Somerset is an awesome precocious plant. I have to remember to thin out my 1st real crop cause it will produce too much. I was at a growers meeting in NJ at Foggy bottom tree nursery this weekend, in association with Rutgers. I also saw Hunderton and monmouth werent in the main crop suggestions, but still relied o the diversity of the others. Just Raritan and Somerset were part of main crop focus, with enhanced pollination. I guess Hunderton may be biennial l, not pollen compatible with others and not as impressive of a tree, except for quality. Monmouth may not be exceptional in any respect but was considered an overall winner. Saw some hazelnut harvesting equipment from Savage in use as well as processing machines from Italy. The future looks bright. Gonna innoculate about 200 plants with french black truffles and maybe white Italian ones.
Thats awesome, I don’t think my somerset will produce for a few years(think it’s a TC plant).
The tc plants I got, many 6 months+ were overwinteerd under lights and got them in may. I flushed new growth and on old growth there were catkins. 14"" tall. No nuts though yet. Im shooting for single stem on these and might stake to keep trunk straight or they tend to lean as they grow. At FB nursery they are pruning for single stem and they’re leaning… alot. Tom Molnar, who was instrumental in developing these cultivars said the most productive and stable forms stnRutger test plots tend to be trees with 3-5 main trunks. And if EFB hits one trunk, you’re still in business if you need to chainsaw it.
For those of you air layering hazels. What medium works the best and how quickly do they root (lots of roots)?
Air layering wasn’t mentioned as a typical means of propagation but would like to know if possible. Stooling, grafting, tculture. Grafting is done indoors
I’m not aware of any plant that produces root suckers that WON’T air layer well.
That’s not to say they don’t exist but I’m not aware of any
Pawpaws and Persimmons
Please keep us updated . Good luck.
2 questions.
Do the Rutgers cultivars of Hazelnuts have nice fall foliage?
If you were only getting 2-3 of the Rutgers varieties, which would you get? based on what I’ve read so far it seems like the beast is necessary for pollination and then either Somerset and/or Raritan are the go-to cultivars, but I could be way off.
Hey Big Mike:)
The beast has been promoted as a hybrid pollinator and produces an excellent nut. Some like it better than Raritan. Thick shell though. Massive trees, hybrid vigor. Yes, Raritan and Somerset are tops and Beast will pollinate well but would also get a another pollinator. The problem theyre seeing is that the irregular weather patterns are forcing pollen release at abnormal times, like late dec, instead of early feb. I would bring in later pollen shed canadian varieties like slate cheryl or carmela as a safeguard.
So if just limiting to two or three you would recommend the beast, either raritan or Somerset, and a late pollen producer? Between raritan and Somerset, would either one be better suited for the backyard hobbyist grower?
Raritan and beast is what Id go with. These are the ortets or Raritan and Beast. Somerset is a smaller more compact tree.
Find it odd the deer have not trimmed that second pic up about 5 foot. Hazels are one of their favorites here.
They are all fenced in, and Raritan was pruned up. Beast was untouched. This is at Rutgers test plot in NJ
I can’t harvest from a ladder so I’m limited in gathering what I can reach (and what branches I can bend to reach) from standing on my own 2 feet, or picking up what falls to the ground. Anything above that is going to get lost to the birds and squirrels. Somerset sounds more my speed.
The planting of Somerset, a Spanish variety noted for its tolerance of heat should be successful in Tx.