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Corkscrew Hazel - replant / start new
Hi, We have a corksrew hazel in our garden that is too close to the house and as its been doubling in size within 3 years we need to do something about it. I want to replant it, although its now above 2 meters and its maybe better to plant a new tree on another spot in the garden. My question is if it is possible to plant a new tree from taking branches of the old one, or how do you actually do this?
Thank you
Eva
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You can re-plant it but need to wait till autumn when the leaves have dropped and it is dormant. You can prepare it now by sinking your spade in all round the root ball in a circle to sever the roots and encourage new fibrous roots to grow and support it in a tighter root ball. Make the circle as big a diameter as you can manage to lift between you - min 60cms - then water well and feed it some bonemeal. Keep it watered in dry spells.
In autumn, dig out a new planting hole and prepare the soil well with some well-rotted garden compost or MPC and a handful of bonemeal. Water the hazel thoroughly at least and hour before digging it up and remove any straight stems that have grown. Lift it and re-plant straight away. You may need secateurs or loppers to sever roots below the root ball. Then replant at the same depth as before, working in the prepared soil and compost mix around the roots then scatter on some more bonemeal and water generously. Stake it for the first year or so if it is in an exposed site.
The other alternative is to take semi-ripe cuttings but those will require a great deal of patience and your hazel is still a movable size.
Thank you for your reply, should I cut some of the lower branches so the tree becomes a bit smaller before I start the moving procedure?
First see what it looks like bare after you've taken out any straight stems and then, by all means remove lower branches to lighten the load and raise the crown evenly to make a good shape, but do make sure that is done when no frost is forecast as it can damage the cells around new wounds and lead to disease.