 100yo walnut tree. Alas, the walnut does not kill them.
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u/Aromatic_Shoulder146 Sep 06 '26
i agree and i think this is something op definitely should consider
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u/Nem48 Sep 06 '26
I’m pretty sure this is only the case in high concentrations and it breaks down fast in compost
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u/ronerychiver Sep 06 '26
Will also poison worms that try to get into the compost. You can gather worms for fishing using black walnuts smooshed in water. Dump it in the ground and the worms will come running up to get away from them. Gotta rinse them off once you catch them or they’ll die.
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u/SaveTheSalm0n- Sep 07 '26
I work in river restoration. Learned about juglone when we were able to obtain a river adjacent parcel that used to be a walnut orchard. Needed to do all kinds of extra work to be able to replant with riparian and floodplain plants and trees.
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u/TrickyDickyAtItAgain Sep 06 '26
Grab a small trash can and a concrete mixing paddle. Wait til they're brown, add a little water and stir until the hulls come off. Put on a rack to dry and you have delicious black walnuts all winter. Super delicious and store very well.
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u/mcguidance Sep 07 '26
Mine tasted like absolute trash and kerosene. It is not as simple as breaking and eating. I think they need to be soaked in water repeatedly to remove the poopy taste.
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u/TrickyDickyAtItAgain Sep 07 '26
I think it's an aging thing. I didn't touch them for about 9 months. Or maybe they were too far rotted out?
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u/Agreeable-Dance-9768 Sep 06 '26
Could make a natural dye!
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u/BooBeeAttack Sep 06 '26
Had a coworker who used to dye his hunting equipment, especially bows, with them. Odor also helped mask him apparently.
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u/tghost8 Sep 07 '26
Fun fact, walnut wood stain isn’t named after walnut wood but the dark color of the walnuts hull stain
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u/KeyOption3548 Sep 07 '26
yes, I've dyed metal traps. Let them get a little rusty & the dye clings. Then dip them in soy wax to stop the rust.
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u/weavin Sep 06 '26
Walnuts. Don't compost, make Nocino or pickle them.
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u/SolidDoctor Sep 06 '26
Way too late to make nocino. You need to pluck them from the tree in early summer (traditionally it's St John the Baptist day but for my area it's early July when they're ready). They need to be between the size of a grape and a golf ball, and be easily sliced in half with a paring knife. Then soaked in alcohol and spices for a few months, then mixed with simple syrup and set for a few more months.
At this stage, you can't cut those nuts in half with a table saw.
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u/ishootthedead Sep 06 '26
I'd say they are more valuable to sell to an ink maker than deal with in compost
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u/ColleenKoziara Sep 06 '26
Walnut ink/color is lovely! I made some to use in a painting many years ago. Messy as all get out, but a beautiful color for painting.
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u/Penis_Monger_420 Sep 06 '26
Looks like black walnuts to me but probobly don’t want to compost the seed, just the hull
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u/Princess-DoNUT1981 Sep 06 '26
I put them in a nearby ditch. Over the years, there is less and less grass and crappy weeds growing in it. Much easier to manage now lol
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u/feralgraft Sep 06 '26
Tree of heaven seeds are small and wind spread. These are black walnuts.
You can compost them but the resulting compost will be bad for anything then the night shade family (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, etc). And you will probably have a huge crop of black walnut seedlings.
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u/jaynor88 Sep 06 '26
Those look like black walnuts. I think the squirrel was sitting up his prepper stash for the winter.
Any way you can keep them where the squirrel piled them?
I imagine would take years and years to break down in compost BUT let the squirrels break them open and eat the nuts and then the tough protective skin will be broken up and easier to compost.
Another IMPORTANT issue since these look like black walnuts: many things will not grow close to black walnut trees, so maybe set up a separate compost pile to include the broken shells in. Dont spread them exactly where you want to grow fruits and veggies- read up on the topic to be sure you know where that compost can be useful
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u/bonfuto Sep 06 '26
My experience is that squirrels will happily come get them out of a compost pile
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u/Shamino79 Sep 06 '26
Seems like there would be opportunities if you wanted to set up an area for next year.
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u/SolidDoctor Sep 06 '26
Black walnuts are full of juglone, which is a chemical that kills many plants so if you're planning on using your compost for gardening, you'd want to leave these out.
The nuts are the hardest shells to break. When I harvest black walnuts for bitters I fill paper bags with these green nuts and run them over once or twice with my 4runner. It strips off the hull and leaves the nutshell intact. Then you rinse them off really well, let them dry and cure for 2-3 weeks before attempting to crack. Then you need a special nutcracker to break them. It's a laborious task. I usually prefer to make nocino in the early summer from the small, soft nuts. Much easier and it's delicious.
