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The homeland of the heart-shaped nut is Japan. This plant originates from the island of Honshu, where it coexists with Siebold’s walnut. It got its name due to the fruits of a characteristic shape. The heart-shaped nut differs from the walnut in the higher taste of its fruits. Planting and caring for a heart-shaped walnut in the Middle lane is the necessary knowledge for growing a crop.
Description of the heart nut
The heart-shaped nut is a deciduous tree, which, in addition to tasty fruits, also has a high decorative effect, so it is often used as a park plant. The average height of the plant is from 12 to 15 m, the circumference of the spherical crown can reach 7-9 m.
The bark of this tree is light grey. Young shoots are mostly brown, sticky. Often on young shoots there is a noticeable pubescence. The kidneys of the heart-shaped nut are large, their size can exceed 3 cm.
Photo of a heart-shaped walnut tree:
The leaves of the plant are very large, their length can reach from 50 to 100 cm. In fact, the leaf is a miniature branch, on which there are from 10 to 15 leaves up to 18 cm long and up to 5 cm wide. The leaves are asymmetrical, oblong-oval, pointed at tops. They are located on short petioles. The upper part of the leaves is bare, and the lower part, on which noticeable veins are located, is covered with a slight pubescence.
The heart-shaped walnut belongs to monoecious plants, that is, male and female flowers are located on the same tree. Male catkin flowers are up to 20 cm long and about 1 cm thick. Usually a flower contains up to 25 stamens. Female pistillate flowers are collected in a “brush” type inflorescence of about 10 pieces each. The stigmas of the female flowers have a characteristic pink-red color.
Flowering occurs at the end of May, moreover, it occurs simultaneously with the blooming of the leaves.
The fruits are collected in brushes of 7-12 pieces. The dimensions of each fruit are 5 cm in length and 4 cm in diameter, their shape is elongated, with a pointed end, the color of the peel of the fruit is green. The kernel has a mass of approximately 30% of the total mass of the fruit. Fruit ripening occurs in September. In terms of nutritional value, the heart-shaped nut is not inferior to the usual walnut, but it tastes much better than the latter.
The life time of the heart-shaped walnut is several decades. Individual specimens can grow up to two hundred years. The yield of adult plants (more than 20 years old) is from 100 to 120 kg per tree. The yield per hectare is estimated at 2500 to 7500 kg.
Frost resistance of the plant is high. The heart-shaped walnut is able to tolerate frosts down to -30 ° C. This causes its high popularity in the northern United States and Canada. Currently, many varieties of heart-shaped nuts have been bred. Most of them are of Canadian origin, and they are practically unknown to the domestic gardener. This plant is just beginning to gain popularity in our country.
For central Our Country, in particular for the Moscow region, this species is more promising for cultivation, since, in comparison with the same walnut, it is much better adapted to our conditions and has better taste. In addition, do not forget its high decorative effect.
Using a heart-shaped Japanese walnut
The use of the heart-shaped walnut is very multifaceted. In particular, it highlights the following areas:
- Cooking The plant can completely replace walnut kernels in cooking in all its possible uses. This can be both the use of fruits in their pure form, and their use for the manufacture of confectionery or sauces. Separate mention should be made of the production of nut butter, since the kernel of the heart-shaped nut is softer, and therefore better suited for this.
- Ecology. It is believed that the leaves of the heart-shaped walnut can purify the air from the vapors of various harmful substances: gasoline, acetylene, products of incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons, etc. Therefore, it is considered rational to plant this plant in places with unfavorable environmental conditions. Naturally, it is better not to eat fruits from such trees.
- Medicine. The fruits of the heart-shaped nut are used in folk medicine as cleansers and agents that normalize the work of many body systems.
- Landscaping. Since the heart-shaped walnut is a highly ornamental plant, its benefits can be not only commercial, but also aesthetic. It is perfect for creating single compositions, as well as for park or garden groups.
- The use of wood. The wood of old trees can be used to make furniture or various decorative items.
Planting and caring for a heart-shaped nut
Despite the thermophilic nature of the heart-shaped nut, it can also be grown in the Middle lane. He will endure the winter without problems, and with a sufficient number of sunny days, the yield indicators, although they will not reach the “Japanese” standards, will turn out to be quite acceptable. It is possible to reduce the size of fruits by 15-20%, but their taste and nutritional qualities will remain at the proper level.
In addition, there are many varieties of heart-shaped nut, bred for the climate of the north of the United States (for example, Marvel or Rival), which can take root very well in the Middle Strip.
There are two ways to plant a heart nut: using seedlings or using seeds.
Landing site and material preparation
There are no special soil requirements for the heart-shaped nut. Thanks to a very strong and branched root system, the plant can grow in almost any area. It is preferable to plant the walnut on loam, although this requirement is not mandatory. In addition, the heart-shaped nut does not like excessive crowding and groundwater too close to the surface.
Preparing the soil for planting heart-shaped nut seedlings consists in applying fertilizer about a month before planting. A hole up to 80 cm deep should be made on one tree, at the bottom of which it is necessary to bring a bucket of manure and a glass of ash. After that, the pit is filled up to a level of 40 cm and watered.
Preparation of seedlings consists in examining the root system and removing diseased and damaged roots.
Preparation of seeds for planting is carried out as follows: before planting, they are immersed in warm water with a temperature of up to + 50 ° C so that they crack. The planting process itself should begin at the end of April and immediately plant the seeds in a permanent place, since the heart-shaped nut does not tolerate transplanting at any age very well.
