Growing Hazelnuts

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Hazelnut or Pontic hazel is a promising shrub for the arid climate of the Lower Volga region. Common hazel in such conditions gives an unstable yield of poor quality. Hazelnuts can also be grown in the Middle Lane. There is a positive experience in collecting fruits in the Moscow and Kaluga regions. What are the requirements of this culture?

Success factors

Several factors influence the full development, growth, fruiting of plants:

1. Soil. Light texture, organic-enriched soils are suitable. Saline, waterlogged, highly compacted lands are absolutely unsuitable.

2. Illumination. Loves sunny glades. In partial shade it grows well, but bears little fruit.

3. Moisture security. A moderately moist substrate in the spring and summer helps to form a good harvest.

4. Exposition. The north-east or north-west direction of the slope is suitable.

5. Winds. Protection from strong winds is needed. Planting near buildings, hedges on the sunny side contributes to better development. The temperature in such areas increases by several degrees.

Liming acidic soils, bringing the indicators to a neutral environment, increases the profitability of plantings.

Landing

At the end of April, hazel flower earrings bloom. Pollen is carried by the wind from one plant to another. To increase the likelihood of fruit setting, 2-3 specimens are placed on the site. Cross-pollination helps form a full crop.

The best planting dates are late August - early September. Cool weather, sufficient rainfall enable plants to take root well until frost in a new place. For spring plantings in May, regular watering will be required in the first 2 months.

Pontic hazel is placed according to the scheme 6 by 4 meters. This is the optimal feeding area for maximum yield. 2 weeks before the plantation was laid, holes were dug with a depth and diameter of 50 cm. Garden soil mixed with 50 g of potash salt, 150 g of superphosphate or 6-8 kg of rotted manure was poured onto the bottom. This technology allows the bushes not to experience a lack of essential nutrients for 3 years.

A peg is placed in the center, a sapling is tied next to it. Before planting, the roots are dipped in a dung-clay mash, straightened on a mound of soil. Fall asleep with humus, press the substrate with your hand around the stem, deepening the root collar by 2-3 cm. Water abundantly. When shrinking, add soil to the norm.

For better rooting, cut the seedling at a level of 20-25 cm from the ground. In the early years, with such a planting, a powerful underground system was built up.

Care

Regular surface loosening of near-trunk circles, mulching with straw cutting, sawdust or peat, helps to fight “competitors”, to retain moisture for bushes. Compulsory weed removal is carried out in the aisles.

In the first years, vegetables are planted between the bushes. With the beginning of fruiting, sodding of the adjacent territory is carried out with the obligatory mowing of the grass. In early spring or in the snow in near-trunk circles on adult plants, fertilizer is scattered with nitroammofosku 50-100 g. Organic matter is applied once every 3 years at the rate of a bucket per square meter.

In dry periods, seedlings are watered abundantly at the root. When a powdery rose appears, spray with 1% colloidal sulfur or mullein infusion. They are saved from pests by Intavir.

Flower buds are laid from autumn every year. Unfavorable factors (return frosts, drought) lead to irregular fruiting. The maximum yield (up to 3 kg per bush) hazel gives up at the age of 10-15 years. The life of the plant itself, with proper care, reaches 40 years.

We will consider the reproduction of a valuable culture in the next article.