Growing and proper care of hazelnuts in central Russia

One of the types of hazelnuts that are useful for humans, hazelnuts, are widespread throughout the south of Russia. There the conditions are most favorable for the growth and development of culture. But it is worth paying attention to the fact that growing hazelnuts in central Russia and caring for them has enormous potential. Therefore, gardeners who have plots in this part of the country can safely experiment with cultivating a cultivated species of hazel.

Is it possible to grow hazelnuts in central Russia?

The selection of hazelnuts in the difficult climatic conditions of the middle zone began back in the 30s of the 20th century. Currently, a large number of hazelnut hybrids have been created that bloom together and produce rich harvests of nuts.

Since the new varieties are based on crossing with common hazel, hazelnuts in central Russia are capable of:

• tolerate low winter temperatures and spring frosts;
• give nuts with kernels of high oil content;
• delight with high yields;
• become a decoration of the garden plot thanks to its decorative forms.

Of course, hazelnut nuts are not as large as in the south, but they have high nutritional value.

The best varieties for a given region

Gardeners in central Russia need to choose only frost-resistant hazelnut varieties, among which are:

1. Tambov early. A type of hazel with green leaves has been cultivated for a long time. It bears fruit in early to mid-August. The oblong fruits are medium in size and have a thin golden shell. The oil content in the kernels is high - up to 73%. The yield from one tree is 6 kilograms.
2. Tambov late. The hazelnut variety is used as a pollinator. The tree bears fruit with medium-sized nuts, oblong-conical shape and thin shell. The kernels are tender, filmy, tasty.
3. Moscow ruby. The hybrid belongs to the species of hazel with red leaves. Hazelnut bushes are vigorous and productive. One fruit cluster contains up to 7-8 nuts.
4. Academician Yablokov. One of the elite varieties with red shoots and leaves. The nuts are large, weighing up to 2.5-3.4 grams, without pluses.Every year, 10 kilograms of nuts are obtained from one bush, which are collected in September-October. To grow a hybrid, you need a pollinator, which is suitable for the varieties Tambovsky late and early, Pervenets.
5. First born. The variety tolerates winter and frost well. Having an extended flowering period, the hybrid has high vitality. For red-leaved varieties, this is one of the best pollinators.

Depending on the purpose of cultivation, it is worth choosing hazelnut hybrids that produce high yields of nuts or bushes that are decorative.

Basic requirements for cultivation

To grow a nut in your summer cottage, you should pay attention to:

• choose the right place for the tree;
• plant several different varieties nearby for pollination;
• protect the hazel tree from pests and diseases.

Agrotechnical measures must be carried out competently and in a timely manner, then the cultivation of hazelnuts will be successful in central Russia.

Choice of time and site

For regions with early and cold winters, it is optimal to plant walnut trees in the spring. Planting is done in April before sap flow begins.

The area for hazel should be prepared in advance. Fertile, well-watered soils are needed. But wetlands with close water cannot be used.

Shrubs grow better in well-lit areas. It is necessary to protect the plantings from drafts and cold winds. Trees grow well near the wall.

Preparation of planting material

The shrub will take root better if the seedling is:

• without leaves;
• with 3-5 developed shoots;
• have a developed root system with roots half a meter long;
• with a trunk thickness of 1-1.5 centimeters.

Don’t forget to prepare and plant 2-3 different varieties of hazelnuts nearby.

Landing

You can plant hazelnuts either by seeds or using ready-made seedlings. The first method is most often needed for breeding work. When using seeds, it is more difficult to preserve the varietal characteristics of a crop. And the hazel tree begins to bear fruit later if it is planted using seed material.

Seeds

Only ripened nuts are selected for planting in the garden. They must be undamaged and without the smell of mold. First, the nuts are kept in water for 5 days. Nutrient soil is poured into the boxes and nuts are placed there. They must undergo a stratification procedure at a temperature of 2-6 degrees Celsius. It is worth starting to prepare seeds in May, because it will take 2-3 months.

Then the sprouted nuts are ready to take root in a permanent place in the garden.

Vegetative method

It is more convenient and easier to plant hazel seedlings. A month before planting, prepare a hole 60 centimeters wide and long. A layer of a mixture of peat or humus with soil and superphosphate is poured into it. Make a mound of garden soil on top. Place the nut tree in the middle and straighten the roots. It is better to put the hazelnut roots in a clay mash and trim them slightly.

Cover the roots with nutritious soil, shaking the tree slightly so that the soil is evenly distributed between the roots. A peg is placed nearby for tying the hazel. At the end of the procedure, water the abundantly planted walnut bushes.

For farmers, planting hazelnuts in nests is suitable. With this method, 5-6 bushes are planted in a circle according to a 6 x 6 meter pattern. All branches from the root are removed before planting. So the hazelnut will grow into 1 trunk.

The roots should not be deeply buried during planting.

Further care of the crop

In order for a crop to grow and develop quickly, it must be properly cared for.Timely watering, fertilizing and pruning will allow the tree to gain strength and delight you with a rich hazelnut harvest.