You can make dye or wood stain from the hulls, caltrops from the shells (not even kidding) but otherwise give them to the squirrels. Just don't let them eat the nuts on your patio furniture.
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u/amsterdam_sniffr Sep 06 '26
Re: the species misidentification, my old rental had both a giant tree of heaven and a giant black walnut in the backyard, and their leaves do look pretty similar -- I can definitely see how OP made the mistake. The main differences that I learned to distinguish the two (since both species appeared frequently in the area) were: -- black walnuts grow black walnuts and drop them in late summer/early fall -- often around rosh hashana -- black walnuts have a "craggier" bark pattern -- trees of heaven tend to have a LOT of branch divisions above their central trunk. Black walnuts grow straight up and have fewer branch divisions -- During the summer, trees of heaven often attract spotted lanternflies on their bark, which have very distinctive looking nymph and adult forms. The lanternflies also exude a really gross honeydew that will cover anything underneath the tree.
Anyways, black walnut trees are awesome! They are native to North America, and their nuts are considered tastier than traditional european walnuts -- but they can't be shelled as easily, making them somewhat of a delicacy. They are also the source of one of the darkest natural dyes in nature. And obviously, they are a favorite food of another North American native, the grey squirrel.
I never tried composting the nuts, but I would regularly collect them from the backyard and dump them in a nearby dingle. No one wants to roll an ankle.
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u/Yukonkimmy Sep 06 '26
Black walnuts are evil. We just let ours sit and the squirrels love us. Our backyard is a disaster though. I wouldn’t try composting personally.
All that said- if it’s a good sized tree, look into tapping it. Black walnut syrup is delicious.
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u/rrrn75 Sep 07 '26
The just from green hills One of the best Antifungal agents and anti microbial so great for skin infections
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u/wrxninja Sep 06 '26
This thing scares the crap out of me every fall when it clocks my hood or the roof of my car. Big enough, I know it makes a dent
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u/StillStaringAtTheSky Sep 08 '26
LOL yep. I'm currently sitting on my deck under a black walnut tree hoping I don't get clocked in the head.
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u/LevitatingAlto Sep 07 '26
Amish carpenter shops in our area paid for 5 gallon buckets of these to use for wood stain. You might post them on FB or Craigslist to see if anyone would want them for that or to eat.
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u/KeyOption3548 Sep 07 '26
No, but wildlife love them if you take them to a park or somewhere & dump them out.
Not only do they carry a saponin that deters the growth of other plants, the husks rot but the shells take ages to break down. They're so hard, they're used in industrial abrasives - like instead of sand for sand blasting. I have kitchen scrubbies made from walnut fiber.
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u/Real_Education_4296 Sep 07 '26
Get a "nut grabber" tool, gather up all the walnuts, and put them in a pile somewhere for the squirrels. We do this every year, and the nuts eventually disappear.
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u/Klutzy-Reaction5536 Sep 07 '26
Go dump them in the woods. The squirrels there will appreciate them
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u/arabic_lawrence Sep 07 '26
Dont you dare compost those black walnuts. While very difficult to extract, the meat of a black walnut is, to me, the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten! Black Walnut ice cream is heaven
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u/pa07950 Sep 07 '26
I get hundreds of these each fall from my neighbors grove of black walnut trees. I have been composing them for 20+ years. The green husks will breakdown quickly but the inside will take more than a year to break down, even in a very hot compost. Just make sure you clear these from you grass and dont use the compost on any ares you walk barefoot. The nut shells are sharp as they breakdown.
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u/Much-Technology-8220 Sep 07 '26
Definitely black walnuts. I have a couple of them in my yard, I put them out for yard waste pickup
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u/h2oman67 Sep 07 '26
Nah, but you can eat 'em. They're apparently useful for other things according to other comments.
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u/LuckydogCJ7 Sep 07 '26
Do Not compost these. Many plants can’t grow near walnut trees much less in walnut compost also the actual nut shell can last for YEARS without degrading. Walnuts will sprout as profusely as gourds as well so you’ll be battling saplings for years to come.
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u/Big_Truck_8268 Sep 08 '26
Black walnuts contain juglose - a chemical that will kill most plants near any compost made with it.
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u/horrorbiz1988 Sep 08 '26
Damn squirrels leave these everywhere in my garden, find them in my grow bags in bushes , on the grass , in compost pile , in raised beds , and up my ass
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u/One_Tumbleweed_1 Sep 08 '26
Those are black walnuts I have a bunch of these trees and collect them to process and eat. Had a bunch dryng in one of my sheds and caught a squirrel breaking into it and stole some lol. No do not compost
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u/BlackViperMWG Sep 06 '26
Yes. But I would crush the first and they will decompose much slowly than the rest.
