How and When to Prune Hazelnut for a Better Crop

Pruning is one of the most important management tasks for a productive hazelnut. Done correctly and at the right time, it opens up the canopy to light and air, removes unproductive wood, and encourages the young shoots that carry the best crops. Done wrong — especially at the wrong time of year — it can remove the entire season's flowers before they have a chance to develop.

When to Prune

The best time to prune a hazelnut is immediately after harvest in late summer or early autumn — typically August to October. At this point the year's crop is off the plant, the new catkins are not yet developed enough to be easily damaged, and there is enough growing season left for any wounds to begin closing. Avoid pruning in late winter and spring at all costs: the catkins are expanding and the tiny female flowers are either about to emerge or are already open. A late winter prune removes the entire current year's crop in one go.

What to Remove

Start by removing dead, diseased, and crossing branches that create congestion in the centre of the plant. Then remove the oldest, thickest stems down to near ground level — hazelnut fruits best on wood between one and three years old, and very old main stems become less productive over time. As a general rule, remove around one fifth to one quarter of the oldest stems each year on a mature stool. This keeps the plant in a constant state of renewal without the shock of radical removal.

Suckers and Water Shoots

Hazelnuts produce numerous suckers from the base and vigorous upright water shoots from older branches. Both are vigorous but largely unproductive in the short term and compete for light and resources with the fruiting wood. Remove suckers by pulling or cutting them as close to their point of origin as possible. Water shoots should also be removed unless you intend to use them as replacement stems.

The "Brutting" Technique

Traditional hazelnut management in cob orchards (plats) included a technique called brutting: in midsummer, long lateral shoots are snapped halfway through and left hanging down. This checks the vigorous growth, improves light penetration into the canopy, and is said to encourage better nut development. The dangling portion is removed during winter pruning. It is rarely practised in home gardens but is effective in established plantings.

Tools and Technique

Use sharp, clean secateurs for shoots up to pencil thickness, loppers for thicker stems, and a pruning saw for the heaviest main stems. Always cut cleanly just above a healthy bud or shoot junction with no stub remaining. Sterilise tools between plants if you suspect disease in the garden. Well-maintained tools make cleaner cuts that heal faster and are less prone to infection.