Hazelnuts (when to harvest?)
 

Hi all and thanks for reading this.
I have a fairly mature hazel tree in my garden and it is full of hazelnuts
this year.
At what point do I harvest them? do I wait for tem to fall or do I pick them
from the tree?
Thanks in advance
Bob

In article ,
"Bob G0KYF" writes:
|
| I have a fairly mature hazel tree in my garden and it is full of hazelnuts
| this year.
| At what point do I harvest them? do I wait for tem to fall or do I pick them
| from the tree?

Typically, the sequence of events is this:

The squirrels pick almost all of them.
The few remaining nuts ripen.
The squirrels pick most of the remainder.
You manage to pick a couple, which are empty.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I had a bush in my garden in London and used to pick them up off the ground,
give it a good shake from time to time. I planted 3 when I moved, that was
4 years ago and I've still not had any nuts.
:-(

"Bob G0KYF" wrote in message
...
Hi all and thanks for reading this.
I have a fairly mature hazel tree in my garden and it is full of hazelnuts
this year.
At what point do I harvest them? do I wait for tem to fall or do I pick
them from the tree?
Thanks in advance
Bob

"Oxymel of Squill" wrote in message
eenews.net...
I had a bush in my garden in London and used to pick them up off the
ground, give it a good shake from time to time. I planted 3 when I moved,
that was 4 years ago and I've still not had any nuts.
:-(

"Bob G0KYF" wrote in message
...
Hi all and thanks for reading this.
I have a fairly mature hazel tree in my garden and it is full of
hazelnuts this year.
At what point do I harvest them? do I wait for tem to fall or do I pick
them from the tree?
Thanks in advance
Bob



We have hazels in our garden and there are whole hazel orchards still in our
village (Somerset).
We give the branches a good shake and pick up the fallen nuts.
If you pick them from the tree, and its too early they will not keep.
Round here they won't be ready for at least another 5-6 weeks or more.
The papery husk round the nut starts to go brown.
You will have to shake the branches and pick up the nuts most days for quite
a while as the nuts don't all ripen at once.

We spread them out to dry a bit, then take off the husk and store the nuts.
Don't be tempted to shell them before storing as they won't keep.

If you eat them as soon as they are picked they are lovely and fresh, quite
different to when they have been stored for a while.

Cheers,
Chris in Somerset.

This year we have loads of hazelnuts, but like previous good years, the Squirrels get the lot when the nuts are still green. So we have NEVER enjoyed the luxury of nuts ripening and falling naturally to the ground to be raked up.

My advice is to get yourself an air rifle and shoot the Squirrels. They are quite tasty and you will certainly find good recipes on the internet. Only then will you have a chance to collect some nuts.

BBC - Food - Recipes : Sautéed squirrel, chanterelle mushrooms and autumn vegetables

Good luck