December – March – Our farm gate store is open Tuesday to Saturdays from 10-4 (EST) for nut sales. We are closed Sundays and Mondays during this time.
April – November - We are open Tuesday to Saturdays from 10-5 pm and closed Sundays and Mondays. Hours during the summer months may vary so please confirm before driving from out of town.
Fresh nuts are available most of the year and potted trees are available July 1 - October 10.
Call 905-yeh-nuts (934-6887) or email to confirm we are open for the date you wish to come.
We ship to Canada and the USA except for some of the western states. Our customers often live in climate zones 4 to 7.
Our shipping season starts mid-April and ends the second week of May.
For USA orders, the cut-off date is usually the last week of April.
We do not ship trees to Europe.
No trees are shipped in the fall.
For bare root trees: All bare root trees are ordered in advance. These pre-orders can be placed from July until we are ready to ship the next spring. All shipping takes place from early-April to mid-May, but is weather dependant. On bare root tree pre-orders (July-December) we defer payments until January. For orders placed from January to mid-May payments are taken soon after the order is confirmed by us, and prior to shipping. Check your spam folder for payment reminders in January. If payment is not received in a timely manner, the order will be cancelled.
A 10% restocking fee will be charged on all cancelled tree orders after March 1.
A 25% restocking fee will be charged on all cancelled orders after April 10.
For seed sales: We open our seed page with a list of what we will have available for ordering on September 1 Orders are taken from then to October 20 or until seed is sold out. We cannot always provide the cultivar seed you want. Our own seed requirements come first. Payment is taken upon ordering. Seed is shipped when your order is harvested and ready. Some seed like pecan is harvested late October to early November so if ordered with other seed your shipment will be held up until all seed is ready.
We will prepare seed for stratification and send instructions for handling the seed for Canadian customers. In most cases water will need to be added when received to properly begin stratification. We do not prepare seed for stratification for foreign orders. A government inspection and phytosanitary certificate is required at a cost of $15 for each order and the medium (peat moss) we use cannot be included.
Please be reminded that the seedlings grown should not be identified as the parent tree. This avoids confusion with the named parent selection. The parent tree is a clone of an original selection and all clones of that tree have identical genes. A seed grown tree is not the same as the parent and should not be identified by the parent's name. Call it a "seedling of" if you need to use a name.
Seed Prices: Prices for all seed of one species or clonal variety (minimums - some seed are priced higher) are as follows. Shipping is extra and added after ordering.
20 seeds… $18.00
100 seeds … $80.00
500 seeds … $200.00
Nut Sales, Nut Crackers, Tools, and Plantra Shelters: Orders can be made year round. Payment will be taken on ordering, and shipping will usually take place on the following business day after payment has been made.
TREES
Shipping costs vary depending on your shipping address. We use a selection of shippers to ship tree orders across Canada, often Canpar. For small orders under $200, all trees that are longer than 100cm (3 ft) will need a box longer than 120cm (47’’), our standard-length box. Shippers charge us $15 oversize for longer boxes, so we need to pass that extra charge along. Our shipping costs include packing materials and handling.
Minimum Shipping BC AB & Maritimes: $40.00 + $15 if oversize [trees over 100cm (3’)]
Minimum Shipping ON: $30.00 + $15 if oversize [trees over 100cm (3’)]
Minimum Shipping QC, MB, SK: $35 + $15 if oversize [trees are over 100cm (3’)
Minimum Shipping to US: $35.00 + 15$ if oversize as above (Includes transportation to UPS in USA, brokerage, inspection and fees, and UPS shipping)
Net Tree Orders over $200.00: we add 16% for shipping and handling. For larger orders the rate will be adjusted to meet the value of the order and the destination charges.
NUTS, CRACKERS & TOOLS
The packing and shipping rate is fixed at the following amounts per order, but are subject to change if our carrier raises their rates. Shipping costs for Seed are quoted upon ordering.
PACKING AND SHIPPING SUMMARY 2023/4:
| Item | USA | BC | AB | MB/SK | ON | QC | PEI/NS/NB | NF | Territories |
| Trees -(orders under $200) | $35* | $40* | $40* | 35* | $30 | $31 | $40* | 40* | TBD |
|
Trees -(orders over $200) |
16% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 16% | N/A |
| Nuts | TBD | $22 | $22 | $19 | $17 | $17 | $22 | $24 | $46 |
| Little Davy | $35 | $32 | $32 | $28 | $23 | $23 | $33 | $38 | $118 |
| Wizard | $65 | $55 | $55 | $55 | $47 | $47 | $63 | $64 | $157 |
| Duke BW cracker | $35 | $23 | $22 | $19 | $18 | $18 | $24 | $27 | $69 |
| Seed- individually priced | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
|
*Parcels over 120cm add oversize fee of $15. *HST & GST apply to shipping charges. |
|||||||||
Please note that shipping and handling charges may change without notice.
