# Black Walnut Still alive after cutting?



## Yellowdog (Jun 9, 2003)

We cut down a Black Walnut in October 2002 and stored the logs in front of our barn. Both logs have new growth on them. Both have been cut since October. Is this really possible? There was no growth on the trees through winter then after Spring came we saw new leaves. See attached. Any thoughts?


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## Bob Wulkowicz (Jun 9, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Yellowdog _
> 
> *We cut down a Black Walnut in October 2002 and stored the logs in front of our barn. Both logs have new growth on them. Both have been cut since October. Is this really possible? There was no growth on the trees through winter then after Spring came we saw new leaves. See attached. Any thoughts? *




That's reasonably predictable for a tree not yet convinced it should be dead. The top and bottom halves of trees each retain a few responses for problems or emergency. 

The top half sends out watersprouts (epicormic growth) in an attempt to get some new leaves in place to supply sugars. The bottom half sends out suckers for the same purpose;that is, to get leaves out there for the same sugars.

Generally, these are triggered responses and we should understand them as clues to something being denied to that part of the tree.


The growths under or near a pruning cut comes from trying to replace the missing limb that used to provide sugars. If the root system is not being suppied from the overhead tree with some needed material, an area of the affected root sends up a new tree.



Your logs have no top or bottom; a-not-just-bewildering condition, but soon to be a deadly one. I'd call that an emergency. The only available response here for a log is to try to send out a flush of new leaves when spring arrives.

If the ends of the logs were buried, their response would probably be to send out new roots since those new surroundings are dark, moist, and certainly the world of roots. BHowever, both leaf and root efforts are futile because the other coordinated top and bottom of a tree are missing.

You are watching the last attempts of the creature trying to stay alive, each individual attempt from a tiny local perspective. 

The cambium is the thin film of cells that grow all the parts of any cylinder we see as wood with bark. Roots and leaves have to also be connected to the plumbing system created by the cambium as well. Felling the tree puts all that into fragments and each section trys to do what it can.

Likely if you chisel a small square of bark around the sprouting leaves, spray the leaves with a dilute foliar fertilizer (yhey look very sad), and put that section in moist soil after dusting with some rootone, the leaves might stay alive long enough to help a rerooting on the underside of the bark. How awkward an arrangement that is for a while doesn't matter, what count's is staying alive.

And ain't that what life is all about...?



Bob Wulkowicz


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## Yellowdog (Jun 9, 2003)

Bob,

Thanks for you insightful response. There is a lot of history with that tree. I did not want to cut it down but was forced to. It was my grandfathers favorite tree and when he died my grandmother wanted to bring the wood with her and the tree had not been doing well and she was afraid parts of it would continue falling on the neighbors place..
We had planned on slabbing the wood and giving some to family members as this tree was grown from a walnut about 30 years ago. 
If there is any chance that this new growth is indeed the tree trying to live, I want to do what I can to bring it back (help it). What can I do? As of right now, I plan on digging a hole and planting it rightside up in the ground. There is about 6 feet of trunk with new growth on it. Will this be a good start?

Thank you,

Jason


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## Bob Wulkowicz (Jun 9, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Yellowdog _
> 
> *Bob,
> 
> ...




No, no, no. 

My illustration was only meant to explain that a remaining hunk of tree will attempt to create a missing part. Planting your log in a hole, gives you a 6 foot walnut fence post with dying leaves on it for a while.

If you cut of a two or three inch square of bark around the leaf sprouts, it will come off as a connection to the local cambium. There are no roots there so you have to encourage the section to grow some--since it already has its leaves and roots complete the package.

Keep the section wet. Read up on cuttings and propagation BEFORE you cut it out. The section looks pretty sad by it leaves, so you'll have to work quickly if you want to preserve memories.

