Hazelnuts, planting and caring for which requires knowledge no less than for radishes, is an cultivated type of nut that can be found in a summer cottage. Subject to a certain cultivation technology, a high yield can be achieved.
Hazelnuts are represented by a shrub about 3 m in size. Its leaves are shaped like a heart or an oval. Often the plant is used to make compositions in landscape design. On one specimen, male and female flowers are located at the same time, in this regard, hazelnuts are monoecious and dioecious.
Flowering occurs even before the buds open, most often in the month of March. Pollination occurs using wind or insects.
In September, the fruits already ripen, have a thin shell. The fruit is represented by a nut in a green wrapper.
Planting hazelnuts
The landing site needs to be selected well-lit. There are no particular preferences for soils, except for swampy or sandy ones. The best option is fertile, loose soil.
The selected site should not be flooded with spring floods.
Landing can be carried out both in the fall and in the spring. Hazelnuts are perennials. Due to the fact that its crown is very lush and dense, the distance between the trees should be at least 4 m. Many plant trees alone, therefore, for their best fruiting, you need to place at least 3 seedlings.
A pit for landing is prepared in advance, its dimensions are 70x70x70. At the bottom of the pit lies humus, superphosphate, potassium sulfate. Everything is mixed with soil. A small mound is made in the center of the pit, the root system of the seedling is treated with clay-dung mortar, and is planted on a hill. Then it is filled up with soil and compacted.
Around the bush you need to water and mulch sawdust. In the first days after planting, seedlings need to be shaded.
Hazelnut Care
Plant care includes: weed removal, top dressing, the fight against forgiveness of diseases and pests, watering, pruning, mulching.
Periodically, the near-stem part of hazelnuts must be loosened, while removing weed grass and mulching with sawdust or peat.
Watering. It should be carried out especially in dry weather, this applies to the period June-July. This season, harvest organs are formed for the coming year.
Top dressing
Every few years, you need to make organic fertilizers. In their quality, you can use humus or compost.
In order to increase productivity, it is recommended to use mineral fertilizers: urea or ammonium nitrate. They are applied 2 times for the entire season.
Pruning
Held in late autumn. Particular attention is paid to forming pruning, so the shoots will be better lit. Pruning should be completed before fruiting, which is observed after 4 years from the moment of planting.
The formation of the bush begins with trimming the extra shoots in the middle, and the lateral ones bend to the sides and are fixed with wire.
At the age of 5 years, pruning is required, which involves thinning the bush. Broken, weakened, old branches are removed.
At the age of 15, pruning is performed to rejuvenate. 2-3 trunks are removed, young shoots are slightly cut.
Harvest
Harvesting is carried out on the basis of the variety, most often it is August - September. Maturity can be determined visually: the shell becomes yellow or brown, the nut easily gets out of the shell. Harvesting consists of shaking the bushes, the fallen fruits are collected, and those that remain hanging are removed manually.
After the nuts need to be dried.To do this, they are laid out in a ventilated room, after drying, the wrapper is removed, and the nuts are finally dried. They can be stored for several years.
We suggest you watch a video on how to plant hazel bushes.
