Timber Consulting & Log Buying

WALNUT TREES

When to hang on to them and When to sell them...

High quality walnut trees can be a great investment, but like any good investment or card hand, you need to know "when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em". I often get asked how big a walnut tree should be before it is sold. The answer is not simple and each tree must be assessed to determine it's financial maturity.

Financial Maturity is when the income from selling the tree can be placed in another investment and earn a higher rate of return than the tree is earning growing. Financial maturity differs from biological maturity. Biological Maturity is when the tree dies. Trees that reach biological maturity have already surpassed financial maturity. There is a time period when the tree is deteriorating and actually losing value before it reaches biological maturity and dies.

At what size does a walnut tree reach it's maximum earning potential? This is determined largely by tree quality. The better the tree - the longer you should grow it. The poorer the tree - the sooner you should sell it. Walnut trees that have no defects, such as knots, branches, cracks, or scars, are called Veneer Trees. These sheets of veneer are sliced or peeled from the logs.