How to grow Walnut in Australia
A big, long-lived tree for cool districts (Tasmania, the tablelands, alpine Victoria). Give it deep soil and lots of room; it can shade out and inhibit other plants underneath.
At a glance
- Difficulty: Advanced
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: 20 litres a week, watered every 5 days
- Spacing: 1000 cm
- Time to harvest: 1460 days (about 4 years)
- Time to germinate: 1 days
- Soil pH: 6 to 7.5
- Frost tolerance: Frost hardy
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | Not suited | Not viable in SEQ. Walnuts need a cold dormant winter the coast never gets. |
| Northern Rivers NSW | Not suited | Not viable. Walnuts need cold winters that even the Lismore and Kyogle hinterland does not deliver. |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | June to August | Cold western gardens and the mountains only; the coast lacks winter chill. A very large tree. Plant bare root Jun to Aug. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | June to August | |
| Adelaide & SA | June to August | |
| Perth & WA | June to August | |
| Tasmania | June to August | |
| Canberra & ACT | June to August | |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not viable. Walnuts need a cold dormant winter. Impossible on the tropical coast. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not viable. Walnuts need a cold dormant winter. Darwin has none. |
Companion planting
Avoid planting near
Harvest and storage
Storage
Dry in shell, keeps for months; shelled nuts freeze well.