Here are a few sites:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=walnut+cuttings&btnG=Google+Search

http://www.rooting-hormones.com/sitemap.htm


What I'm suggesting is very unorthodox, but it's also working with all you have left. If you want to write privately, I'm at [email protected]

And I'll try to make up some drawings.


Bob


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## Yellowdog (Jun 9, 2003)

Bob,

I appreciate your help. When I got home from work my dad had already cut off the section of the leaves. I had asked them to WAIT but stubborness got in the way. Now it is up to mother nature as I am out of it. I do however, have my pictures and the sense that something very strange occured...

Thanks again!

Jason


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## Yellowdog (Jun 14, 2003)

It turns out my daughter had read your thread to my folks who followed the advice and worked laboriously to to remove the new shoots and transplant them using some of the hormones described or similar in the web sites listed. Thanks again for the help! I will take pictures if the shoots make it..


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## John Paul Sanborn (Jun 14, 2003)

Some trees can propigate as nurse logs, willows most noteably. The fall over and then prout leaves and roots wich will grow around the rotting nurse log.

remember to mist the leaves regularly so they will not dry out. 

If you see some more sprouts on the logs, maybe a loacl nursery can help with the propigation.


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## Yellowdog (Jun 14, 2003)

John Paul,

When you say mist, can regular watering be substituted or do I need to set up a mister like a greenhouse uses? Thanks for the help!


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## Bob Wulkowicz (Jun 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by John Paul Sanborn _
> 
> *Some trees can propigate as nurse logs, willows most noteably. The fall over and then prout leaves and roots wich will grow around the rotting nurse log.
> 
> ...



JPS is right. A very important aid in this adventure is to keep the leaves moist and happy. 

I suggested a rather unorthodox techniques, but it seemed to me from your photo that the leaves were struggling and couldn't last much longer because they were just sprouts on a log.

Generally, sprouts are taken as a larger twig and the bottom dipped in a hormone to encourage root growth. Here, the circumstances seemed rather delicate and I thought leaving a base on the sprouts meant as little injuryas possible to the top.

The secret as I see it is the leaves are self-productive; that is, they create the sugars they need to keep themselves and the twiglets beneath them alive and growing. The eventual big problem is the other half of this tiny tree is missing. But the cambial area on the underside of the bark is likely the busiest area of every tree in terms of robust cells wanting to help out if they can. 

Cambiums are physically pretty distant from roots, but they do have the basic cells capable of turning into whatever type cell the tree needs. Buried in the container as I hope they are, the underside of the bark understands the type of cells needed--root structures and cells--and sets about to provide them.

If you have planted the bark chunks in the ground outside, the quick rain and temperature swings, and sun can easily dry out the new root home, so you have to pay more attention than if it's in a container. 

If new roots can start and grow, they'll supply water and elements from the soil to build the more complex plant parts while the leaves continue to make sugars and keep everything supplied with sugar energy.

Until this jerry-rigged, rube goldberg arrangement gets off on its own two roots as it were, you will have to help by misting the leaves and keeping the soil wet--not waterlogged, just wet.

Don't pull the bark out of the soil to check anything; don;t wiggle it, There is a very tiny, very vulnerable assembly line being built there, and it doesn't need inspection, just quiet and solitude.

Your tree will end up looking like a tree growing though a piece of bark. Don't fix that. The tree has made some internal accommodations that you can't see and pulling that apart can kill it all. The tree will fix itself as it chooses. You may think that it looks stupid, but hopefully your wife will ask you to look in the mirror before you cast stones.

------------- 

Hopefully, you might get some other sprouts. Watering the logs may induce a few more attempts.

If this works, you'll have done something miraculous to keep some memories intact.

Hell, I'm going to go out and pull off a few sprouts on a bark to see how they do myself. Good luck to you and your family.



Bob Wulkowicz



PS: I thought the thread was over with your previous post. Guess you have to scratch out stubborn for your dad and write in determined instead.

PPS: Have something to explain to the neighbors when you're out watering the logs.


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