Topic: nut trees

[bev and andy]

anyone tell me if you can be successful with a hazelnut tree , we are in wilts

[Ceratonia]

Hazels are native to Britain, very easily grown and can certainly be successful - got 12kg of nuts from two trees last year. You need two trees for pollination (by the wind) and it takes them a few years to start cropping. Squirrels are probably the main problem. For some reason, we get squirrels which visit, but they never seem to stick around to eat the nuts.

[supersprout]

I heard a feature on Gardener's question time on BBC Radio 4 this week about growing hazels, cobnuts and filberts (try 'play again' at www.bbc.co.uk) and you might find the following of interest: http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=28&topic=15703.0
Lucky you! ;D

[bev and andy]

thanks, im going to give it a go

[Robert_Brenchley]

Hazels have long been used as a hedging plant on my site, with the result that there are trees scattered across the site. I don't think anyone harvests any of them, but I get hazels germinating all over the place, and the squirrels leave piles of empty shells here and there; I had one on one of my daleks last year.

[Palustris]

About a thrid of the hedges along our lane are hazels, say about 2 miles worth? Last year I got 15 nuts from them. They are mostly taken by mice rather than squirrels. Oh and half of the ones I did collect have weevils in them. There are cultivated varieties which do far better than wildlings.