Contorted hazel

Hazels are among the quickest nuts to crop, with grafted cultivars often producing a first handful of nuts within three to four years. They are wind-pollinated and you will need two different varieties that flower at the same time — the catkins need to overlap with the tiny red female flowers. Kentish Cob and Cosford are a classic pairing. Squirrels are your biggest challenge; they strip the nuts weeks before you think they are ready. Traditional coppicing or annual pruning of suckers keeps plants productive and manageable.