NUT

Someone has planted a walnut tree for you. Under its lush canopy, you can breathe in the air infused with phytoncides, feeling a deep sense of relaxation.

Indeed, the green walnut tree is a guardian of your peaceful retreat: by releasing volatile substances—phytoncides—it keeps mosquitoes and pesky flies at bay while purifying the air. But the real treasure lies beyond that. Consider this: the ripe walnut kernel contains up to 77 percent oil, around 17 percent protein, a wealth of carbohydrates, and vitamins C, B, and A. To put it in perspective, one kilogram of walnut kernels is nutritionally equivalent to a mix of one kilogram each of beef, fish, milk, bread, potatoes, and pears. Interestingly, unripe walnuts have 40 to 50 times more vitamin C than lemons and oranges.

Walnut trees begin to bear fruit around the age of 6 to 7, but they yield significant harvests starting at 10 to 15 years. A mature tree, over 25 to 30 years old, can produce up to 220 pounds of nuts. The productive lifespan of a walnut tree can last anywhere from 50 to over 100 years.

Since walnuts were cultivated, breeders have developed numerous varieties. There are also methods to accelerate the fruiting of walnut trees: if propagated vegetatively, they can bear fruit in just 4 to 5 years, which is significantly earlier than when grown from seeds.

Which variety should you plant?

Bomb – This is a small tree that is frost-resistant in its growing regions. The fruits are very large with a hard shell. They store well and are delicious.

Gronov – A variety found in all walnut-growing regions. This frost-resistant tree has a rounded crown. The fruits grow in clusters of 5 to 6, sometimes even 10 to 11. The nuts are smaller—medium-sized—with a thin shell.

Paper – This variety is not very frost-resistant. It requires sheltered locations and well-warmed soils. The fruits are large with a thin shell, so thin that the kernel is visible through it. Nuts from this variety do not store well.

Kachinsky – A frost-resistant variety. This tree grows vigorously with a sparse, rounded crown. The nuts mature in September and have a sufficiently thin shell. The kernels are well-formed.

Crimean Frost-Resistant – A vigorous tree with a sprawling crown. The nuts are medium-sized and ripen in September.

Crimean Large – An interesting variety. This frost-resistant tree is highly productive, bearing fruit annually. The fruits are large and mature in mid-September. The shell is of medium thickness, and the kernels are well-formed and very tasty.

While we’ve been discussing walnuts, it’s worth noting that the walnut family also includes black, gray, Manchurian, Japanese, and heartnut varieties. All of these, except for the heartnut, are quite winter-hardy and can be grown in Ukraine.

And that’s not all when it comes to nuts. In Ukraine, you can find cultivated or wild-growing nut-bearing trees and shrubs such as common almond, edible chestnut, pistachio, pecan, hazelnut, and filbert. All of them produce highly valuable fruits.