Hazelnut care guide: when & how to prune, fertilize and spray

When: 4–10 weeks before the last spring frost.

• zones 3–5: about Mar 1 – Apr 12
• zones 6–7: about Feb 4 – Mar 18
• zones 8–10: about Dec 17 – Jan 28

Opens the plant to light, removes old stems, and catches eastern filbert blight cankers while they're easy to see.

1. Look for rows of tiny black bumps on branches. Cut infected branches 2–3 ft (60–90 cm) below the cankers, and burn or bag them.
2. Bush form: keep 4–6 vigorous stems, removing the oldest one or two each year.
3. Tree form: keep one trunk with 3–5 main branches in an open center.
4. Thin crowded interior growth. Nuts form on last year's wood, so avoid shearing.

Tools: Bypass pruners, Loppers, Pruning saw

When: 4–6 weeks after the last spring frost, then every 8 weeks (3 times a season).

• zones 3–5: about Jun 7–21
• zones 6–7: about May 13–27
• zones 8–10: about Mar 25 – Apr 8

Hazelnuts sucker heavily. Removing suckers keeps energy going to nut production.

1. Cut suckers off at or just below ground level. On bushes, keep one strong sucker each year to replace an old stem.

When: from 2 weeks before to 2 weeks after the last spring frost.

• zones 3–5: about Apr 26 – May 24
• zones 6–7: about Apr 1–29
• zones 8–10: about Feb 11 – Mar 11

A light spring feeding supports new growth that carries next year's nuts.

1. Apply a balanced fertilizer or compost around the drip line and water it in.

What to use: 🌿 Balanced organic granular fertilizer (e.g. Espoma Plant-tone 5-3-3) · 🌿 Finished compost or composted manure · Slow-release balanced fertilizer (e.g. Osmocote Smart-Release 14-14-14)

When: 2–6 weeks after the last spring frost.

• zones 3–5: about May 24 – Jun 21
• zones 6–7: about Apr 29 – May 27
• zones 8–10: about Mar 11 – Apr 8

Mulch keeps roots cool and moist, suppresses weeds and slowly feeds the soil. Applying it after the soil warms lets roots wake up first.

1. Spread 2–3 in (5–7 cm) of mulch over the root zone.
2. Keep mulch 2–3 in (5–7 cm) away from stems and trunks. Mulch piled against bark invites rot and rodents.
3. Don't go deeper than 3 in (7 cm) in total. Too much mulch suffocates roots.

What to use: 🌿 Shredded hardwood or pine bark mulch

When: 3–8 weeks before the first fall frost.

• zones 3–5: about Aug 6 – Sep 10
• zones 6–7: about Aug 30 – Oct 4
• zones 8–10: about Oct 6 – Nov 10

Hazelnuts drop from their husks when ripe. Collect them before wildlife does.

1. Start when husks turn brown at the edges and the first nuts drop.
2. Rake or pick up nuts every few days, or shake branches over a tarp.
3. Discard nuts with holes or that float in water.
4. Dry nuts in a single layer in a warm, airy, shaded spot (or mesh bags hung indoors) for 1–3 weeks until the kernels snap rather than bend.
5. Store dried nuts in the shell in a cool, dry place, or shelled in the fridge or freezer. Shelled nuts go rancid at room temperature.

Tools: Tarp, Rake