If you have a black walnut tree around Alton, Godfrey, or Edwardsville, you already know the sound of this time of year: green husks thumping onto the roof, the deck, and the driveway. Black walnuts are one of the most common big trees in the Metro East, and fall is when they make themselves known.
The nuts are a nuisance on their own. They roll underfoot, stain concrete and hands a dark brown, and turn mowing into a hazard when the mower throws them. Walnut roots, leaves, and husks also release juglone, a natural compound that keeps tomatoes and many garden plants from growing well nearby.
Fall is also a good time to look up. Walnuts are among the first trees to drop their leaves, and once they're bare, dead wood and broken limbs over roofs and driveways are easy to spot. If a walnut is crowding the house or a garden spot, trimming back the heaviest limbs, or in some cases removal, is worth talking through.
Do you have a black walnut that pelts your roof or driveway every fall, and have you found a way to live with it?
#BlackWalnut #MetroEastIL
A real photo of a mature black walnut over a local driveway or roofline, or a close-up of green walnut husks scattered on a driveway or lawn. A crew photo trimming a large walnut limb would also work well. Authentic photos of real Riverbend crews and job sites are strongly preferred over stock images.
Canva text suggestion: "Walnuts Falling? Check the Limbs Above" or "Black Walnut Season in the Metro East"