My adventure withhazelbegan almost thirty years ago. These charming shrubs were one of the first plants on the plot we bought. Two seedlings with rowan and dry forest came from the forest (it was the only source of obtaining nursery material). They are still growing today and are a good pollinator for othershazelTheir fruit is so small that it passes through the nutcracker's smallest hole.
Recommended varieties
Because the hazel grows beautifully and you can see that our clay soil is good for it, I bought three seedlings in a mail-order nursery. 'Lamberta Red-leaved'as the name suggests it has beautiful red leaves. Alsonutscollected just after they fall off are of this color.'The giant of Halle'has large and round fruits. My favorite is'Barcelonski'- hisnutsare oblong, large and very tasty.
Hazel reproduction
The lot started to growhazelthanks to my parents. Dad collected the most beautiful fruit from his friends, and then covered them with sand. The seedlings were transferred to flower beds and from there they were sent to anyone who wanted to. I used to replant bushes permanently in late autumn. They bear fruit in the 3rd or 4th year after planting.
Job title
Today my entire property is planted withhazelI noticed that they grow better and have more fruithazelgrowing in quiet and sheltered places. This is because this plant that quickly enters the growing season is exposed to the risk of fruit buds freezing.This, in turn, results in lower yields or a complete lack of them.
Windproof
In early spring (sometimes already in February) my bushes are covered with beautiful, long, yellow catkins - these are male flowers. There are also small red female flowers on the same shoots. The plant is windproof.
Diseases and pests
Hazelis susceptible to brown rot known asmoniliosisThe disease manifests as dark spots on the fruit. There were years when up to 90% of mynutsfell to the ground in the summer. Since then, to prevent this, I spray the plants several times every 10-15 days with Kaptan 0.3%.
A lot of damage is caused bywalnut sunflower . The holes innutsare his doing. The way to deal with this pest is the Karate Zeon. I spray the plants from the end of May to the first days of June.
Care
The care treatments consist in removing the suckers from the root neck and roots in the summer, and in the cutting through the beam in early spring.
Hazel is not onlynuts . For me, it is also a source of aesthetic experiences. In spring, green leaves are mixed with red ones. In autumn, the yellow-green-red colors make an amazing impression.
Animals visiting hazel
You can see squirrel tails among the branches. These redheads cleverly picknutsand bite holes in the shells with quick movements of their sharp teeth. It's summer, because in autumn they take them out to hidden places, carefully stocking up for the winter.
My shrubs are also visited by several species of woodpeckers. They start feeding as soon as a small seed appears in the shell. They are so wise that they forge holes in the apple trees, put the nut there, which is trapped in a vice, and peck at the seed. Holes in trees are innumerable, as are woodpeckers.
The mice are also feeding in my garden. They are so lazy that they make big holes in their holes andnutsfall into them by themselves. Also titmouse and my female dog Dora are happy to help themselveshazel fruits .
The biggest sensation was that various fungi started to grow under the bushes. Two years ago, a black Cossack appeared. A lot of them have grown this year. I love picking mushrooms and I treat their presence as a thank you for the love and care of my favorite plants.
Teresa Bartosiewicz