Once a superior tree is identified, it can be replicated almost endlessly by asexual means. We call a tree reproduced this way as a “cultivar” or more loosely a “selection” or “variety”. A cultivar can be a tree that is reproduced by grafting, layering, cutting, or tissue culturing. Any tree that is produced by sprouting a seed we call a “seedling” or the child of a tree, and therefore only shares a portion of the characteristics of the female parent. A “cultivar” has almost all the characteristics of the superior tree.
'Layering' is a method where the plant is produced with its own roots. 'Layering' is an old term used to produce own rooted hazelnut trees. Basal sucker shoots are bent down and pinned to the ground so that the top of the stem is erect. Roots form where the stem is arched upward, making a new plant that is a clone to the suckering mother tree. Since there is almost no difference between trees produced by "layering", "cutting" or "tissue culturing" (all are on their own roots), we will list all of our trees produced these ways as "Layers" no matter which of the three methods were used to produce the trees.
A grafted tree is the only way that is essentially different from the other ways to reproduce trees asexually. A grafted tree uses a root system that is not genetically identical to the tree top. With grafted trees it is important to remove sprouts if they occur below the graft union. Since the rootstock favors its own genetics, any sprouts that are allowed to grow will outgrow the grafted top and possibly lead to graft failure.
Seedling trees are grown from seed, so each resulting tree grown from seed is an individual having the seed parent and a pollen parent. They are all different in genetic makeup, just like every child is different.
Grafted trees are reproduced by asexual means, that is, the top of a seedling tree is cut off and a small branch section from a superior selection is surgically joined to the seedling tree, resulting in a clone of the superior tree. Grafted clones are given the name assigned to the original selection to identify it as the same cultivar. Be aware that some unscrupulous nurseries use the names of the parent for the seedlings of that tree. In these cases the trees are not clones but children of a selection, or more simply, seedlings.
Layering is a method of cloning a selection, but unlike grafting, the tree is on its own roots and not dependent on a rootstock. The term “layering” refers to an old method where suckers or branches from the tree are bent down into the ground, pinned and arched upward so the top of the suckers are up out of the ground. The point where the bend in the ground turns upward is where roots form on the stem. Afterwards the rooted stems are cut off and grown into an identical plant of the parent tree. Cuttings are produced in a similar manner except the branch is removed from the tree and rooted. In our catalog, we simply refer to cutting reproduction as layering too. Most of our fig trees are reproduced by cuttings.
Yes, it is very important to stratify your seed correctly.
Please download the attached stratification instructions for your use.
Packing potted trees for shipping is time consuming, heavy and expensive to ship. There is greater risk of damage to boxes and trees when shipping in pots.
It takes growing season for trees to become established in pots, so when planting them in soil, it is best not to disturb the roots. The fine root hairs will break very easily but they are replaced almost daily.To lessen the transplant shock don't dump the tree or pull the tree out of the pot since the potting mix will fall away and leave you with a bare root tree. Follow these steps:
1) Dig the hole and test it for depth by placing the potted tree into the hole. Remove the potted tree from the hole and expand or reduce the hole as needed allowing for additional space around the sides.
2) Once the hole is the right size use an box knife to cut the pot. First cut around the pot bottom but don't remove it yet. Slit the pot from bottom to top on one side.
3) Place the tree in the hole and hold the bottom to ensure the potting mix remains intact around the roots. Slide the bottom off carefully.
4) Place some loose soil around the pot to almost the top. Open the slit pot and carefully remove it allowing the soil to fill in behind.
5) Finish filling the hole and firm the soil.
6) Water well and use Root Rescue to help the plant adjust to it's new home.
7) Once planted use mulch or a weed mat to maintain mositure around the tree and to prevent competition with grass or weeds
8) Water generously every 3 days making sure that the water is reaching the roots. More often in hot weather. You can add 20-20-20 water soluble fertilizer until late August to maintain mineral needs.
