Got a yardful of black (NOT English) walnuts, falling off tree at a rental property. They still have the thick green hull. Are they supposed to, and will turn black, or are they falling off prematurely? I just remember my mother's being in black tarry hulls. She cracked them with a hammer on concrete, and is the only one I've known to have the patience to crack and pick out the nutmeat. I've heard of folks running over them with a car, but that sounds like a mess. I guess it just gets the black tarry hull off, right? Or, don't the shells get smushed into the nutmeat?
Black walnuts
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Ridgerunner
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They fall with the hull still green. Perfectly normal. They still need to dry and cure some before you eat them. A few will fall off prematurely and will not be fully developed, but most should be fine. The hull comes off easier when it is still green, but those green hulls really stain. The dried black ones will stain too if they are wet.
A car running over them will smash the hulls but it will not come close to cracking the hard shell. It is a good way to get the hull off and get them to dry out faster.
Black walnuts contain a substance called juglone. The way I understand it, it is more concentrated in the roots but the leaves, bark, and hulls all contain it too. Juglone prevents certain plants from growing, tomatoes for example. I've read different things on how fast juglone breaks down. I've read where you can compost the leaves and the juglone will be broken down, but I've also read to not compost any product of the black walnut tree at all. I don't know which is true, but when I get black walnuts I do not add the hulls or the shells to my compost heap. And I dispose of them where they cannot leach into my garden or orchard.
Instead of using a hammer to crack them, I use a vise. I don't smash the nutmeat or my fingers nearly as much that way.
A car running over them will smash the hulls but it will not come close to cracking the hard shell. It is a good way to get the hull off and get them to dry out faster.
Black walnuts contain a substance called juglone. The way I understand it, it is more concentrated in the roots but the leaves, bark, and hulls all contain it too. Juglone prevents certain plants from growing, tomatoes for example. I've read different things on how fast juglone breaks down. I've read where you can compost the leaves and the juglone will be broken down, but I've also read to not compost any product of the black walnut tree at all. I don't know which is true, but when I get black walnuts I do not add the hulls or the shells to my compost heap. And I dispose of them where they cannot leach into my garden or orchard.
Instead of using a hammer to crack them, I use a vise. I don't smash the nutmeat or my fingers nearly as much that way.
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
If you use the "run back and forth over them with a car" method to husk, don't do it on a paved driveway or you will get persistant lingering stains 
Pat
Pat
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journey11
Garden Master
Despite the stained hands and the annoyance of doing it, it is a good idea to remove the hulls. If they are left on until they turn black and mushy it will give a strong off-flavor to the nut and cause many of them to have rot/maggot problems. You'll get the best quality nutmeat if you remove them, one way or another...
I have GOT to invest in a good, heavy-duty nutcracker this year. I like to make dark chocolate fudge with black walnuts for Christmas and it takes a lot of time and effort to crack them with a hammer.
I have GOT to invest in a good, heavy-duty nutcracker this year. I like to make dark chocolate fudge with black walnuts for Christmas and it takes a lot of time and effort to crack them with a hammer.
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- #6
Mmmmm......chawklet. Mmmmm......dark chawklet....with blk. walnutz. Was thinking that I don't have time to mess with them, but now that you've planted that craving in my mouth; where can I get a cracker strong enough for black walnuts? If you get one, let me know how you like it and where you got it .
journey11
Garden Master
These two from Lehman's are what I had in mind...
I have to wear safety glasses when I crack them with a hammer! LOL
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitche...Tools___Hard_Shell_Nutcracker___1036455?Args=
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitche...and_Tools___Our_Best_Nutcracker___16455?Args=
I have to wear safety glasses when I crack them with a hammer! LOL
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitche...Tools___Hard_Shell_Nutcracker___1036455?Args=
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitche...and_Tools___Our_Best_Nutcracker___16455?Args=
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- #8
Thanks. I just ordered the Our Best for 32.95 + shp. For some reason it was cheaper than the Our Better. The one just for blk. walnuts is prob. better but more expensive, and we may later sell the property with the b. walnut tree, but have pecans here.
