2014 Annual Report for FNC14-944
Pasture Weed Control with Juglone (Black Walnut) Spray
Summary
The first goal of the project is to successfully extract Juglone from the walnut hulls. Walnuts gathered in October 2014 had recently fallen to the ground, and most retained some green hull. The walnuts were run through a corn sheller to loosen and remove some of the hull. This process was easier than removing the hulls by hand one by one. Five gallon food grade buckets were filled with 10 pounds of hulls and filled 3 inches below the top with the liquids. Three buckets were filled with water and two buckets with a 5% acidity white vinegar. Due to weather constraints, the water buckets were soaked indoors for 10 days and the vinegar buckets for 15 days. Contents were stirred daily. Hulls were removed from the liquid by straining through a jersey cotton cloth. The water buckets produced 10 gallons and the vinegar 5 gallons of Juglone liquid. Samples were stored in one quart glass jars and dropped off for analysis on November 25, 2014. Remaining Juglone liquid is stored indoors at no less than 60F and no more than 70F.
Since my initial research into Juglone, I have found several people who used green unripe walnuts soaked whole to extract Jugone. In the fall of 2015, I will collect walnuts from the trees to ascertain if this will provide a stronger juglone content. While collecting from the tree will increase labor, it should even out since the hulls will not be removed.
Lab analysis is still pending. Application will begin spring 2015.