Description and characteristics of red-leaved hazel, planting and care, reproduction
Red-leaved hazel shrubs are known for their fruit benefits and decorative characteristics. Wild plants blend harmoniously into any landscape and, if properly cared for, produce nuts with a high palatability.
General information about the plant
Red-leaved hazelnut is a spreading bushes with large branches and thickened foliage. Hazel trees are often planted by gardeners as a hedge. The plant belongs to the category of bisexual, inflorescences are formed in early spring before foliage builds up. In the process of development, ovaries of fruits are obtained from the inflorescences, which acquire a dark brown hue in late summer - early autumn. Nut shell color is the main indicator of ripeness.
Main positive and negative aspects
Growing hazelnuts has several advantages. Gardeners highlight the following positive aspects:
- Due to the spherical shape and the red color of the foliage, the plants are used as a decorative element in the landscape design of the site.
- Hazel fruits have nutritious and beneficial properties. Nuts contain a large amount of protein and other trace elements.
- Hazel plants are unpretentious to care for and resistant to strong temperature changes.
The main disadvantage of horticultural culture is the poor development of roots during reproduction. With insufficient soil fertility or unfavorable environmental conditions, the reproduction of hazel can be difficult.
Growing red-leaved hazel
Planting a hazel at 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 technology of planting.
When to plant
Shrubs can be planted in open soil in the spring, before the start of sap flow, or in the fall. In the case of autumn planting of hazel, the plants should be planted 3-4 weeks before the onset of the first frost, so that they have time to take root and adapt to new conditions.
The choice of planting material
For cultivation, it is recommended to pick up several hazelnut seedlings that differ in the ripening period. Thus, the plants will pollinate each other well. Hazel seedlings should have a small number of leaf plates and a developed rhizome. Suitable root length - at least 30 cm.
When choosing a hazelnut 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 there are no damage or signs of decay.
Before planting, hazel seedlings are pruned to 30-35 cm. Plant roots are soaked in a growth stimulator. Preparing a place for placing seedlings on the site consists in digging a hole 60 x 60 cm in size and applying top dressing. A mixture of the following substances is suitable for saturating hazel seedlings with nutritive components:
- humus;
- superphosphate;
- potassium salt.
Planting 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 spread to the sides and carefully laid out in a pit. Shoots are fixed in an upright position, tying them to pegs that are attached inside the hole. Then the roots are sprinkled with loosened earth and the top layer is slightly compacted. The root collar of hazel is placed 5 cm above the ground.
Subtleties of crop care
All varieties of hazel, including the common hazel Purpurea, need regular maintenance. Despite the unpretentiousness of the plants, the development of shrubs, the abundance of fruiting and the taste characteristics of hazelnuts depend on proper care.
Watering
Red-leaved hazel loves moist soil, but excess liquid can lead to root destruction. 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.
A week later, repeat watering. It is important to control that the water from the previous irrigation is completely absorbed into the soil. Avoid stagnation of liquid near hazel shoots, excessive moisture in the lower layers of the earth.
In the summer, it is enough to water 2-3 times a month. The average consumption of liquid for one hazel bush is 10 liters. When active fruit formation occurs, the roots should be constantly in a moderately moist state.
Top dressing
It is recommended to apply organic fertilizing to the soil every 3-4 years. For this purpose, compost and humus are used. Complex mineral fertilizers are used annually. On the eve of fruiting, the soil is fertilized with a urea solution, and at the beginning of summer, nitrogen fertilization is carried out.
Care for hazel during flowering
Loosening of the soil is an important stage of care at the time of flowering hazel. The procedure should be carried out after each watering so that a sufficient amount of oxygen penetrates to the roots located in the lower layers of the earth. Also, during the formation of inflorescences, preventive treatment of plants from diseases and insects will have a beneficial effect.
Wintering
Young hazel seedlings up to 4 years old must be protected from frost for the entire winter period with agrofibre, plastic wrap or other dense material. Tall shoots of hazel can be bent to the ground and fixed with twigs or metal brackets, and covered with spruce branches from above.
Shrubs over 4 years old, as well as varieties with increased winter hardiness, tolerate frosts well without shelter.
Pruning
Pruning of red-leaved hazel is performed 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.
Plant pests and diseases
Unfavorable environmental conditions or improper care lead to disease and insect damage. Protective sprays are required to protect the hazel.
Hazel pests
Insects that pose a danger to hazel have characteristic external signs.To take the right measures, it is necessary to timely determine the type of pest, having read the description.
Kidney mite
Due to its small size, it is almost impossible to notice a kidney mite on hazel. The defeat of the hazel by this pest is characterized by swelling and enlargement of the buds, which cannot form shoots and leaves.
Nut weevil
Weevils are brown beetles with an oblong proboscis. Insect females lay eggs in unripe fruits. The hatched caterpillars feed on the pulp of nuts.
Walnut (hazelnut) barbel
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.
Hazel disease
Among the many diseases, hazel often suffers from fungal infections. Pathogenic microorganisms are especially active in wet and cool weather.
Powdery mildew
A pronounced sign of the disease is a white bloom on the foliage. In the absence of a struggle, the leaves turn black and die over time.
Rust
Rust infestation results in dark spots on the leaves. The disease provokes drying of foliage and a reduction in yield.
White rot
The disease spreads from leaves to fruits and stems. To protect the hazel, the infected parts must be destroyed.
Breeding hazel
The procedure for breeding shrubs allows you to increase their number on the site. There are several ways to reproduce.
Hazel processing
When planning the reproduction of shrubs, processing should be carried out. Plantings are sprayed with a disinfecting solution, as well as drugs against pests and diseases for preventive purposes.
Layers
For reproduction by layering, young shoots of purple hazel are used. The cuttings are tilted to the soil and placed in a ditch built next to the mother bush. The end of the shoot is fixed and covered with earth so that it forms its own shoots.
Seeds
The use of seed is the longest and most laborious option. The strongest nuts are chosen for planting and germinated in a separate container. The grown seedlings are transferred into the ground and looked after according to the basic scheme.
By dividing the bush
To divide the shrubs, it is necessary to dig up a young, mature plant and divide it into several trunks up to 30 cm long with roots. The trunks are planted in separate holes and rooted.
By cuttings
Having taken healthy and strong cuttings from biennial shrubs, it is necessary to place them in containers with a mixture of peat and sand. Thanks to 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 when creating a hedge.
Harvesting
Red-leaved hazelnuts begin to bear fruit after 4 years of development. Nuts do not ripen until late summer. Ripe specimens darken noticeably and slightly detach from the branches. It is recommended to dry the harvested fruits in the open air and store in canvas bags.
