Autumn is the time of the hazelnut harvest. Now the delicious nuts turn brown and fall to the ground on their own as soon as they are ripe. Tips for harvesting and storing hazelnuts.
When is the right harvest time for hazelnuts?
The hazelnut harvest season begins in September or October, depending on the weather. The nuts are ripe when they are brown and fall to the ground on their own. Unripe, green nuts should be left on the tree until they loosen naturally.
When does the harvest season begin?
The harvest season begins in September or October, depending on the weather.
Hazelnuts are ripe when they have acquired their typical brown color and fall to the ground on their own. Do not pick the nuts, but be patient until they lie on the ground.
If you can't wait for the time, shake the branches of the hazelnut tree and the ripe nuts will fall down.
Drying after harvesting
So that the nuts can be stored well, they must be dried. To do this, only choose firm nuts in the shell. The shell must not be cracked, cracked or punctured.
- Use whole nuts with shells
- Rubbing off dirt
- Dry the nuts
- Store in a dry place
Use hazelnuts with damaged shells immediately. They taste best when the chopped nuts are roasted in the oven.
Squirrels are often faster
Squirrels and magpies love hazelnuts, even if they aren't quite ripe yet. You pick the green nuts directly from the hazelnut bush.
If the hazelnut tree or hazelnut hedge bears a lot of nuts, that's not a problem. If there are only a few fruits hanging on the tree, stretch a sturdy net (€29.00 at Amazon) over it.
Tips & Tricks
Hazelnuts can be preserved for a longer period of time by storing them in jars. To do this, the separated nuts are placed in a clean preserving jar. The airtight jar goes into the oven for half an hour. The nuts will last up to a year.
