Topic: Beech tree and other self seeding trees

[Borlotti]

The allotment next to me has a lovely beech tree, which has loads of nuts on it, which obviously they pick later in the year.  This beech tree self seeded onto my allotment and must admit I have cutting it right down, but it grows regardless.  I only have one nut on it this year, also her peach tree has self seeded onto my allotments.  My question is do I dig them all out as they do not seem to be the same as the original tree, which seems odd to me.

[squeezyjohn]

They harvest beech nuts?  Really?

[johhnyco15]

i would dig them out   

[Borlotti]

I think you missed the point of my question, next doors beech tree is good and has loads of nuts,  mine is all leaves and no nuts.  Is that because it seeded itself and not a mature tree.  I may be missing the point as I am female.  OH said something about trees being male and female, but I am confused of Enfield.

[Digeroo]

According to Wikipedia beech trees have both male and female.  Though a seedling will not be exactly the same at the parent tree, so may not be so good at bearing fruit.
But what do you do will beech nuts?  I thought that pigs liked them.  We had a tree in the playground when I was at junior school and we used to eat the nuts, but remember only getting a tiny morsel from eat nut, after about two or three we gave up.  After a few days they went dry so we let them be.

I had a self seeded hazel pop up, but I cut it down and used it as a bean pole.

[Borlotti]

I think I will cut it down.  Next time I see my allotment neighbours will ask them what they do with all their nuts.  Last year I watched them picking them all.

[GRACELAND]

Never heard of a harvest from them - are you sure its beech

[squeezyjohn]

I think most fruit and nut bearing trees tend to produce very little until they are approaching maturity ... that's why most apples/pears/plums etc are sold on dwarfing rootstocks ... they become mature much faster.  Nuts are rarely sold grafted on to root-stocks ... it's taken my hazel trees 6 years to start making a decent crop and my almonds have not fruited in 9 years!

So I think if you want the beech nuts ... you will need to wait longer.

[GRACELAND]

https://www.rawrob.com/beech-nuts/

I’ve done a little research and found that beech nuts (also called beechmast) are high in tannins and shouldn’t be eaten in large quantities. Soaking them for 8 hours or more and then rinsing them removes some of the tannins and probably makes them easier to digest.

[Borlotti]

Took a few photos today at the allotment.  Next doors tree and mine.  Someone likes the nuts, and I think it is a beech, correct me if I am wrong.

[Digeroo]

I think it is a hazel.   
It can be good in three ways. 
1, It could produce good nuts.
2. You can inoculate the roots so it produces truffles.
3.  It can produce bean poles and pea sticks if pruned correctly.
And they are normally much much smaller trees than a beech which can grow enormous. 
If your neighbour has a good nutting tree I would suggest the way to go would be to try and get a cutting to root.  Suggest you find a willow and soak cut up piece of that in water to make rooting hormones.
It may be easier if you find a cutting from the base of the plant which already has a root.   If you are on good terms with your neighbour an air cutting may be possible.  You put a bag of compost around a suitable stem and persuade it to root and then cut if off with the rooting process already in action.  Or pin a branch down to the ground.

[Borlotti]

I obviously don't know my trees very well, think you are right it is a hazel tree.  Thanks for all that information. 

[Paulines7]

I agree with Digeroo, it is definitely a hazel.  I thought it odd when you said your neighbour had a beech tree on his plot as they can grow up to 160 ft tall!

.......My question is do I dig them all out as they do not seem to be the same as the original tree, which seems odd to me.

I suspect your neighbours hazel is a species that has been has grafted or layered as it has red nuts.  It may also only grow to a certain size.  It could be this one:
https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/hazelnut-red-cracker/dww4611TM

Your specimen, grown from one of the nuts, has produced a native hazel which can grow quite tall.  The foliage is dense and very little will grow beneath it, so as it matures, it could take up valuable ground or cast shadows over part of your plot.  It will produce fruit but at the expense of any other produce that you could have grown in the area.

The peach tree will have been grafted and anything grown from its fruit stone will resemble the original tree that was used for the grafting.  The fruit may not be very good and the tree may be huge.

[Borlotti]

I am so stupid,  yes a hazel not a beech.  Anyway it is a very nice tree on her allotment, but mine is not so good, so I will chop it down and enjoy looking at hers.

[squeezyjohn]

Ah ... suddenly everything makes sense!