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u/notCGISforreal Sep 06 '26 edited Sep 06 '26
Everybody saying the juglone from the black walnuts will kill everything: 1) not all plants are susceptible. I grow corn and grapes under the black walnut trees in my backyard for example. 2) juglone breaks down in compost in a few months. So no reason to avoid these if you'll age your compost.
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u/Nem48 Sep 06 '26
Yes you can compost them they will rot 100% and I’m pretty sure all the poison stuff is just hype. I’ve never noticed any negative effects.
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u/satchmogro Sep 06 '26
I had a black walnut tree that loomed over my asparagus patch. once the tree was removed I probably got 3x the yield from the asparagus..
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u/snidece Sep 06 '26
Hell yes! Add the alternative of leaves or grass or sticks or random dirt and clay, etc, and they will compost fine
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u/Coopee43 Sep 06 '26
Those are black walnuts. Good luck getting the fully compost. Husk is no issue, its the shell that will take forever. Might be able to bury in grass clippings for a few years and use it in the future
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u/astro-dog-78 Sep 06 '26
Haha, they are black walnuts. I have a ton of them. If they were tree of heaven, another reason to hate that tree
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u/shannon7204 Sep 06 '26
juglone in them will destroy your biome. experience has me militant about keeping them out of my compost. they'll break down but kill everything. don't do it!
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u/Consistent-Essay-165 Sep 06 '26
Soak and eat or make die from hulls
If not toss in the woods there is no way they,will,break down in a year or 2 .....
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u/kevin_kil Sep 06 '26
No my guess is since nothing grows near a black walnut tree by leaching off a natural chemical
I would assume the husks do the same it’ll probably not let anything grow in the compost
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u/Undercover_in_SF Sep 06 '26
Everyone is saying the juglone is going to poison the compost, but OSU says it breaks down readily in an active compost pile. If you want a nice soil like compost, I’d be more concerned that those shells are going to be there for years.
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/ask-extension/featured/walnut-leaves-safe-composting
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u/Hexnohope Sep 06 '26
Pure poison actually. Im not being cute either. Actually pure poison called jujunum i think
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u/Will-Clap Sep 07 '26
Just eat them. You got a good supply here. Whatever you do, don’t leave them around your garden because squirrels will have a fiesta and dig up all your shit to store them. Also I learned it’s bad for plant growth 🤷🏻♂️
I have a tree far from my house but the squirrels redistribute them into the garden and some will stay in ground all winter and sprout into new trees the year after…
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u/coinneach_stiubhard Sep 07 '26
Black walnuts. You can eat then and also make ink or dye front the husks.
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u/Themightysavage Sep 07 '26
Black walnuts. Put them in a bucket drag them to the driveway and have the kids smash them until you get the nut. Let them dry out an hey, free walnuts.
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u/Expensive-Suit-593 Sep 07 '26
I LOVE black walnuts! I make bitters from them. Unfortunately you can NOT compost them because the active compound JUGLANS will KILL EVERY PLANT in town.
I let em get a little rotten then mash off the husks. Scrape and wash the nuts and allow to COMPLETLY DRY OUT watching for mold. When they are bone dry bash em with a hand sledge.
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u/AffectionateStop9250 Sep 07 '26
Depends on your compost. When you use these they have a chemical harmful to plants in the. Nightshade family. I would not use the compost on a garden with night shade plants
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u/Free_Broccoli_1174 Sep 07 '26
Keep them. When the husks turn brown tumble them to separate the nut from the husk. Put them somewhere safe from squirrels and dry for 5-6 months then buy a cheap arbor press and feast.
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u/Apprehensive-Emu2915 Sep 07 '26
Tree of heaven produces samaras like maples, not nuts. These are black walnuts; they have a distinct bitter, earthy aroma.
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u/Mental-Chapter6523 Sep 07 '26
You can use these to dye your clothing black. Or your concrete. Or your deck.
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u/SubjectAd3940 Sep 07 '26
They compost fine, takes 2 years or so if you don't break them up. The outer layer goes quick, the inner layer stays a while if it isn't cracked or broken.
Stuff grows fine from them, it's compost. The grass under my black walnut tree is the best grass in the yard.
I throw them in because they all get chopped from the lawn mower or squirrels. Damaged pieces compost in about a year.
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u/tallhottblondes Sep 07 '26
Last year we picked up many BW’s throughout our yard and proceeded to put them in a large fire pit in late Fall. Prior to Winter setting in we had several large bonfires in which the BW’s were. The following Winter provided a plethora of BW’s to the squirrel population even though fire should have taken care of them several times. On a lighter note, the BW trees seem to not be throwing as many nuts this year.
