Hazelnut Pruning Guide: Prune Correctly, Harvest More

Why Pruning Matters in a Hazelnut Orchard

Pruning is one of the most fundamental jobs in orchard management. Done properly, it gives the bush the air and light it needs, lowers disease pressure and raises yield noticeably. In unpruned orchards the branches crowd each other, the centre of the bush stays dark, and nut quality falls away.

Because hazelnut is a shrubby plant by nature, it produces a large number of stems and branches on its own. Left uncontrolled, that growth makes the plant spend its energy on wood that will never carry a crop. Pruning redirects that energy into fruiting wood.

The benefits can be summed up as follows:

• Air circulation improves, and fungal diseases such as powdery mildew decline
• Sunlight reaches the lower branches, so the nuts ripen evenly
• Suckers stay under control and the shape of the bush is preserved
• Spray efficiency rises, because the product penetrates into the centre of the bush
• Harvest gets easier and picking takes less time

When to Prune

The Best Window

The best window for pruning hazelnut is November to February — that is, after leaf fall and before the spring sap starts moving. The plant is dormant in this period and the stress of pruning is at its lowest.

• Late November - December: You can start as soon as leaf fall is complete
• January: The busiest month of the pruning season. Our January care guide covers the pruning detail
• February: Pruning continues, but keep an eye on the pollination period. See our February care guide
• Early March: The last chance to prune (only where it cannot be avoided)

When Not to Prune

• Sub-freezing temperatures: Do not prune below -5°C. Frozen wood is brittle and the cuts will not callus over
• While the spring sap is running: Pruning between mid-March and April makes the plant bleed water
• Summer months: Cutting during active growth puts the plant under serious stress
• Wet and rainy days: Moisture turns cut surfaces into an entry point for fungal infection

Types of Pruning

Formative Pruning

Formative pruning is applied to young plants aged 0-5 years and gives the bush the shape you want. The two most common forms in hazelnut are:

Single-stem (tree) system:

• One main stem is selected and the other shoots are cleared away
• 3-5 main branches are kept on that stem
• The main branches should be spread evenly in different directions
• Ideal stem height is 40-60 cm

Multi-stem (bush) system:

• 3-5 main stems are kept
• The stems should be evenly spaced and facing in different directions
• Surplus stems are cut off at ground level

When pruning young plants to shape, do not overdo it — the plant’s growth vigour has to be preserved.

Maintenance (Yield) Pruning

Maintenance pruning is applied to mature plants aged 5 years and over. It is a thinning cut that lets air and light into the bush. In this type of pruning:

• Branches lying over one another are thinned out
• Branches crowding the centre are removed
• Suckers are cleared away
• Drooping branches and any touching the ground are cut
• The tips of one-year-old shoots are not cut (next year’s fruit buds form there)

The aim of maintenance pruning is an even distribution of light through the canopy. After a good job, you should be able to see the sky from underneath the bush.

Rejuvenation Pruning

Rejuvenation pruning is a radical cut used in orchards over 15-20 years old that have aged and lost productivity.

• Old, unproductive main stems are cut off at ground level
• Young, vigorous shoots are left in their place
• The work must be spread over 2-3 years; never take all of the stems out at once
• After rejuvenation the plant comes back into production within 2-3 years

Rejuvenation pruning is a far more economical way of renewing an orchard than planting a new one. But getting the technique right is critical.

Pruning Technique

Which Branches Should Go?

The order of priority in pruning is:

1. Dead and dry branches — clear them out straight away
2. Diseased branches — cut back into healthy tissue, and take the cut material out of the orchard
3. Suckers — cut them off flush at soil level
4. Crossing branches — remove one of the pair (the weaker one)
5. Branches growing into the centre — take out whatever blocks air circulation
6. Strongly vertical branches (water shoots) — clear away vertical shoots that carry no crop
7. Drooping branches — those that get in the way of harvest and orchard work

Cutting Angle and Method

Correct technique speeds up wound healing and reduces disease risk:

• Cutting angle: Cut at a 45-degree angle, parallel to the branch collar
• Distance: Leave 0.5-1 cm clear of the collar and do not damage the collar itself
• A clean cut: The cut face should be smooth; avoid tearing and ragged breaks
• Thick branches: Make an undercut first, then finish from above (this prevents the bark stripping)
• Secateurs: For branches up to 2 cm
• Pruning saw: For branches over 2 cm

Using Wound Sealant

• Always apply wound sealant to cuts thicker than 2 cm
• The sealant protects the cut face from fungi and moisture
• Ready-made pruning sealants are widely available
• As an alternative, the wound can be closed with Bordeaux mixture
• Thin branches do not need sealant; the plant uses its own healing mechanism

Pruning Tools and Disinfection

The basic tools used in pruning:

Tool	Where it is used	Feature
Secateurs	Branches 0-2 cm	One-handed, the most frequently used tool
Loppers (long-handled)	Branches 2-4 cm	Two handles, more leverage
Pruning saw	Branches 4 cm and over	Thick branches and stem cuts
Chainsaw	Rejuvenation pruning	Large stem removal
Ladder	High branches	Choose aluminium — light to move

Keeping tools sharp matters just as much. Blunt tools crush the wood instead of cutting it cleanly, which delays healing and raises the risk of infection.

Common Mistakes

Other frequent mistakes:

• Cutting the tips off fruiting wood: In hazelnut the crop comes from buds at the tips of the previous year’s shoots. Cut those tips off and that branch carries nothing for a year
• Pruning only the top: Working the top of the bush while ignoring the lower and inner branches distorts its shape
• Leaving prunings in the orchard: Cut branches, especially diseased ones, must be removed from the orchard or burned

Conclusion

Pruning hazelnuts takes patience and knowledge, but it repays the effort many times over. Done at the right time with the right technique, it keeps your orchard productive for years.

In summary:

• Prune between November and February, and pick frost-free days
• Never take out more than 30% of the plant in a single season
• Keep your tools disinfected and sharp
• Always clear the suckers
• Apply wound sealant to large cuts
• Spread rejuvenation pruning over 2-3 years

For the full picture of hazelnut orchard management, see our hazelnut guide. For the pruning work in January and February, follow the January care calendar and the February care calendar.

📚 Hazelnut Research Institute 📚 Gursoy Hazelnut