r/composting • u/dockellis13 • Sep 06 '26

Humor Can I compost these?

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Courtesy of local squirrel. Tree of heaven nuts I believe. 17 gal tub

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176

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.

14

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.

2

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

2

u/tezacer Sep 07 '26

Probably. I wonder if solarizing or pasteurizing would do anything to it

11

u/PleaseUseYourMind Sep 06 '26

Can black walnut shells be used to kill tree of heaven root structures? Or as a xeriscape weeds preventer?

24

u/MayEsdot Sep 06 '26

ToH still sprout right underneath my 100yo walnut tree. Alas, the walnut does not kill them.

1

u/StillStaringAtTheSky Sep 08 '26

Yep. ToH does not seem to care at all- but I don't think I've seen anyone try introducing like a poultice or something to a wound in ToH... if I have time I can try it and report back. Loads of black walnut on my property- but the ToH I only have two of so far and I've been waiting for a good well water friendly solution before trying to hack them down since I know they will multiply if I don't get all the roots up.

8

u/Aromatic_Shoulder146 Sep 06 '26

i agree and i think this is something op definitely should consider

4

u/Nem48 Sep 06 '26

I’m pretty sure this is only the case in high concentrations and it breaks down fast in compost

3

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.

2

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.

1

u/calliLast Sep 06 '26

I might have to get some to kill the nettles besides my garden 👍

1

u/Mental-Chapter6523 Sep 07 '26

Maybe people can use it instead of weedkiller. If it attacks bermuda grass I'd be buying them.