Pam Moore wrote:
I have a self-sown, or more likely squirrel-sown hazel on my
allotment. Last year I cut off the longest branches (rather spindly)
to use as pea-sticks. I have just made a second cut this week.
It now looks a mess, and I think it might be right to coppice it.

Any advice? When to cut, how close to soil etc, or should it have a
few more years growth to thicken up? It's only a few years old and
was about 8 ft before I cut it this week, and now about 6 ft.

Perhaps I should let it grow to give a crop of nuts in a few years.
No sign of catkins as yet, but I've not given it much of a chance!!!

I also have one. I tend to take out about 1/4 of the stems each year.
That means I always have some catkins/nuts and I get a few poles/twigs
each year for around the garden.