Topping a Black Walnut

Two years ago I topped a Black Walnut that was making too much shade in my garden. I cut back from about 25 feet to 15 feet. I realise now that I am lucky I did not kill it and it has now recovered lots of luxuriant growth. However, I want to keep it in check. Is it too risky to top it back again? (I wish I had cut off even more) Should I pollard it rather than top it? Would anyone be kind enough to give me tips on how best to do this?

 

I think to try and keep a black walnut under control is a bit of a task, its a big tree normally.
I've not tried it with walnuts but I do keep a catalpa under control and I did have an ailanthus and a paulownia which I kept small for a few years.
It means cutting back all the previous seasons growth to a bud in winter, you get extra large leaved that way.
But I'm not sure how a walnut would react, I seem to remember that they can bleed.

 

The old addage about women, dogs, and walnut trees may not be very PC, but suggests you can do what you want to them (the trees that is -oh for goodness sake). In days of yore I believe people used to flog them with chains to weaken them and thereby encourage fruiting.

 

I hope one didn't do that to the women too! :eek: Or dogs, come to that! I believe walnuts will cope with almost any or no care, so have a try! Good luck!

 

thanks for the advice. Come Novemeber I will take off a few more feet. If you hear that a man has been nagged to death by his wife for killing a walnut tree, that'll be me.

 

Be brave! Remember, you may be deaf by November