How to Grow Hazelnut
Hazelnut At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Nut
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -29°C
Plant Family
Betulaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Buy two young plants of different varieties, or two seedling plants, which all differ from each other, because a hazelnut cannot pollinate itself. Plant them in early spring, about 3 weeks before your last frost, no more than about 15 m apart, giving each about 4 m of room.
Hazelnut is the home grower's nut: a hardy shrub rather than a giant tree, so it fits a smaller growing space. The wind carries pollen from its dangling catkins (long, soft flower tassels) in late winter, so two plants near each other are a must. Nuts start in about 3 years.
When To Start
Hazelnut needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Hazelnut?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Hazelnut Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Hazelnut Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant two hazelnut plants so they can pollinate each other
3 weeks before your last frost
Pull hazelnut root shoots and cut a few old stems
45 days before your last frost· every year· optional
Pick hazelnuts as the husks brown, before squirrels do
30 days before your first frost· every year
Water your new hazelnut plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Hi from your growing space! Water your hazelnuts deeply while they settle in, and keep grass away from the base.
About 30 days after you plant it
Nice progress! A layer of mulch around your hazelnuts helps hold water through hot weather.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Hazelnut's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
400 cm
Plant Spacing
600 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Plant hazelnuts in full sun for the most nuts, though they handle part shade.
- 2They grow in most soils that drain well, and a shovel of compost at planting helps them settle in.
- 3Water deeply once a week for the first 2 summers, then they mostly fend for themselves.
- 4Spread compost and a ring of mulch around each plant every spring, keeping it a hand's width from the stems.
- 5Pull off the new shoots that come up from the roots each year, and every few years cut a few of the oldest stems to the ground to keep the shrub young.
- 6Squirrels and jays are the main thieves, so pick the nuts as soon as they are ready.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
400 cm
Mature Height
400 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Pick in early autumn when the husks turn papery-brown and nuts loosen
How to Harvest
- 1Hazelnuts are ready in early fall, when the leafy husks turn brown at the edges and the nuts twist out easily.
- 2Pick them from the shrub, or gather them from the ground every day or two.
- 3Squirrels can strip a shrub fast, so start looking in late summer.
- 4Spread the nuts in a single layer somewhere airy and dry them in their shells for 2 to 3 weeks.
- 5They are dry when the kernel snaps cleanly instead of bending.
- 6Store them in their shells in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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