…… Hazelnut/ Filberts -Who has grown them from seed? or has them now?!

[BadMedicine]

I am interested in getting some northern variety hazelnuts on my little farmstead. I heard hazelnuts are one of the quickest to harvest with some trees producing in 2-3 years:-O
I would really like to get some from the furthest north areas they are native. The Valley I live in is a bit of a microcosm with warm air off the ocean (warm is relative in the subarctic..) keeping most years from having a hard hard freeze..

Has anyone successfully grown these from seed/nut?
How easy was it to germinate them, did you stratify somehow?
And how long until they produced/ what were the first few years of production like?

I am trying to intensify anything I can plant to be harvestable food in the future. Nut trees seem like an amazing addition.
Please let me know how your success has went! Thank you!

 

[Dennis Olson]

In 10 years, you can have nuts.

 

[Dozdoats]

How to Grow a Common Hazelnut Tree

Hazelnut tree (Corylus avellana) is the small fruiting shrub or tree native to Europe and Western Asia that gives us the delicious hazelnut.

www.thespruce.com

 

[hiwall]

When I lived in Minnesota, wild hazelnuts were everywhere. We harvested many. Not trees, more like just brush. Grew fast.
Ask some MN members to send you some.

 

[iboya]

I bought live tree years ago at another location. It grew as a large bush but never got any nuts

 

[Kathy in FL]

I asked my mom who had them when she was a girl. She said it is better to start with bare root seedlings as it will cut a couple of years out of waiting for them to produce. And that you also need a "grove" them to get any amount. They are more like a tall hedge row rather than forest.

 

[BigFootsCousin]

In 10 years, you can have nuts.

I planted Bare Root Stock (small yearling to 2 year old trees) and I was getting nuts in 2-3 years, depending upon the tree variety of Filberts.

I only have a few trees of this kind, and I'm seriously considering planting many, many more here in southern Orygun. They want to grow as a 'Bush', so they're ALWAYS needing pruning to shape them into a tree.......and that's pretty consistent on all of my varieties.

My only concern with them is the darn Tree Squirrels LOVE those darn nuts and are beating me to the harvest this year. I need to go to war on those squirrels, but I've been loathe to murder them as I kinda want to consider them as a possible future protein source.

Oh, by the way, Fire Blight is common (and devastating) in Orygun, but they don't seem to be affected in the least, which is HUGE.

BFC

 

[Jackpine Savage]

The local college ag research center here in MN has been experimenting with them for quite awhile. They don't seem to have any info online that I could find with a quick search. Here's one link that I found:

Buy Plants

 

[changed]

I have them. Now I wish I could get rid of them. New shoots start growing at the base outward and are invasive. They don't grow like a tree. More like bushes.

 

[WalknTrot]

Yup...hazelnut grows wild here (MN) unless they get strangled out by the danged Buckthorn. The wild nuts aren't as big as the domesticated commercial version though.

I always assumed they were spread partially by root, partially by squirrels. The wild nuts do sprout. Seen it many times. And yes, they are considered "brush"...growing bush-like and maybe 10-12 feet high. The deer and turkeys love 'em too.

 

[kyrsyan]

I want some. But it has to wait until next spring. Then I'll have to see if anyone will send me seedlings of wild ones. That's one of the yard "upgrades" planned for next year.

 

[BadMedicine]

Sooo... a few members with them. Any members in Minnisota or Canada that have a producing tree? Would be willing to ship me a small package of them?! I could reciprocate with some wild Chaga or other plant seeds you might want?

 

[WalknTrot]

Ordering nursery stock might be the most sure means to get viable plants. You don't say where you live, but the natural range is generally near and east of the Mississippi. (see the two links below).

Locating Wild Hazelnuts

www.arborday.org

American Hazelnut

Attract wildlife with the popular American Hazelnut shrub. This shrub offers tasty hazelnuts while also offering windbreak. Shop now at Arborday.org.

shop.arborday.org

The only way we ever really got nuts when I was a kid (well before the Buckthorn invasion) was to pick them green before the squirrels took ALL of them...and I mean my dad's woodlots and pastures were full of hazelbrush and one day there'd be thousands, the next day, none. We dried them in coffee cans and then peeled off the (prickly) husks.

 

[BadMedicine]

I've only seen a few people growing them here, but the maps looks good. I put a red dot on the mao where I am. The Valley is a bit of a micro-climate average about 10-15 degrees warmer than other local areas less protected. I plan on well mulching them and maybe doing a few in the greenhouse.

I agree I'd probably have better luck sooner with speicifcally northern bred cultivars, but the bred seedlings are about $5 a piece. ( I still may spring for 3 or 4 and clone from them later...) I'd like to plant them sporadically all over the acrage, so I'd really like to put at least 100 in, counting on some failing, and then should have decent crops in the first few years even when individual yields are low.

 

[changed]

I just checked and I don't have any nuts on the bushes this year, just the catkins.

 

[Bolt]

I need to go to war on those squirrels, but I've been loathe to murder them as I kinda want to consider them as a possible future protein source.



BFC

Panéed and served over cheese grits.

 

[drafter]

Our hazelnuts produced nothing this year. The pecans weren’t enough to fill a bucket but the walnuts produced bucket loads. Was hoping for more pecans but it was a tough year weather wise. From what I’ve read, hazelnuts go thru cycles and don’t necessarily produce nuts every year.

 

[naegling62]

In 10 years, you can have nuts.

Was that meant for this thread or Ractivist's?

 

[babysteps]

You don't say where you live, but the natural range is generally near and east of the Mississippi. (see the two links below).

That's crazy that their natural range is so far east - the things are one of the most popular crops in Oregon. At least my corner of it.

Interesting!

 

[bracketquant]

I am interested in getting some northern variety hazelnuts on my little farmstead. I heard hazelnuts are one of the quickest to harvest with some trees producing in 2-3 years:-O
I would really like to get some from the furthest north areas they are native. The Valley I live in is a bit of a microcosm with warm air off the ocean (warm is relative in the subarctic..) keeping most years from having a hard hard freeze..

Has anyone successfully grown these from seed/nut?
How easy was it to germinate them, did you stratify somehow?
And how long until they produced/ what were the first few years of production like?

I am trying to intensify anything I can plant to be harvestable food in the future. Nut trees seem like an amazing addition.
Please let me know how your success has went! Thank you!

Is eastern filbert blight known to be in your area?

How much of a long term project is this going to be? 5 years? 10 years? 20 years?

If it's going to be a long term, maybe lifetime project, I recommend getting the highest quality known cultivars. When those start bearing, you can then play with growing them from your own (hopefully high quality) seeds.

 

[Kathy in WV]

It's a wild bush here. It likes the edges of creeks and meadows and I've found it mostly where the groundwater is nearby. Doesn't produce every year. Love the flavor.

 

[bbbuddy]

Because of this thread, I just went looking for hazelnut trees online, this nursery is shipping for fall. znutty.com

I ended up buying 2 each of 3 cultivars good to zone 5/6. 4 are 2 year old already. Could get nuts this coming year or the next!

 

[BadMedicine]

"yeet"

Thanks for the replies everyone! Would love it if somebody could ship me a pile of raw seeds, I'd compensate them for their time & shipping whatever they thought was appropriate, let me know!
I went to the link Jackpine Savage posted and ended up buying perrenial garden vegetable seeds for next year from two different seed sellers. great resource. Haven't even checked all of the links yet but a lot of great seed developers, strain producers, heirloom preservers, cooperative farms etc at that link, so thanks Jackpine Savage!