How to Plant Hazelnut: Getting the Start Right

Hazelnut is one of the easiest fruiting plants to establish, but a good start matters. The decisions you make at planting — site, spacing, soil preparation, and aftercare — determine how quickly the plant establishes, how soon it begins fruiting, and how productive it will be for decades to come.

Choosing the Site

Hazelnut is adaptable but performs best in a position with good light — at least half a day's direct sun — and shelter from very exposed winds. It tolerates partial shade but crops less freely in it. Avoid frost pockets: the female flowers emerge in January and February and are highly sensitive to frost. A gentle slope where cold air drains downhill, or a south-facing or west-facing wall to provide reflected warmth, improves early-season pollination success. Hazelnuts also need reasonable air circulation to reduce powdery mildew pressure.

Soil Preparation

Hazelnut grows in a wide range of soils but does best in a well-drained, moderately fertile loam with a slightly acid to neutral pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Heavy clay or chronically waterlogged soil should be improved before planting by adding grit and organic matter, or by raising the planting site. Very alkaline soil over chalk causes interveinal chlorosis and should be amended with sulphur if possible. Dig the planting area to at least thirty centimetres depth and incorporate a generous bucketful of well-rotted garden compost or leafmould into the backfill.

Planting Bare-Root Trees

Bare-root hazelnuts are available from autumn nurseries from November to March. Plant as soon as possible after delivery while the roots are not dried out. Dig a hole wide enough to accommodate the full root spread without bending or cramping the roots, and deep enough so the plant sits at the same depth it was in the nursery (the soil mark on the stem is the guide). Backfill with amended soil, firming gently in layers to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly even in winter.

Planting Pot-Grown Plants

Container-grown hazelnuts can be planted at any time the ground is not frozen, though spring and autumn are best. Soak the rootball thoroughly before removing the pot. Tease out any circling roots gently before planting. The top of the rootball should sit at or just below the surrounding soil surface. After planting, firm the soil well and water generously. A mulch of bark or compost ten centimetres deep over the root zone (kept clear of the stem) retains moisture and suppresses weeds during the establishment period.

Aftercare in the First Year

Water young hazelnuts during dry spells in the first two growing seasons — once or twice a week in dry weather is appropriate. Keep a one-metre circle around the plant clear of competing grass and weeds; competition in the first year is the most common cause of slow establishment. A light feed of balanced fertiliser in late winter of the second year supports steady growth. Avoid heavy pruning in the first two years — let the plant establish its root system before shaping it.