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How to Grow Hazelnut

Corylus avellana

Perennial

Hazelnuts are wind-pollinated, so plant at least two different varieties for a reliable nut crop. They thrive in most UK soils and tolerate partial shade, though full sun gives the best yields. Prune to an open goblet shape in late winter, removing suckers and crossing branches. Harvest when husks turn brown in September and dry the nuts in a warm, airy spot before storing.

Yearly Lifecycle

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JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Bud Break Flowering Fruit Set Harvest Leaf Fall

Care Essentials

Mulch with compost in spring. Rarely needs additional feeding.

Watch For

  • Nut weevil
  • Squirrels
  • Big bud mite
  • Powdery mildew

Companions

Comfrey, Foxgloves, Bluebells

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Care Requirements

☀️ Light

Full sun for best crops; tolerates partial shade

Tolerates partial shade but crops best in full sun. Avoid deep shade which reduces nut production. Suitable for woodland edges and hedgerows.

💧 Watering

Water to establish; drought-tolerant once settled

Water regularly during the first two years to establish. Once established, hazels are drought-tolerant and rarely need supplementary watering in the UK.

🌱 Fertilizing

Mulch with compost in spring; rarely needs feeding

Mulch with compost in spring. Rarely needs additional feeding — hazels thrive in most UK soils without supplementary fertiliser.

✂️ Pruning

Winter prune to open goblet; remove suckers

Prune in January or February to an open goblet shape. Remove suckers from the base and thin crowded branches to improve airflow and light penetration for nut production.

🍎 Harvesting

Pick when husks brown in September; dry before storing

Harvest when husks turn brown and nuts fall easily, typically September to October. Dry in a single layer in a warm, airy place for two to three weeks before storing.

Growing Tips

Cross-pollination

Hazelnuts are wind-pollinated and mostly self-incompatible. Plant two or more different varieties to ensure good nut set.

Squirrel defence

Squirrels are the biggest threat to your harvest. Net trees or use squirrel baffles on trunks as nuts begin to form.

Goblet pruning

Prune in January or February to an open goblet shape. Remove suckers from the base and thin crowded branches to improve airflow and light.

Drying and storage

Spread harvested nuts in a single layer in a warm, dry place for two to three weeks. Store in a cool spot — they keep well for months once properly dried.

Pests & Diseases

Pest Nut Weevil

Identification: Small round hole in the shell where the adult weevil has emerged; larva feeds inside the developing nut, leaving frass

Organic treatment:
  • Collect and destroy fallen nuts promptly to break the lifecycle
  • Encourage ground beetles and other predators
  • Lay a sheet under the tree and shake branches to dislodge adults in May–June
Chemical treatment:
  • No effective chemical controls available to home gardeners
Pest Grey Squirrels

Identification: Nuts disappearing from the tree from late July; gnawed shells on the ground; broken branches

Organic treatment:
  • Net individual branches or the whole tree with strong netting
  • Harvest nuts slightly early (when husks just start to brown) and ripen indoors
Chemical treatment:
  • No chemical controls — physical exclusion and early harvesting are the only options
Pest Big Bud Mite

Identification: Abnormally swollen, rounded buds in winter that fail to open in spring; reduced cropping

Organic treatment:
  • Pick off and destroy swollen buds in winter before mites emerge
  • Prune out badly affected branches
Chemical treatment:
  • No effective chemical controls for home gardens
Disease Powdery Mildew

Symptoms: White powdery coating on leaves, especially in late summer; leaves may curl and brown at edges

Treatment: Improve air circulation by thinning congested growth; remove badly affected leaves

Prevention: Prune to an open framework; avoid overcrowding; clear fallen leaves in autumn

Disease Bacterial Blight Xanthomonas arboricola pv. corylina

Symptoms: Dark angular spots on leaves; cankers on young shoots; dieback of affected branches

Treatment: Prune out and destroy affected branches, cutting well below visible symptoms; sterilise tools

Prevention: Avoid pruning in wet weather; maintain good air circulation; remove dead wood promptly

Popular Varieties

Kentish Cob, Webb's Prize Cob, Cosford, Purple Filbert, Butler

Spacing & Planting

Plant spacing 375 cm
Row spacing 525 cm
Mature height 500 cm
Mature spread 400 cm

Multi-stemmed shrub or single-trunk tree. Can be planted closer (300cm) for hedgerow. Needs cross-pollination.

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