Garden: Tomatoes DO Grow Under Black Walnut Trees

Last year, we have been blessed with volunteer sprouts from the compost. After watching them every day to see what they would grow into, touching the plants helped me to identify that infamous tomato plant smell on my hands. I had never planted tomatoes in the garden area because it was located close to a Black Walnut Tree and that was a no-no in the garden world. Black walnut trees secrete a chemical that is toxic to tomatoes, so they either grow just a little or do not grow at all. But here in our little garden oasis, we had 10-15 tomato sprouts! Right under a black walnut tree!

This year, we were blessed with even more tomato sprouts! I counted 15-20+ tomato plants just in the garden. Plus, my husband spread compost in some areas of the yard and the tomatoes were growing there also!

While this might not come as a surprise to most seasoned gardeners, I find the little tomato sprouts a huge blessing every year. In the early summer months, I check every morning for little tomato sprouts. I am always amazed where they grow. I have transplanted them into the garden and thinned out a grouping of 10 plants to spread throughout the garden.

The tomatoes have grown very well in the garden cage, underneath the black walnut tree. They have even grown better than the tomatoes in the container garden in front of the house. Some say it is all about the soil. Other says it is about the location. I say, it is about little blessings! One gardener grows some things well and another gardener grows other things well. That is what it is all about! We grow what we grow well and we share.