Mr. Schmitz took his Nursery/Landscape class, along with Miss Thompson's Plant and Soil Science class to Bill Foster's Walnut Plantation on Wednesday, Oct. 13. The classes learned about the process of planting and maintaining Black Walnut trees. The Black Walnut trees grown on this plantation are from Purdue University and are genetically superior trees. The trees are being grown for veneer lumber and also for the walnuts. Mr. Foster discussed how important site selection is for growing Black Walnuts. The land must be well-drained to avoid flooding and the trees need to be shielded from strong winds as much as possible.Pruning the trees in the winter and spring is very important when growing black walnuts because it will eliminate knots in the wood and help the trees grow straight, making them a high-class veneer lumber.
In the picture, Mr. Foster is telling the class about the protecting the trees when they are young. This protective cover will help steer away deer that want rub their antlers. He talked about the importance of keeping the trees safe in the winter by using a thick layer of mulch around the tree and cutting a hole in the cover to create an air flow.