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u/FlyingFlipPhone Sep 07 '26
Store these in a box. Let them dry for a few months. Crack them open and eat them. Black Walnuts.
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u/l00k1ng1n Sep 07 '26
ailanthus doesn’t create nuts, these are likely black walnuts as previously posted. Eat first compost later.
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u/Mission_Accident_519 Sep 07 '26
Dont throw them out. You can easily grow them to get walnut saplings
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u/Fur-Frisbee Sep 07 '26
We had one of these trees.
When they fell it was like walking on balls. A real PITA.
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u/CauliflowerHealthy35 Sep 07 '26
Here are a couple things to do with them instead.
https://jlewisstempel.substack.com/p/french-peasant-cookery-pickled-walnuts-5ea
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u/gardenerky Sep 07 '26
( tree of heaven ) wondering how many black walnut trees have been miss identified and cut down …..😱 …. The shells will not break down for years we process and consume the nuts inside the shells go onto the cornfield as a very long term organic
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u/Dunesea78 Sep 07 '26
Eat them. They taste as bad as they smell but edible. Give them to someone who feeds squirrels.
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u/Admirable_Bass1149 Sep 07 '26
No! They are not good to compost, they contain a natural chemical compound (Juglone) that acts as a defense mechanism by inhibiting the growth of certain neighboring plants. I think it's especially bad for tomatoes.
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u/Illustrious_Spite332 Sep 07 '26
les noix sont elles comestibles avant de récupérer les peaux vertes ? Les peaux vertes ont elles une utilité autre? bricolage ménage..?
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u/motherofhellhusks Sep 07 '26
Those are black walnuts. And no, don’t attempt to compost them. Get one of the black walnut roller tools if you need a better solution for collection.
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u/jerry111165 Sep 07 '26
You can compost anything organic. You’ll probably need to bust them up first.
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u/DamnOdd Sep 07 '26
Black walnuts, put a couple under the tire of your car and drive over them. I'm told it's the way. We have a huge old tree way in the back, thank goodness.
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u/Ladybug966 Sep 07 '26
They make the most amazing brownies. We pile the green balls on the dirt driveway and drive over them until the husks are gone. Then we gather them into wire baskets and let them dry for a month or two. Then we attack them with a hammer and pick out the meat with metal picks. The meat is stored in the freezer until BROWNIE TIME!
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u/smorganie Sep 07 '26
You could make a nice pesto from them after you process them: remove husk with knife, stir walnuts and water in cauldron with good stick, drain water, fill water, repeat-repeat-repeat, dry in sun, guard from squirrels who will legit do some crazy shit to get to your nuts, smash with hammer against anvil, collect meats...
1/2cup of walnut meats (actually a surprising number of walnuts)
2 cups fresh basil
2 TBS lemon juice
black pepper and salt to taste
1/2 cup of parmesan
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil (more if you want it more rich)
food process until smooth, voila pesto
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u/Savings-Trouble-5345 Sep 07 '26
You can make the world's greatest wood stain. If you soak them in water, mash them up, strain the water and boil it down
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u/Savings_Club3883 Sep 07 '26
Those are called squirrel apples. I know they’re really walnuts, for the duds with no sense of humor.
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u/faylinameir Reencle and Tumblers Sep 07 '26
I wouldn't. They have chemicals that restrict growth in plants.
Be better off to eat the nuts inside and call it a day.
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u/Cat_tophat365247 Sep 07 '26
Tree of heaven has no nuts, they drop flat, papery seed pods. These are black walnuts. They won't ever fully break down in your composter and they're a delightful snack for squirrels, raccoons and even humans. You have to get past the outer green cover to the hard black cover then finally to the walnut inside.
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u/rattlesnake888647284 Sep 07 '26
Yes and you can eat the nut inside. Wait until they are soft, remove the nut, clean the nuts, float test (put em in a bucket, keep the ones thag don’t float) and compost the hulls :)
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u/Unable-Doctor-9930 Sep 08 '26
Cook them, free walnuts! Dry the husks if you are looking into tanning leather!
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u/FunNectarine6906 Sep 08 '26
Put them in a cement mixer with gravel and water. They will clean up pretty. They're supposed to be a demand for black walnut nuts with high end restaurants. But wouldn't have a clue how to sell them. You need a hammer to open them.
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u/roberttheaxolotl Sep 08 '26
Black walnut anything is bad for compost. Black walnut trees release a chemical called juglone in the soil around them to try to kill competing plants. It'll kill all sorts of plants people have in gardens.
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u/Jungle_Brain Sep 06 '26
I’m 99% sure those are black walnuts and those bad boys ain’t ever gonna break down fully in your compost