Raising hazelnuts from seeds and with your own hands – is that possible? Although it is not a common method to germinate and grow hazelnuts, it is worth trying for gardeners who like to experiment.
How do you germinate hazelnuts?
To germinate hazelnuts, use fresh, ripe and unpeeled nuts. These are placed close to the surface in the soil in a protected place in the garden or in a pot on the balcony. As a cold germinator you should keep it moist and with luck the first shoots will appear in spring.
Only raw hazelnuts germinate
If you think you can just get the hazelnuts from the store and germinate them at home, you are wrong. Many commercially available hazelnuts have been dried too hot, roasted or are too layered and are therefore no longer able to germinate.
Which hazelnuts can be used?
You should use fresh hazelnuts for germination. Ideally ones that you have harvested or collected yourself. Then you can be sure that they are germinable.
However, make sure to only use ripe hazelnuts. You can recognize them by their brown shell and the fact that their cover can be easily removed. Ripe hazelnuts also fall to the ground. In addition, the nuts you use for sprouting should be unpeeled.
How are hazelnuts encouraged to germinate?
- Use large nuts.
- Do not crack the nuts, but use them with their shells.
- Hazelnuts are cold germinators: germination usually doesn't work indoors.
- Choose a sheltered spot in the garden or in a pot on the balcony.
- Place the nuts in the soil close to the surface.
- It is best to cover the area with a net so that birds do not attack the nuts.
- Make sure to keep the area moist.
- With luck, the nuts will germinate and the first shoots will appear in spring.
Tips & Tricks
It is doubtful whether home-grown hazelnuts from seeds will later produce many, large and tasty nuts. They are not identical to the parent plants. Therefore, refinements are more recommended.
