Walnut tree

Question

Hi! I have a black walnut tree that I’ve been growing in a pot for about eight years now. I grew it from a nut in my old backyard in Northern Virginia. We live in Georgia now. I am sentimentally attached to it and hope to plant it in a yard one day (we are currently in an apartment).

For the past two years it has developed yellow, spotty leaves that fall off easily. I cut off all the new growth with the yellow leaves, moved it to a larger pot with a mixture of old & new soil and fertilized it last Spring. I am trying to figure out if it is still healthy and if you would suggest pruning it at the top. It has thin bark that is peeling (but not brittle to the touch). There are no buds to indicate new growth. I’ve attached three pictures: a wide picture of the tree, a closeup of the top of the tree and a closeup of the bark.

If you could give me a few suggestions on what to look for and what to do to keep it healthy I’d appreciate it!

Thanks so much!
Elizabeth Hood

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Answer 1

You can cut a few inches off of the top to see if it is still green inside. This will, often, encourage it to produce new growth. I would also recommend putting a little wettable sulfur, and dolomitic lime in. This will kill off any infection that could potentially be starting, and balance the pH, respectively.