sean
|
Hazelnuts...Are looking good. Since it seems to be between me and the squirrels (of which there are blessedly few), we should be in for a bumper harvest this year.
|
Daydreaming
|
Lurrrrrve Hazelnuts!
Praline - Uhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
|
Treacodactyl
|
Yep, we've seen quite a few. I hope they make it to Autum as I've seen quite a lot of sqirrel damage this year.
|
Blue Peter
|
Re: Hazelnuts... sean wrote: | Are looking good. Since it seems to be between me and the squirrels (of which there are blessedly few), we should be in for a bumper harvest this year. |
Why haven't you got many squirrels?
Peter.
|
sean
|
Dunno really. We're near the commons, as is the allotment and I would have thought it would be an ideal environment for them (at least the wooded bits), there just don't seem to be many. I used to see more in our garden in London than I see here.
|
cab
|
I've rarely picked many hazelnuts, but I am a big fan of them. Plenty of trees round here, but I never seem to get onto picking the nuts. I ought to make the effort.
|
wellington womble
|
Ooooohhh - how do you make praline? I don't mind shinning up a few trees for that! Plenty of ovegrown hedges round here!
|
Andy B
|
Re: Hazelnuts... Blue Peter wrote: | sean wrote: | Are looking good. Since it seems to be between me and the squirrels (of which there are blessedly few), we should be in for a bumper harvest this year. |
Why haven't you got many squirrels?
Peter. |
We always lose ours to the squirels, dont know how to stop them, and no i haven't got a gun.
|
Bugs
|
Suppose netting wouldn't stand a chance ... some places sell squirrel proof bird food that has red or chilli pepper in it or something, apparently it doesn't bother birds but squirrels hate it. Not sure the economics would work out...sprinkling your trees with cayenne for a month or so until the nuts were ripe
|
alison
|
We don't have many squirrels here either. Is it a North Devon thing?
|
Lozzie
|
So .. you pick the nuts off the tree, rather than waiting till they fall?
How does one tell that they are ripe?
(complete novice here, but with plenty of hazelnut trees alongside walk to school in the morning)
|
sean
|
alison wrote: | We don't have many squirrels here either. Is it a North Devon thing? |
As so often, 'dunno'. If it is then I wonder why? I was under the impression that the little b****rs were practically indestructible and could live anywhere.
|
sean
|
Lozzie wrote: | So .. you pick the nuts off the tree, rather than waiting till they fall?
How does one tell that they are ripe?
(complete novice here, but with plenty of hazelnut trees alongside walk to school in the morning) |
If you pick one now and crack it it won't actually have a nut inside. As late as possible is the answer on when to pick. The 'calyx' (is that right, or have I just made it up?) anyway, the leafy bit round the nut should be starting to dry up and go autumnal ideally.
|
judith
|
Just keep sampling them every week or so and when they get to the stage you like, then pick. I like them young, when they are still quite milky but have just started to sweeten up. More chance of beating the squirrels if you pick them early, too.
|