Growing Nuts in the Garden

 Pics: A young cobnut orchard

Have you ever thought about growing a nut tree?

 

A lot of people have and for good reason, they can produce a huge crop for the winter months, be decorative and a haven for wildlife. Nut trees will be a great addition to any medium or large sized garden.

I was thinking that up here in Inishowen might be a bit harsh for nut growing but if we can find a sheltered spot there’s no reason we can’t grow a wide variety which can include cobnuts, walnuts, chestnuts, heartnuts, hickory, hican, ginkgo, pinenuts, Monkey Puzzle and almonds.

I thought some expert advice was needed here so I have been chatting to one of the country’s best known and knowledgeable growers, Andy Wilson from the Fruit and Nut specialist nursery in Westport. 

Andy can confirm that there is a lot of interest in nut growing and gets over 3000 enquiries a year from people asking about how to grow the trees and where to get them from.

Andy has a lot of knowledge as he has been growing trees since he was about 10 years old. Starting out with walnuts and cobnuts in Ireland in 1984, then in 2006 progressing to set up the Fruit and Nut nursery in Westport, which is Ireland's principal supplier of nut trees.

Growing Nut Trees

What type of nut trees grow in Ireland?

Lots of kinds, but the most common cultivated type is the cobnut (a cultivated version of the native

hazelnut)Other nut species include walnut, chestnut, heartnut, pinenut and Monkey Puzzle.

Which type would be best for small gardens/ large gardens?

Nothing is really suitable for small gardens but cobnuts are suitable for medium sized gardens. The other nut species grow into big trees and require lots of space.

What requirements do they need?

Shelter - essential (except for pinenut Pinus pinea, which is very wind tolerant)

Sunny position - essential (too much shade is just as bad as too little shelter)

Well drained deep soil - essential in all cases. Cobnuts are the most tolerant of wetter conditions but it's always better to try to improve drainage - even if it takes a year or two to accomplish - rather than to plant in wet ground.

Absence of late spring frosts - essential for walnuts, chestnuts and heartnuts and strongly advisable for all other nuts.

Andy also tells us : “People often think they can plant nut trees in a bit of waste ground but

actually they should really be thinking of their BEST land.”

Can you grow them from seeds?

Except for the pinenut and Monkey Puzzle, no. And it would be a long wait for the first nuts!

Can you grow them from cuttings, offshoots?

Cobnuts can be grown from sucker from other cobnuts. Walnuts and chestnuts are normally propagated by grafting.

How many should I plant?

The hazel, cob and filbert nuts are all similar, forming large bushes. A mixture of several varieties will do best, as this will help the pollination.

Do any grow really big?

Sweet chestnuts grow too big for most gardens and only crop after long summers, which could limit growing them in Inishowen a bit.  Walnuts are also huge trees and take years to crop so you could plant one for the next generation!

When is the best time to plant nut trees?

Bareroot

Barerooted nut trees can be planted from mid March to mid April. Normally a lot of gardeners feel it’s better to plant in the autumn but the trees are in leaf until November and very few suppliers will lift before leaf fall. By December the ground is usually wet and horrible (not this year so far!) and after that it's generally better to wait until things begin drying out and warming up in the spring.

However experienced gardeners will have their own preferences and may choose to plant before mid-March if the weather and ground conditions are good.

Container grown

Container-grown trees can be planted all year round but are generally best planted mid-March to early May.  The extra expense for container-grown trees is only really justified for pinenuts, Monkey Puzzle trees and the evergreen oaks (the latter produce an edible acorn). The other trees are best planted barerooted.

How long until we get nuts?

2-4 years with cobnuts but up to 50 with the Monkey Puzzle.

Do they make good wildlife habitats?

All nut trees support some wildlife, but cobnuts would be the best as from a wildlife perspective they're the same as the wild hazel.

Do they require a lot of pruning?

Cobnuts require regular pruning if they are to crop well. Most other nut trees require annual pruning for the first 4-8 years (until the tree develops a good shape), but not so much after that.

Andy’s  nursery offers a free, no-obligation email advice service  so if you wanted to get ready for growing nut trees next year contact him on office@fruitandnut.ie or via the website fruitandnut.ie