How to water

When forming a hazel tree, it is necessary to water the plantation abundantly. So, a week after planting, young trees are watered. Then, during the season, moistening is carried out when the soil above begins to dry out.

Mulching is used to retain moisture. A layer of sawdust or pine needles is poured around so that they do not come into contact with the hazelnut trunk.

Fertilizer

Organic and mineral nutrient solutions are used to feed hazel trees. After planting, it is best to water with a solution of slurry diluted in a ratio of 1:20.

Every year they begin to apply fertilizers to the soil after 3 years have passed after planting. Before this, the hazelnut feeds on what is in the ground. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers are applied every 2 years.

How to care during flowering

Hazelnuts begin to bloom and bear fruit 4-6 years after planting. But if three-year-old trees are planted, the waiting period for nuts will be reduced.

To set fruit during the growing season, the nut requires:

• fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus;
• introducing humus into the tree trunk circles along with nitrophoska;
• moderate watering;
• stopping soil loosening for the time being.

To better lay the nuts, pruning is needed. It is carried out in the spring, rejuvenating the tree, and in the fall.

Trimming

To obtain a bountiful harvest, pruning should begin, which is carried out in a timely manner. Excess shoots should be removed constantly, otherwise the hazelnuts will grow and bear fruit poorly. In spring, viable young shoots are left, shortening them by a third. During the fruiting period, the walnut tree constantly needs renewal.

In autumn, old shoots, dried and diseased branches are pruned. It is necessary to thin out the middle of the bush.

Wintering hazel

Despite the winter hardiness of varieties for central Russia, they require covering with non-woven material for the first 3 years of life. Plantings should be protected from heavy snowfalls in winter by bending the branches to the ground and pinning them. From above, young trees are covered with spruce branches of coniferous trees. Hazelnuts tolerate winter well if they are watered abundantly and fed with wood ash in October.

Protection from diseases and pests

One of the common diseases of hazel is powdery mildew. Trees are rarely damaged by brown spot. Treatment of plantings with a solution of copper oxychloride at 0.3% and Bordeaux mixture at 1% helps against infection. Powdery mildew is effectively combated with preparations containing sulfur.

Among the pests that pester a hazelnut plantation are the nut weevil, the leaf beetle, and the hazelnut beetle.. They are expelled and destroyed by spraying with Decis. A solution of “Karbofos” and “Fozalon” helps against hazel aphids. Occasionally you can notice thin cobwebs entangling the hazel foliage. This is a spider mite that parasitizes hazelnuts. You can fight it with sulfur preparations and a solution of chloroethanol.

Reproduction

There are several ways to breed hazelnuts. Reproduction is more successful by the vegetative method, although the seed method is also used.

Bends

This method of propagation is simple, since there is no need to separate the shoots from the mother bush. Near the hazelnut you need to dig a trench half a meter long and 15 centimeters deep. The side branches are placed in grooves, pinned to the ground. The upper part of the shoot is taken out and tied to pegs. All that remains is to fill the trenches with earth. After abundant watering, the soil will become compacted, and the branches will be able to form roots.

To get several branches, and not just one, in the fall or spring you should bend the annual shoots to the ground and leave them without covering them. Roots will appear from the buds, from which shoots will shoot upward. When they reach 10 centimeters, they are hilled. As they grow, the procedure is carried out twice more. Then the horizontal shoot is completely dug up, cutting it into pieces. Each should have a vertical sprout.

Offspring

In the 2-3rd year after planting, hazelnuts form shoots from the rhizome. It is used for propagation of varietal hazel. The side branches are freed from the ground and separated from the mother bush with an ax or pruning shears. It is necessary that each offspring has a strong and healthy root with buds.

Vaccination

The difficult method is used by experienced gardeners. Hazel seedlings act as a rootstock for hazelnuts. Most often they use ordinary or multi-leaved. Bear nuts or its hybrids with hazelnuts are also suitable for grafting.

Dividing the bush

The simple method can be used even by novice walnut growers. The hazel is dug up and divided into several parts. Each of them should have a stump 15-20 centimeters high. Pay attention to the development of the root system.

Harvest and storage

Hazelnuts are harvested after the nuts have ripened. They are placed under a canopy to dry and ferment. The layers should be systematically turned over so that they do not rot or deteriorate. Nuts can be stored for a long time if placed in a room with a temperature of 0-2 degrees Celsius and a humidity of 70%.

Decorative forms of hazel

Decorative hazel can be used to decorate the landscape. Among the varieties for this purpose are:

• purple hazel with flaming leaves;
• fern-leaved with carved leaves, like oak leaves;
• variegated varieties with yellow, white borders or spots on the green surface of the leaf;
• Ivanteevskaya red variety with excellent winter hardiness;
• hybrid Purple F-86.

These forms of hazelnuts do not bring rich harvests, but will decorate the site all summer until autumn. They are used to create hedges or alone on the lawn.