# Preventing walnut trees from growing nuts!



## pdqdl

I have a customer that has requested that we give her a quote for injecting her walnut trees with some unknown chemical to prevent the nuts from forming. She stated that she has a quote for that service from another tree service.

I have never heard of any injectable chemicals that will do this. *Does anybody know about this ?*



BTW: yes, I know about spraying Florel. [More info: http://www.montereylawngarden.com/pdf/fruit-eliminator.pdf ]

I am also aware of an experimental method of preventing fruit/seed formation of ANY flowering tree by spraying the bark of with Attrimec, a phosphate fungicide, and a really high quality surfactant. 

But I don't know of any injectables.


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## D Mc

Urban Forester referenced a fruit reduction product/chemical in the attached referenced thread. His post #7.

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=76018

Dave


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## Wortown Mick

Id reccomend pruning with a face and back cut a couple inches above grade =]


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## pdqdl

D Mc said:


> Urban Forester referenced a fruit reduction product/chemical in the attached referenced thread. His post #7.
> 
> http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=76018
> 
> Dave



I tried tracking the chemicals listed in that thread, but I was not able to find anything recent on them. I'm sure it is out there, I just haven't found it yet.


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## tree MDS

Its not my specialty, but I think its called Cambistat. Try and google it.


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## juststumps

tree MDS said:


> Its not my specialty, but I think its called Cambistat. Try and google it.



CAMBISTAT , is a growth regulator. our spray guys use it. i don't know if it stops fruiting, but i do know, you have to be really careful with it !!!!!! the company has adopted a few trees because of this stuff. and it's not injected .


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## pdqdl

*Cambistat: Good product, WRONG for preventing fruit/nuts*

According to the marketing firm for this stuff, Cambistat INCREASES fruit production on trees. 

http://www.rainbowscivance.com/cambistat/cam_application_2.asp

Probably a great idea for some trees, but entirely the wrong product for reducing nuts on walnut trees.



*************************************

Interesting note: this product is sold as beneficial to the tree, but I don't see it catching on in the tree trimming business. It's stated purpose is to reduce or eliminate tree trimming by preventing vegetative growth.

I don't see too many tree services pushing a product that reduces trimming sales, although their literature seems convincing.


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## treemandan

Wortown Mick said:


> Id reccomend pruning with a face and back cut a couple inches above grade =]



I swear I read of another method. I have to run out now but will look it up later and get back. Yes, injectable to stop fruit production, they have it. I think its real easy, probable long term problems though.
I 've read of " banding a trunk" to slow flow.


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## tree MDS

pdqdl said:


> According to the marketing firm for this stuff, Cambistat INCREASES fruit production on trees.
> 
> http://www.rainbowscivance.com/cambistat/cam_application_2.asp
> 
> Probably a great idea for some trees, but entirely the wrong product for reducing nuts on walnut trees.
> 
> 
> 
> *************************************
> 
> Interesting note: this product is sold as beneficial to the tree, but I don't see it catching on in the tree trimming business. It's stated purpose is to reduce or eliminate tree trimming by preventing vegetative growth.
> 
> I don't see too many tree services pushing a product that reduces trimming sales, although their literature seems convincing.


Yeah, its supposed to allow the tree to bulk up and get more deisel at the roots- sorry I was wrong about one, like I said not my specialty. P.S. do you like my technical lingo??,lol.


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## pdqdl

tree MDS said:


> Yeah, its supposed to allow the tree to bulk up and get more deisel at the roots- sorry I was wrong about one, like I said not my specialty. P.S. do you like my technical lingo??,lol.



Yup. It works for me. You'd better not put any of that deisel in my trucks though. 

Mine prefer diesel. :jester:


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## Urbicide

I wonder if this would work?

http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=97&item=560


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## Rookie1

What was the title of this thread "preventing nuts from growing walnut trees". You have got to be joking right. I had Buckeye tree behind house and hated "Walking on marbles" every fall so I cut it down.


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## tree MDS

pdqdl said:


> Yup. It works for me. You'd better not put any of that deisel in my trucks though.
> 
> Mine prefer diesel. :jester:


 Good one. Got me there, lol.


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## pdqdl

Urbicide said:


> I wonder if this would work?
> 
> http://www.treestuff.com/store/catalog.asp?category_id=97&item=560



Yes! Florel works. Unfortunately, the product must be sprayed all over the tree at just the right time. No problem, Right?

They forget to mention that the stuff is a bright yellow (or so I've been told) and stains the $^%% out of automobiles and houses. They DO announce early on (if you read the label, that is) to not spray it onto cars, vinyl, acrylic, etc., and that spray residues must be washed off to prevent damage. _[read between the lines: It stains the $^%% out of automobiles and houses !!_]

So I really can't consider using it in a residential neighborhood.

The reason that I posted this note was that I had a customer call and request an injectable variety of fruit preventative on Walnut trees. Since I had never heard of such a product, I thought I might post a note here.


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## treemandan

Something called Snipper. Inject 1 for every 4 inch of trunk dia for stopping the production of seed in black walnut, etc. 1 little injector bottle runs under ten bucks, hammer the bottle into a small 1/8 hole to use.


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## pdqdl

*You Got it !*

Dan, you the man! Snipper is a product labeled for fruit suppression in trees. I don't think I will try to sell it to any customers: you must drill a 3/16th hole every 4" around the base of the tree to be treated. Year after year, that sounds like a bad idea, even though the holes are pretty small. 

Here is the product label.
http://www.treetech.net/DeflowerA/Snipper/SnipLabel.pdf

The active ingredient is indole butyric acid, a well known plant growth regulator usually used in greenhouses for promoting root development. I'm not sure how that applies to fruit suppression in sweetgum.

I have tried to find some sort of product evaluation of this stuff, but so far I have gotten nothing. Zillions of google hits on Indole butyric acid, but they all seem to be about plant roots, not fruit suppression.

*Has anybody else ever used this stuff? 

How well does it work ?*

********************************************
A really good, but rather technical (LOTS of chemistry!) description of the different plant hormones is here: 

http://www.hos.ufl.edu/mooreweb/TissueCulture/February 1/Plant Growth Regulators/Full Hormones.doc

Sadly, it doesn't go into fruit suppression on trees.


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## treemandan

Yes, I am...hence the name?
Let me tell you how The Dan deals with the walnuts: He parks his truck in another spot til they are done and thanks God for having so many squirrels to shoot at. 
It can be a mess but under my grove is a sweet spot... pics coming. Latey its been " watch you don't bust an ankle" or " INCOMING! ". Someone could get hurt but the yearly drilling doesn't sound to good. Out of 7 or 8 trees only one really drops over the parking lot.
Now if I were to go about doing this for a client I would inform them of the potential harm of the drilling and would use a good sealer ( I can tell you what The Dan uses). Sometimes you see how this might be a viable alternative if only for the short term.
I have clents who want the apples done after the flowers are done to stop all the fruit.


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## Nailsbeats

I just lace my spike marks with it, works well, lol. Easier than drilling.


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## pbtree

Wortown Mick said:


> Id reccomend pruning with a face and back cut a couple inches above grade =]



That works for me! Or, just have the trees visited by some raging feminists... that often removes the nuts...


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