Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
What do Nutella and nougat have in common? Both use hazelnuts to enable the characteristic taste. The nuts of the hazel served as a nutrient supplier for Stone Age people and the aroma is popular with young and old alike. The plant from the birch family (bot. Betulaceae) is often visited at harvest time to harvest the ripe nuts and then eat them and process them in numerous dishes and desserts.
harvest time
When it is possible to harvest hazelnuts depends heavily on several factors. Basically, however, the harvest time begins at the end of August at the earliest and lasts until the end of October. The following factors can greatly affect the ripeness of hazelnuts.
fresh hazelnuts
1. Weather
The weather has a significant impact on harvest time and can delay or bring it forward. The sun is particularly important here so that the hazel can bloom early and then develop the nuts. Cloudy weather is not as suitable and can make the actual harvest time start later. The plant does not necessarily have a problem with rain, as it likes it a little damp.
2nd location
The optimal, original condition of the hazelnut is an oceanic climate, so it is best near the coast. They prefer higher humidity and don't like it when it's too dry. Within Germany they can still be found at an altitude of 500 meters above sea level, but moist mixed forests are more at home. The more optimal the location, the earlier the time for harvesting. When this is depends on another point.
Hazelnut with fruits
3rd variety
The variety can make a significant contribution to when it is time to harvest and when the hazelnuts are ripe.
The varieties are divided into the following species:
- Lambert's hazel (bot. Corylus maxima)
- Common hazel (bot. Corylus avellana), also known as cellulosic
- Turkish hazel (bot. Corylus colurna)
- Japanese hazel (bot. Corylus sieboldiana): not available in Germany
All of these species have other varieties, with Lambert hazel and common hazel being particularly important for Central Europe. The Turkish hazel, as the name suggests, is mostly found in Turkey and the Middle East to Iran. Southeastern Europe is also still possible.
The following varieties are typical of each species:
- Lambert hazel: Blood Hazel, 'Fertile de Nottingham', 'Webb's Prize Nut', 'Cosford', 'Halle Giant Nut', 'Bollweiler Miracle', Red Lambert Nut
- common hazel: 'Red-leaved Zellernuss', 'Berger's Zellernuss', 'Roman Zellernuss'
The varieties of Lambert hazel are extremely variable in harvest times and some varieties begin to ripen in early September while others do not begin until October. Of these, the are particularly tasty 'Red lambert nut' and 'Webb's Prizenut', which, in contrast to other nuts, are somewhat more difficult to remove from the shell, but have an incomparably nutty aroma. The typical nuts that you find in the shops mostly come from the Zeller nut varieties, which are usually harvested from mid-September to mid-October. They have the classic taste that many people associate with hazelnuts.
harvest period
With regard to the above-mentioned harvest period (end of August to end of October), autumn in particular can be described as the time for harvesting. However, when the hazelnuts are ripe and the right time for harvesting is explained below.
Tip: If you want to enjoy ripe hazelnuts as early as mid-August, you should choose an early variety to speed up the ripening process. These include, for example, the 'Cosford', which, compared to all other hazelnut varieties in Germany, ripens very early and can therefore be enjoyed very quickly.
harvested hazelnuts
harvest time
Best time to harvest
The time of harvest does not describe the duration of the possible harvest times, but the point at which the hazelnuts are ripe, can be eaten and stored. This is because even hazel nuts that are not quite ripe can be harvested and eaten, even if they have not yet developed their full aroma. For this reason, you must recognize the characteristics of the ripe hazelnuts before you harvest them.
- ripe nuts have a penetrating brownish color that extends over the entire shell of the nut
- immature nuts on the other hand, have a light green that contrasts sharply with the desired brown
- the fruit cup is dried up and also brown
- the fruit cup refers to the dry parts of the plant that some hazelnuts still bear
- Seed inside shell is solid and also brown in color
Hazelnuts are nutrient suppliers
Probably the most important difference to the unripe nuts is the fact that ripe nuts fall to the ground by themselves. You should never pick the nuts by yourself because at the right time they will become too heavy for the tree and end up being subjected to gravity. Well, if you fresh nuts If you see them lying on the ground, you can simply pick them up and put them in your harvest basket. Refrain from picking up green nuts if you find any. These are not yet ripe enough, do not taste good and are not able to ripen like fruit.
Tip: If you still decide to plant a cultivated hazel, you can look forward to quite high yields after about six years. From this time, the trees have grown sufficiently and deliver a yield of up to two kilograms of hazelnuts, which can be processed sufficiently.
Attention: squirrels
If you have squirrels around, don't be surprised if your hazelnut harvest is quite small. The small rodents often do not wait until the hazelnuts are ripe and pick them directly from the tree. The larger the population of squirrels in your area, the more likely they will be in your yard when you spot the nuts.
squirrel