Forum home› Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Hazelnut trees - What are your experiences?

Grateful DeadheadGrateful Deadhead Posts: 113
in Fruit & veg

Dear Forum Members,

I am thinking of buying two hazelnut trees for the garden. One to keep at 2.5 metres as a bush and the other, shape/height-wise I think I’m either a bit more flexible with or simply undecided (can’t work out which). There are certain space constraints with regard to general garden dimensions and existing trees, so I don’t feel I can let whatever trees I buy grow with wild abandon without pruning (in due course).

I understand all the pollination stuff, so I guess I would like to ask if any of you have bought a pair of these trees/bushes and if so, what varieties/cultivars you matched together, and if so, how successful they were (or weren’t!), did you buy pot grown, or plant a bare root, etc etc

Basically I am obsessed with getting hazelnuts growing and boring anyone who will care to listen, about my plans. Woe betide the squirrels if they get in my way.

Many thanks,

The Grateful Deadhead

«13

Posts

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Do you mean hazels or cobnuts or filberts? Some fruit nurseries sell them. Look online. Hazel nuts are nice but not the best if you want good-sized nuts.
  • Grateful DeadheadGrateful Deadhead Posts: 113

    I was grouping them all together. I know where to buy, I just wanted gardeners experiences of growing them.

    Thanks,

    The Grateful Deadhead

  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Ive got a red filbert and a normal green hazel, got them last year, the red one has a nut on! Yay!

    The green one is bigger, like you i will have to keep them pruned to fit my garden, out of the two i am most taken with the red one which is so lovley, i have planted it in an ornamental bed.

    They seem really tough, they were bare root, simply heeled in til a month or so ago and very healthy image
  • FleurisaFleurisa Posts: 779

    I don't know about growing them but I do know that if you have any squirrels around you they will get the nuts before you do image

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    Agree Fleurisa

    I've rarely harvested a nut. I never see a squirrel here except at hazel time when they nick them long before they're ready to harvest



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    Is that where they go?image

     



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,616

    I have a corkscrew hazel, normal hazel and red hazel. The squirrels eat the lot.

  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,444

    and after  that the acorns are ready



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,616

    They can have all the acorns. it saves me sweeping them up.

  • Grateful DeadheadGrateful Deadhead Posts: 113

    We do have squirrels where we are. It must be possible to try something to throw them off the scent, such as providing a decoy or something? I refuse to be beaten by squirrels!!!

    Bekkie, I have heard lovely things about the purple and red filberts - very nice to look at but unless I am mistaken, they are lower yield varieties, no?. Do you remember what variety your green hazel tree it? Is it yielding nuts yet? Do you have a strategy for pruning? I ask because I have not the foggiest clue how I am going to prune mine, then I will end up with 15m high out-of-control trees image...

    The Grateful Deadhead

Sign In or Register to comment.