Hazels are FINALLY getting ripe; and...
This is possibly the latest I have ever seen the neohybrid hazels ripen. We're still just in the early part of ripening; many totally white/green nuts are still there; but you can reliably expect to find ripe bushes to pick now. That was not true just a week ago- which would normally be near mid-peak. When they choose to get ripe has long been a puzzle, and continues to be so. Cold and heat are factors, but not consistent and not the only factors. A thing to keep in mind as you harvest - the appropriate fall color for hazel leaves is not yellow or orange, but maroons, purples, and bronzes. If most of your hazels develop yellow or orange leaves- this is an indicator that they are very under-fertilized. It may indicate low nitrogen more than other nutrients; more study needed. These leaves are the right color for a well fertilized hazel - BUT - this is very much the wrong time. Normally hazels should stay fully green well into October. You can see the nuts a...