Hazelnuts -here we go gathering ....

[Brightnbeautiful]

I have a bumper crop of Hazelnuts this year ,when can I harvest them ? I was wondering can I pick them now and ripen them off indoors on windowsill ? They are quite large ,the outer shell white and hard...seems to me they just need to , go brown . I,m not too keen on the taste of them at this stage and want to use them for baking in cakes etc fully ripe . I love the squirrel who visits my birdtable ...but dont want him to discover my hazelnuts ! The bushes are too high and big to net . Cant find an answer to my question anywhere on the internet ..there must be someone out there who knows ! Debbie

[artdemole]

Late August/early Sept can be placed on greenhouse staging to dry.Store in a earthen ware jar for months.Some people collect when just turning to brown.

[Brightnbeautiful]

Oh! That,s a brilliant idea ! Thanks ! I do have a greenhouse , yes.....just got to keep the squirrel off till then .

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Brightnbeautiful

I love the squirrel who visits my birdtable ...but dont want him to discover my hazelnuts!

He will, he will! He's probably also earmarked them.

;^)

Jim

[Brightnbeautiful]

Thats why I asked the question !

[nightshade]

We eat most of ours and harvest when they are browning nicely. I keep some in a pot by the door and put a few in my pocket to sow in the park and hedgerows locally when I go walkabout

[artdemole]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

He will, he will! He's probably also earmarked them.

;^)

Jim

Rats like em as well.

[jpscloud]

I'm glad you asked this question! I've got some cobnuts on my new (planted this spring) cobnut tree. There are only a very few but hopefully next year there will be quite a lot. The nuts look huge and I was wondering if they should be picked now - I'll leave them till the end of August, I think.

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by jpscloud

I'm glad you asked this question! I've got some cobnuts on my new (planted this spring) cobnut tree. There are only a very few but hopefully next year there will be quite a lot. The nuts look huge and I was wondering if they should be picked now - I'll leave them till the end of August, I think.

Ideally wait until the nut-shells just start to turn brown before picking. You can buy small nets for protecting fruit on trees and bushes from garden centres, might be worth investing in one.
Dorts.

[Brightnbeautiful]

Thankyou for all your ideas on this . I also like nightshades idea and might sow some along my meadow boundary .
Haven,t seen any rats but have other creatures yes !
Yes Thrilled with this good crop ...I,ve only ever used the branches for beanpoles till now .
Dorts Yes ,they'd have to be very large nets ...expensive ... ouch ! Maybe think about that for next year.
I am going to put some in the greenhouse as Artdemole suggested..where they will get the sunshine to hopefully make them brown and sweet to eat . .and take a chance and leave the others till nearer the end of August and hope they will still be there .
Sorry this is such a long entry , but hope will help others . Debbie