Red-leaved hazel: description and characteristics, planting and care, reproduction

The redleaf hazel shrubs are known for their beneficial fruit and ornamental characteristics. Wild plants fit harmoniously into any landscape and, if properly cared for, produce nuts with high palatability.

General information about the plant

Red-leaved hazelnut is a sprawling bush with large branches and dense foliage. Gardeners often plant hazel as a hedge. The plant belongs to the category of bisexual, inflorescences are formed in early spring before the growth of foliage. In the process of development, ovaries of fruits are obtained from the inflorescences, which acquire a dark brown hue in late summer - early autumn.The color of the nut shell is the main indicator of ripeness

Main positives and negatives

Growing hazelnuts has a number of advantages. Gardeners highlight the following positive aspects:

1. Due to the spherical shape and red color of the foliage, the plants are used as a decorative element in the landscape design of the site.
2. Hazel fruits have nutritional and beneficial properties. Nuts are high in protein and other micronutrients.
3. Hazel plants are unpretentious in care and resistant to strong temperature changes.

The main disadvantage of horticultural crops is the poor development of roots during reproduction. With insufficient soil fertility or adverse environmental conditions, hazel propagation can be difficult.

Cultivation of red-leaved hazel

Planting a hazel tree in a summer cottage requires an integrated approach. In order for the plants to take root well and continue their active development, it is necessary to first prepare the planting material, observe the terms and planting technologies.

When to plant

Shrubs can be planted in open soil in spring, before sap flow, or in autumn. In the case of autumn planting of hazel, plants should be planted 3-4 weeks before the first frost, so that they have time to take root and adapt to new conditions.

Selecting planting material

For cultivation, it is recommended to pick up several seedlings of hazelnuts, which differ in the ripening period. Thus, the plants will pollinate each other well. Hazel seedlings should have a small number of leaf blades and a developed rhizome. Suitable root length - at least 30 cm

When choosing a hazel seedling, it is important to make sure that more than 3 shoots have formed on it. It is also necessary to inspect the plants and make sure that there are no damage and signs of decay.

Before planting, hazel seedlings are cut to 30-35 cm. Plant roots are soaked in a growth stimulator. Preparation of a place for placing seedlings on the site consists in digging a hole measuring 60 x 60 cm and applying top dressing. To saturate hazel seedlings with nutrients, a mixture of the following substances is suitable:

• humus;
• superphosphate;
• potassium s alt.

Boarding process

In the central part of the planting holes, a hill of earth is poured in order to root hazel seedlings. The roots soaked in a growth stimulator are straightened to the sides and carefully laid out in a hole. The shoots are fixed in a vertical position, tied to pegs that are attached inside the hole.Then the roots are sprinkled with loosened earth and lightly compact the top layer. The root neck of the hazel is placed 5 cm above the ground.

Subtleties of crop care

All varieties of hazel, including the common hazel Purpurea, need regular care. Despite the unpretentiousness of plants, the development of shrubs, the abundance of fruiting and the taste characteristics of hazelnuts depend on proper care.

Irrigation

Red-leaved hazel loves moist soil, but too much water can cause root damage. Immediately after planting, hazel bushes are watered with 2-3 buckets of water, after which the near-trunk area is covered with a layer of mulch from coniferous branches or sawdust.

Re-water after a week. It is important to control that the water from the last irrigation is completely absorbed into the soil. Liquid stagnation near the hazel shoots, excessive moistening of the lower layers of the earth should be avoided.

In the summer, it is enough to water 2-3 times a month. The average fluid consumption per hazel bush is 10 liters. When active fruit formation occurs, the roots should always be in a moderately moist state.

Feeding

Organic top dressing is recommended to be applied to the soil every 3-4 years. For this purpose, compost and humus are used. Complex mineral fertilizers are used annually. In anticipation of fruiting, the soil is fertilized with a solution of urea, and at the beginning of summer, nitrogen fertilizing is carried out.

