How to prune beaked hazelnut

Late winter to early spring, after catkins have shed pollen. For managed production, cut 1–2 of the oldest stems to ground level annually. For coppice management, cut the entire stool to near ground level every 7–10 years. Remove suckers that stray beyond the intended footprint. Keep the centre open by thinning crossing and inward-growing shoots.

Annually for production; every 7–10 years if coppiced. Beaked Hazelnut is a suckering native shrub that can be managed as a multi-stemmed thicket or coppiced on rotation. For nut production, remove old stems regularly and keep the centre open. It tolerates hard pruning well. Without any pruning it remains productive but becomes dense and nut access is harder.

For managed production, cut 1–2 of the oldest stems to ground level annually. For coppice management, cut the entire stool to near ground level every 7–10 years. Remove suckers that stray beyond the intended footprint. Keep the centre open by thinning crossing and inward-growing shoots.