Growing Hazelnut in Australia: The Complete Guide
Hazelnut is an easy to moderate nut tree to grow, needing full sun with regular watering.
Hazelnut is one of the easy to moderate additions to a home garden, and this article walks through everything behind our one-page printable guide in a bit more depth.
Compact and cool-climate friendly
Hazelnut stays more compact than most nut trees and suits cooler temperate zones particularly well — a good choice where space or chill hours rule out larger nut trees.
Getting Hazelnut Into the Ground
Method — plant from a potted or bare-root shrub; plant at least two varieties for pollination. Soil — well-drained, moderately fertile. Timing — plant in winter while dormant.
Keeping It Growing Well
A few things matter most here:
- Plant two or more varieties for reliable cross-pollination.
- Water regularly, especially while establishing.
- Prune to an open, multi-stemmed shape for good light and airflow.
- Mulch well to retain soil moisture.
Common Problems
The key things to get right:
- Filbert weevil/moth — larvae in developing nuts; monitor and manage regionally.
- Poor pollination — needs a compatible second variety nearby.
- Birds and rodents — collect fallen nuts promptly.
- Big bud mite — swollen buds; prune out and destroy affected buds.
Picking and Keeping Your Harvest
Signs — husks yellow and nuts loosen, typically early autumn. Method — collect fallen nuts promptly, or gently shake ripe clusters. Curing — dry nuts in shell 2–3 weeks in a warm, airy spot. Storage — shelled kernels keep months airtight in a cool spot, longer frozen.
That's the full picture behind hazelnut. The printable A4 version of this guide — with the quick-reference gauges and diagram in one page — is available on the main guide page below.