1year old hazel

Dowally · #1 (**permalink**) 24-05-2009, 04:50 PM

When we moved into our house 10 years ago we planted about 50 hazel (don't know what type) along the fence and just let it grow. Now it is 4-5m tall and stragly (is that how you spell it) with branches spreading out 2-3m. Plenty of new shoots coming vertically from the base. Very few nuts - and I want to encourage the red squirrel that I've seen on the bushes. So what should we do to make a more dense hedge about 3m tall and encourage the nuts (ok so I love hazel nuts too!). The site is in a dip, with lots of mature trees around so quite shaded. thanks
Mark

Dowally · #2 (**permalink**) 25-05-2009, 08:18 AM

slight typo!

The Woodman · #3 (**permalink**) 25-05-2009, 08:41 AM

You could coppice - cut all growth back to just above ground level - them in the back end.
Rather than do the lot at once, try a four year plan. Do one in four this year and the same for the successive three years. Each stool will send up new shoots that will receive some protection from the neighbouring plant and so on. You'll end up with a nice varied age hedgerow.

One other way is to do the lot in one go. A bit savage and you'll lose the hedge for a couple years until the new growth gets to a height and density to replace it.

Dowally · #4 (**permalink**) 25-05-2009, 10:09 AM

Many thanks - a couple more questions if I may?
Will this help nut growth? and can I do it at this time of year (Scotland, Perthshire)
thanks

Dowally · #5 (**permalink**) 25-05-2009, 10:09 AM

this is how it looks now

The Woodman · #6 (**permalink**) 25-05-2009, 10:24 AM

If you want nuts, you'll have to let at least one growth/plant reach maturity. How about leaving one central growth in the short length to the left of the gate in your image and remove those either side? (That's how it looks to me!)

From what I can see from the other images, the Hazel plants are close to your boundary fence and appear to be growing outwards rather than straight up, maybe towards the light or forced by plants on the other side.

If you do decide to coppice, you can select the most vigorous new growths and remove the rest - saving 4-6 per stool.

There is, of course, the other option of laying the resultant growths as in a traditional hedge by part cutting through the base of each shoot, pulling it over and bending it between regularly spaces stakes. This will make a nice thick hedge and with regular trimming look as nice as your beech hedge!

I would do any cutting work to them when the leaves have fallen.

Dowally · #7 (**permalink**) 25-05-2009, 10:50 AM

Thanks for the quick reply. They have all grown outwards, and light is probably the main reason as the mature trees on the bank to the south do shade the area considerably. Your idea of mixed coppice and mature sounds good, and there is an area that I could try the hedging too.
thanks