Despite the fact that the seed germination of the heart-shaped nut lasts more than 2 years, it is the seeds of last year’s crop that germinate and adapt best of all.
Rules of landing
Planting seedlings is carried out in the fall, a month before the first frost. The planting depth is 30-40 cm, the distance between trees is at least 5 m. When planting trees on a slope, this distance can be reduced to 3,5 m.
The seedling is placed in a hole, while its roots are straightened horizontally and sprinkled alternately, starting from the lowest and gradually moving up. The distance from the highest roots to the soil level should not exceed 6-7 cm. After planting, the earth is compacted and watered.
Planting a walnut tree by seed is a very simple procedure. It is carried out in holes, 5-7 cm deep, and the seeds are placed sideways in them. This completes the boarding process. Watering is optional.
Watering and top dressing
Watering is carried out 2 times a month. Its norms are 20 liters for young trees and 30 liters per 1 sq. m of land under the crown for adults.
Top dressing is carried out twice a year. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied (up to 7 kg of ammonium nitrate), in the fall – potash and phosphorus (2-3 kg of potassium salt and 10 kg of superphosphate). The norms are indicated for mature trees over 20 years old.
Young trees either do not fertilize or introduce organic matter in late autumn.
Trimming and shaping
Pruning to form a crown for fruit-bearing heartnut trees is not needed. If it is necessary to correct the shape of the crown or remove diseased branches, it is best to do this as follows:
- in the summer, the necessary branch is removed, while a knot 5 cm long is specially left;
- next spring, the knot is removed completely;
- the cut point is treated with garden pitch.
Sanitary pruning of small branches can be carried out in early spring.
Preparation for winter
With each year of life, the ability of the heart-shaped nut to withstand frost only increases. However, plants that have not reached the age of three should be covered with any material that is at hand.
Features of growing a heart-shaped walnut in the Moscow region
Growing a heart-shaped walnut in the middle lane, in particular, in the Moscow region, has a number of features regarding its wintering. Despite sufficient frost resistance, the heart-shaped nut can freeze slightly in especially cold winters. This is not critical for the tree, since it is mostly young shoots that freeze slightly, which eventually grow back. It should also be said that in the Moscow region, heart-shaped nuts rarely grow above 10 m in height.
Young plants need to be wrapped up for the winter while there is such an opportunity (that is, while the growth of the tree allows). Already in the second year of life, shoots are able to endure winters near Moscow. Therefore, the main task in growing this plant is a thorough preparation for each wintering of a tree in the first 5-6 years of its life. If the tree can form a strong enough trunk with many branches, it will endure subsequent winterings much more easily.
Harvest
Fruiting in a heart-shaped nut occurs at 6-8 years of life. Up to 20 years, the yield will constantly increase until it reaches its full level. This level can be maintained throughout the life of the tree. Even trees that are over 100 years old are capable of yielding at least 100 kg per tree.
Reproduction
Reproduction of nuts is carried out either by the previously considered seed method, or by grafting. However, the latter method is relevant only for the southern regions – there you can, for example, graft a heart-shaped nut onto a walnut. In the middle lane, this is possible if there is an adult walnut plant adapted to this climate. Grafting by budding or splitting is done in early spring.
Diseases and pests
The walnut tree has very strong phytoncidal and insecticidal properties. Most pests and diseases bypass this tree, however, it can also be vulnerable to some types of diseases, mainly fungal.
Of the fungal diseases, leaf spot should be noted. It comes in white and brown. It is characterized by the appearance of spots of the corresponding color, first on the lower, and then on the upper side of the leaves. Over time, the spots occupy an increasing area, and the leaves die off entirely.
When such symptoms appear, the plant should be sprayed with copper preparations (vitriol or Bordeaux mixture). Depending on the degree of damage, re-treatment is recommended after 3-4 weeks.
Other fungi that annoy the plant are tinder fungi located on its trunk. Usually, tinder fungi infect diseased or weakened trees, or plants that do not have enough nutrition.
It is necessary to remove tinder fungi, also cutting out the surroundings of the affected wood and carry out phytosanitary treatment of the affected areas. Treatment can be carried out with any fungicide containing copper.
Bacterial diseases of the heart-shaped nut most often manifest themselves in the form of bacteriosis or bacterial burn. In this case, the spread of the disease begins with flowers and ovaries, gradually moving to the leaves.
As in the case of other diseases, copper-containing preparations are used to treat bacterial infections, but at a lower concentration.
In general, to prevent all types of heartnut diseases, both fungal and bacterial, it is recommended to carry out several preventive sprays during the season:
- at the time of opening leaf buds;
- before flowering;
- immediately after the end of flowering;
- during fruit formation.
Since the size of the heart-shaped nut is large, spraying it is quite problematic. Therefore, along with spraying, other preventive measures should be taken:
- loosening of the soil;
- destruction of weeds;
- destruction of last year’s foliage, etc.
Heart nut reviews
Conclusion
Planting and caring for a heart-shaped nut is quite simple and does not pose a problem even for an inexperienced gardener. The plant is extremely unpretentious and hardy.
Even grown by seed, it adapts perfectly to the characteristics of the climate and terrain. Despite the fact that the results will have to wait a long time, they are worth it, because the fruits of the heart-shaped nut are very tasty and healthy.
