[Jimmy Splash]

i've had my allotment a year now. i inherited a hazelnut tree too which i haven't bothered with. but whilst there are no leaves or nuts on it, i'd thought i'd give it a prune.

The thing is, i don't know what i'm doing. There are approx 4 big trunks starting at the bottom and branch out eventually reaching about 20 feet.

Where do i start? How far back do i prune the branches?

Thanks

[8doubles]

You can prune hazel down to the root bole if needed but you will not get a lot of nuts for a few years.Is it causing a problem shading the plot?

[DavidT]

Jimmy, If you want nuts, leave it alone, if you don`t want nuts, cut it down.

[Jimmy Splash]

it's not causing too much shade but looks wise, it's out of control so i'm thinking it needs cutting

[penance]

Coppice it, best thing for hazel.
It will be a few years before it produces nuts tho.

[gillie]

Start by cutting all the branches that you need for bean poles or pea sticks this year.  Cut about half the big trunks for firewood.  Leave the rest for next couple of year's poles, sticks and wood.  By then it will have regenerated for the next harvest.

Gillie

[Jimmy Splash]

so just to confirm, if i cut ALL the branches off and leave just the trunks, i won't kill it?

i'll be booted off the allotment if i do!!

[penance]

So long as it is healthy then no it wont kill it.

[Rangerkris]

so just to confirm, if i cut ALL the branches off and leave just the trunks, i won't kill it?

i'll be booted off the allotment if i do!!

You would think they might just under stand what coppicing is, it would be more use to the allotment kept as a coppice every year some nice straight pole's that could be used for all manor of thing's, if you have removed all the branches up to a height it must look awful now.

How about going for a Pollarded tree(where the truck is cut at a managable height that way you can get the regrowth every year.

Just read Gilies posting we are on the same tracks