Walnut Tree Trimming
- 1). Plant the tree and count five buds above the graft union. Cut the top of the tree ¼ inch above the fifth bud.
- 2). Bury a tree stake next to the walnut tree at planting. Tie the central trunk to the stake to train it to be the tree's main stem, the dominant leader. If the tree has multiple trunks, remove all the others at the base.
- 3). Prune the main leader 5 feet above the ground in the tree's first dormant season. Select four to six lateral branches to retain. Choose stems that are more or less evenly spaced from each other around the trunk. They should also be at different heights. Remove all other lateral twigs. Trim the retained lateral stems back to two buds. Make pruning cuts ¼ inch above buds and at a 45-degree angle. Cut off buds that develop near the tip of the main leader.
- 4). Continue to prune the main leader back to just above the topmost lateral branch. Perform this step for an additional three dormant seasons. At the same time, trim the tips of the lateral stems down to the point where they bend upward. Make each pruning cut ¼ inch above an outer bud and at a 45-degree angle. Allow the wood to grow freely after the fourth season of pruning. The central leader will begin to develop sideways and become another lateral branch above all the others.
- 5). Prune walnut trees at the end of the dormant season to remove winter-damaged wood. Remove diseased stems as you notice them.
