WALNUTS

Jul 31, 2013 by admin

Walnut trees can grow to a height of 100ft. and are grown not only for the hard wood, which is used for gun stocks and furniture, but also for the fruit which is used extensively in the food industry.

Walnuts belong to the family Juglans. and 6 of the varieties:- j.Nigra,  j.Cinerea,  j.Microcarpa,  j.Major,  j.Californica and  j.Hindsii,  can be grown in the U S A, as well as California, Oregon, together with  Mexico, Central America, Italy, Japan and China.

 

The Persian walnut  j.Regia. Walnuts require hot summers to fruit well, although some varieties are self pollinating, others require a further species to pollinate, prefering well drained soil, walnuts grow best in sheltered, sunny positions.

 

J.Buccaneer and j.Broadview are best in the U K, as they only take 2 years to fruit, whereas other varieties can take between 3 and 10 years.

Flowers appear in May, having both male and female flowers, in growing, they produce a green, thick leathery fruit, and whilst the fruit are still unripe in August can be picked for pickling (in vinegar) or left on the tree to ripen in October.

Although most domestic gardens use the fruit for eating, if this tree is one that you choose, imagine the uses the nuts can be put to, such as  cake decoration or as an ingredient of fruit/nut cakes.

Tests on walnuts, like olive oil, have shown that they help to reduce the onset of harmful inflammation and oxidation in arteries that follow a meal high in saturated fats. This is not  an excuse for you to go and gorge yourself on fatty foods, and then eat walnuts. The recommendation indicates that the eating of walnuts should be part of a healthy diet.

For my own part in the tests, (as well as the eating) is to try and extract the fruit of the nut and keeping it in one piece, try it!! it keeps me amused due to the difficulty, (all failures can be fed to the rest of your family.)