Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
 


       Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own
OtleyLad

Pruning Hazels for nut production?

We've a Hazel bush that is about 6/7 years old now I guess and apparently thriving. But the last 2 years there's been hardly any nuts produced. There's catkins on it now and female flowers too -but not that many. Is it time to prune it?

Is it the case that nut production is greater on younger wood but falls off after 3/4 years?

I've seen stands of Hazels that had been cut right back 2/3 years ago that had plenty of nuts on them - or was that coincidence?

Any info would be appreciated.
Mistress Rose

One of the major problems with nut production is shading. Are your bushes overshadowed by anything now that they haven't been in the past? Squirrels also pinch the nuts when you aren't looking.

We don't grow for nuts, but for rods, and so recut every 7 years. For nuts you usually need more mature stems, peak is something like 14 years I believe, but not too sure. The bush will need coppicing every so often to keep it in good condition, but not just 3-4 years.
OtleyLad

One of the major problems with nut production is shading. Are your bushes overshadowed by anything now that they haven't been in the past? Squirrels also pinch the nuts when you aren't looking.

We don't grow for nuts, but for rods, and so recut every 7 years. For nuts you usually need more mature stems, peak is something like 14 years I believe, but not too sure. The bush will need coppicing every so often to keep it in good condition, but not just 3-4 years.


Its in an open spot. Perhaps its not hit its stride yet. We have squirrels but then its been a case of no more than a handful of nuts setting in the first place.
Falstaff

Is Hazel self-fertile ?

If you have catkins and flowers why don't you pick a couple of catkins and hand fertilise a few branches, then you can see whether it's a fertilisation issue.

We did that with a greengage tree at my mum's years ago and it was so successful, we got the ladders out every year afterwards and went round it with artists paintbrushes !
Treacodactyl

I think some of it is also down to luck. I've got a few acres of hazels, most have not been cut for 20+ years. Whilst some don't fruit due to shading and we get a fair number of nut munching critters about it is noticeable some trees fruit better than others without any obvious reason.

Having said that, the RHS has details of pruning: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=602
OtleyLad

I think some of it is also down to luck. I've got a few acres of hazels, most have not been cut for 20+ years. Whilst some don't fruit due to shading and we get a fair number of nut munching critters about it is noticeable some trees fruit better than others without any obvious reason.

Having said that, the RHS has details of pruning: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=602


That link is really useful, thanks Laughing dpack

the ones i harvest from seem to do a good crop in alternate years,the stems are about ten yrs old and there has been a bit of cutting back at the edges.

beating the squizzers to the ripe ones is the biggest issue Laughing Lorrainelovesplants

Mistress Rose - I'd like to ask -
I planted a hazel (Butler) about 4 years ago. It is slowly growing and is about 5ft tall with a few branches. If I cut this as coppice will it still come back?
Because its a Butler Im assuming its been bred not grafted, and any sticks I cut could be pushed into the ground as cuttings (like willow)?
I know Im not going to get any nuts for a few years.... tahir

Any sticks you shove in the ground willcone up as the parent, coppicing shouldn't affect the variety either, although if the tree was grafted (a possibility) then it might encourage suckers from the roots.

Our trees (226 of them) are planted in rows and will be pruned as hedges (tractor mounted hedge trimmer) when they're big enough, 1 side one year, the other the year after and then I guess around a 3-4 yr cycle Lorrainelovesplants

Okay - so go mad with the loppers then? And then push the rods into the ground? Falstaff

Look up "Hazel Propagation"

I think I looked for ways to propagate it some years ago and found it was only viable from nuts. Cuttings were not mentioned.

Even air layering was doubtful as I remember and although "offsets" were mentioned, I never could find any !

I do hope i'm wrong on this one I'd love to be able to propagate the stuff and I'm sure Mistress Rose will give us a definitive method when she gets in ! Cool Mistress Rose

It does take quite a long time to get established, but once you get it going, you should be able to take rods from it. Traditionally, for hurdle rods, hazel is cut about every 7 years. I don't know about specific varieties, but I would check carefully for signs of grafting, and if it is, always cut above the graft.

Another way, apart from nuts, to propagate is to bend a rod down to the ground, break the bark by twisting, scraping or paring away somewhere that the rod touches the ground and peg it down so the damaged bark is in contact with the ground. Cover the pegged area with soil and leave it until roots form-perhaps a year or so. You should get some upward growth at that point. You can then cut the original rod and transplant the new one to where you want it. This is the traditional way of filling gaps in the coppice. dpack

the ground layering trick works with many plants,a few good uns include

currants,gooseberries,blackthorn,willow,hazel (as above),yucca,bramble are all ones i have had good results from

some that sometimes take include chestnut ,acers ,broom ,best with added rooting hormone but still a bit iffy

(and a variety of exotic soft plants,i used to have a domestic jungle ) dpack

ps some plants specialize in that means of propagation ,strawberries for instance
       Downsizer Forum Index -> Grow Your Own
Page 1 of 1
Home Home Home Home Home