juglone/walnut query

[Roy A. Fletcher]

My next-door neighbour has a walnut tree planted right on the property line. My failure to grow potatoes and tomatoes has been attributed to a substance called juglone that emits from the roots of walnut trees. So this summer I'll try alternate crops. I've been assured that carrots are okay, but can find nothing on beets, yams, sweet potatoes, cabbage or any of various turnips. Various squash thrive on the soil. Would like to determine any method that will enable tomatoes to grow. Any advise is welcome.

Regards. RAF

[Frogleg]

Containers. Seriously, I've not heard of any method of counteracting or neutralizing juglone, and tomatoes and potatoes are most often mentioned as affected plants. I didn't believe in juglone because many people simply speak of it as being "poisonous to plants," which can't possibly be true, because my back yard had 5-6 giant old black walnuts and also plenty of grass, bulbs, flowers, and weeds. Then I learned the intolerance was plant-specific. As specific information (except about tomatoes and potatoes) seems to be scarce, I imagine you'll just have to try other food-plants and see what happens. I've never tried to grow veg in my yard because the walnuts also provided plentiful shade. All but one tree were destroyed by Isabel last year, so I may be able to experiment now. Oh, I *did* have successful asparagus in one sunny patch.