This area is dedicated to sharing information we have learned from others. We are amateurs in this field so the information here is a general rule of thumbs. There are of course always exceptions.
Gathering Quality Nuts and Seeds:
 | First and Always, correctly identify your tree! Before you taste it, determine if the seed is edible or not!!!!! (Yes, some things are poisonous!, DO NOT EAT!) |
| Keep a record of when the trees produce. Each tree species will have a pattern of heavy and light crops. Different trees of the same species are often on different schedules. For example black walnuts have a heavy crop every other year. Many oaks have a three to five year pattern. |
| Check maturity and quality by cutting some of the seed open. The inside should look healthy and filled with a light color kernal. It should not have any worm holes or dark soft spots. In general it should be moist, but not milky or watery. Each year your tree or shrub will cast off some seeds early, these will not be good. Also the first drop of mature seeds will be of less quality than later drops. It is best to clean up the bad seeds and discard them. Then you'll be ready to pick up good quality seeds with the next drops. Some trees will not have good seed because of worms or other natural causes. Seeds on sidewalks or roadsides may have cracks or be dried out from heat and sun, avoid or discard them. |
| After gathering your seeds and nuts, clean off any husk or fruit pulp. |
| Do a float test to separate the better nuts. The nuts that float should be discarded. Of course this is not a hard and fast rule. During dry seasons, air pockets can develop inside the seeds and nuts, they will float. Cut test some of the floaters to check what the inside looks like. Paw Paw seeds always float, check by color and moisture, keep them moist. Paw Paw will not germinate if they are dry. |
Storing Nuts and Seeds
| After cleaning small seeds such as wild black cherry or ash store them in a refrigerated area inside a plastic storage bag or plant immediately. |
| For any white oak seed, store in an onion bag or mesh bag. Only fill the bag to the area below the plastic labels. It is important to leave air space around each bag. If you don't, you'll be surprised to find long sprouts under the first layers of seed. Store in a cool and dry area. Heat and moisture will encourage fall sprouting! If you are growing these, plant A.S.A.P.! |
| For other oak seeds you may use mesh bags (such as a feed store bag) or onion bags. It is still important that the seeds do not overheat, so place them where it is cool and has good air circulation. If you are not planting them right away, make sure you sprinkle the seeds with water on a regular basis. If the seed dries out, it will die. To keep germination at a maximum, take good care of your seeds! Cooler or cellar storage is important if you keep them until spring. |
| For hickory and walnut, clean, then keep cool and dry. Watch out for over heating and mold. Mesh or onion bags will work well. |
Cleaning Nuts and Seeds
| When drying seeds and nuts, dry them in the shade. The flavor of the nut meat may become bitter if dried in the sun. |
| Black Walnuts may be cleaned a lot of ways. The easiest is to find a hulling station and ask them to run them through a hulling machine for you. A list of black walnut stations is on the Black Walnut page. Other frequently used methods include lining your driveway and running over them with a car or use a corn husker. If you have any suggestions to share, please email nutwizard@hpcisp.com. |
| Shellbark Hickory works best if you let them dry awhile. Many people use a hammer to knock the husks off. |
Suggestions for Gum Balls
| Use for fire starters. |
Selling your extras
| Be a vendor at your local farmers' markets. |
| Contact state or local nurseries. |
| To sell black walnuts, visit the Black Walnut Page for a list of hulling stations. |