How Far Apart Should You Plant Hazelnut Bushes?

Getting the spacing right when planting hazelnut saves a great deal of work later. Plant too close and plants crowd each other, reducing air circulation, increasing disease risk, and making harvesting and maintenance difficult. Plant too far apart and you may compromise pollination success. There is a practical spacing range that suits most garden situations.

Standard Garden Spacing

For garden hazelnuts managed as multi-stemmed stools, a spacing of four to five metres between plants in each direction is the most commonly recommended starting point. This allows each plant enough room to develop its natural spread without excessive competition, and it keeps adjacent plants close enough for reliable wind pollination. At this spacing, two hazelnut varieties planted in a row will have their canopies touching or just overlapping within ten years, providing good mutual pollination coverage.

Spacing for Pollination

The most important spacing consideration for hazelnut is the distance between compatible varieties for pollination. Hazelnut pollen is wind-carried and works best over short distances in a typical garden with walls, fences, and windbreaks. The practical maximum for reliable pollination in a sheltered garden is about fifteen metres between varieties. Closer is always better: planting two companion varieties two to five metres apart guarantees excellent pollen transfer on even calm days during flowering.

Hedge and Boundary Planting

For hazelnut grown as a dense hedge or informal boundary, plants can be spaced as close as one to two metres apart. At this density they will naturally interweave and compete, forming a thicket rather than individual stools. Regular coppicing on rotation — cutting alternate stools every few years — keeps the hedge manageable. This close spacing is fine for a wildlife or privacy hedge where yield per plant is less important than coverage and density.

Commercial or Small Orchard Spacing

In commercial hazelnut orchards, spacing typically ranges from four to six metres by four to six metres depending on variety vigour and intended management. Highly vigorous varieties need the wider end of the range. In a small home orchard with regular pruning to contain spread, four metres square is workable. Allow a corridor of at least two metres between any row and a boundary wall or fence to give access for picking, pruning, and pest inspection.

Adjusting for Vigour and Variety

Hazelnut varieties differ in their natural vigour. 'Cosford' and 'Webb's Prize Cob' tend to be moderately vigorous; some continental varieties are more vigorous and may need wider spacing to avoid excessive competition. If you are uncertain, err on the side of wider spacing — you can always plant something else in the gap in the early years while the hazelnuts are small, and remove it as the hazelnuts develop.