Caring for hazel during flowering

An important stage of care at the time of flowering hazel is loosening the soil. The procedure should be performed after each watering, so that a sufficient amount of oxygen penetrates the roots located in the lower layers of the earth. Also, during the formation of inflorescences, preventive treatments of plants from diseases and insects will favorably affect.

Wintering

Young seedlings of hazel up to 4 years old must be covered from frost for the entire winter period with agrofiber, plastic wrap or other dense material. Tall shoots of hazel can be bent to the ground and fixed with rods or metal staples, and covered with spruce branches from above.

Shrubs over 4 years old, as well as varieties with increased winter hardiness, tolerate frost well without shelter.

Cutting

Pruning red-leaved hazel is done in late autumn, after the leaves have fallen. In the process of formation, damaged branches are removed and thickened places are thinned out. Shrubs form, starting from the center of the crown. Thanks to pruning, the sun's rays penetrate to undeveloped shoots, which has a positive effect on fruiting.

Pests and plant diseases

Unfavorable environmental conditions or improper care lead to the defeat of diseases and insects. Protective spraying is required to protect the hazel.

Halnut pests

Insects that pose a danger to hazel have characteristic external signs. To take the right measures, it is necessary to determine the type of pest in a timely manner by reading the description.

Bud mites

Because of their small size, it is almost impossible to notice a bud mite on a hazel. Hazel damage by this pest is characterized by swelling and enlargement of buds that cannot form shoots and leaves.

Nut Weevil

Weevils are brown bugs with an oblong proboscis. Female insects lay their eggs in unripe fruits. Hatched caterpillars feed on the pulp of nuts.

Nut (hazelnut) barbel

The hazelnut barbel is able to penetrate into the core of the bush and eat it from the inside. The peculiarity of the pest complicates the process of dealing with it.

Nut leaf beetle

This pest settles on hazel foliage and gradually gnaws through it. Due to the invasion of the leaf beetle, you can lose up to half of the crop.

Diseases of hazel

Among the many diseases, hazel often suffers from fungal infections. Pathogenic microorganisms are particularly active in wet and cool weather.

Powdery mildew

A pronounced sign of the disease is a white coating on the foliage. In the absence of a struggle, the leaves turn black and die over time.

Rust

Infection with rust leads to the formation of dark spots on the leaves. The disease provokes the drying of foliage and a reduction in yield.

White rot

Disease spreads from leaves to fruit and stem. To protect the hazel, you have to destroy the infected parts.

Hazel propagation

The procedure for propagating shrubs allows you to increase their number on the site. There are several ways to reproduce.

Hazel processing

When planning the propagation of shrubs, processing should be carried out. Plantings are sprayed with a disinfectant solution, as well as drugs against pests and diseases for preventive purposes.

Layers

For propagation by layering, young shoots of purple hazel are used. Layers are inclined to the soil and placed in a ditch built next to the mother bush. The end of the shoot is fixed and sprinkled with earth so that it forms its own processes.

Seeds

Using seed material is the longest and most laborious option. For planting, choose the strongest nuts and germinate them in a separate container. The grown seedlings are transferred to the ground and cared for according to the basic scheme.

Dividing the bush

To divide shrubs, it is necessary to dig out a young, formed plant and divide it into several trunks up to 30 cm long with roots. Trunks are planted in separate holes and rooted.

By cuttings

Taking he althy and strong cuttings from two-year-old shrubs, you need to place them in containers with a mixture of peat and sand. Thanks to the constant watering of the soil, the shoots will begin to take root.

Decorative properties of hazel

Due to the bright color of the foliage, Purpurea hazel is often used to decorate summer cottages. Hazel trees look harmonious in the landscape when placed separately or creating a hedge.

Harvesting

Red-leaved hazelnut begins to bear fruit after 4 years of development. Nuts do not ripen until the end of summer. Ripe specimens noticeably darken and slightly separate from the branches. It is recommended to dry the collected fruits in the open air and store them in canvas bags.

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