Please click here to download our planting instructions for a bare root tree.
Key points:
- Keep the roots moist and do not allow them to dry out prior to planting.
- Once planted use mulch or a weed mat to maintain mositure around the tree and to prevent competition with grass or weeds.
- Water 2-3 times per week.
- Prune off suckers below the grafted portion of a grafted tree.
Mid to late April is generally the best planting time, so pick up orders should plan around this. Select a time when your soil conditions are right for planting. Please call or email in advance so we can prepare your trees.
We are excited about helping you to learn about growing hazlenuts commercially. We have created a guide to help new growers learn the basics of growing hazelnuts. Click here for the Guide.
The first place to begin is the Ontario Hazelnut Asociation, OHA, website where there are many resources available for the beginning hazlenut grower. Click here to go to their website.
Also on the OHA website there are OMAFRA Fact Sheets that provide a valuable amount of information. Click here for the Fact Sheets.
Ernie Grimo wrote a book as a guide for farmers who are new to growing nut trees. It can be purchased through our website OR you can receive it for free when you purchase a 3 year membership to the Society of Ontario Nut Growers. Click here for more info.
Once you have had a chance to learn the basics from the information cited above we woule be pleased to speak with you in more detail.
For orders placed from July 1 to December, we will reply to orders with an email saying the order has been Approved, Then we confirm them by processing the payment in January. For orders placed January to May payment is processed at the time of ordering to reserve the trees. We do take pre-orders for a future year delivery. This can be done by email rather than through the website orderform.
979 Lakeshore Rd., Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Canada L0S 1J0. GPS will direct you.
We usually reply to orders that we receive within 48 hours. Please call us or email us after 3-4 days because there may have been a glitch in the order process.
We have a potted tree area for July through fall for drop-in customers. It is an informal area of potted trees and our hours are not always consistent. Our potted tree selection varies each year based on availability. A list of what is available is found on the 'Potted Tree' page.
Summer off-season hours are generally 10-5 pm, Tuesday - Saturday. If you are coming from a distance, it would be best to call or email a day ahead.
We hope to inform our customers about the kinds of trees to plant by identifying the climate zones for which they are appropriate. This alone is not the only important consideration. Most nut trees require the proper pH, soil type, condition and fertility as well as good surface and internal water drainage. It is advisable to check with local nut grower clubs (state or provincial associations) Agriculture agents or garden centers to determine what your conditions are so that we can help you determine what will succeed.
For Farmers: Just as you would for other tree crop commercial orchards, it is important to have tile drainage and underground drip irrigation installed before or at planting time. Drainage is important for getting spring run-off drained away and for getting harvest equipment on the land during a wet fall harvest season. Drip irrigation can provide needed water for the trees during drought periods. Trees may not appear stressed but nut filling and quality can be affected making the crop unsaleable.
We do not ship trees or grafting wood to Europe due to the heavy regulations for Europeans to import from North America. The restrictions became impossible by fall 2019.
Most nut trees are bisexual, having both sexes on the same tree. As a result, some nut trees are partially self-pollinating, that is, they shed some pollen at the same time as the female flowers are receptive. However to get complete pollination, a second tree is often needed. Some trees like chestnut and hazelnut will not accept their own pollen and no nuts will result unless there are 2 or more trees. Walnut, hickory and pecan trees shed pollen before or after they have receptive female bloom (the nutlets). To maximize production, one of each type should be matched, a protogynous (female first) tree with a protandrous (pollen first) tree.
Walnut trees are usually partially self-pollinating if pollen shedding is at an overlap period when the female flowers are receptive. Receptivity lasts a few days to a week. Some trees shed pollen before the females on the same trees are receptive. Other trees have female flowers that are receptive before the male pollen is shed. By matching the two opposites we get a longer period of pollination and so a bigger potential crop.
They can be planted as close as 2 metres (5-7ft) apart or as far away as 30m (100ft). However trees planted close will grow into each other and form a canopy similar to a single tree. Also, at the greater distance of 30m pollination will be limited by the size of the trees. When the trees are young only a small amount of pollen is produced and less cross pollination will occur until the trees reach greater maturity and height.
These spacing planting plan suggestions vary as some people have limited space while others have plenty.
- Hazelnuts, Pawpaw and Quince: 3m -7m
- Mulberry, Pines, Ginkgo and American Persimmon: 5m -7m
- Chestnuts, Pecan, Hickory and Beech: 6m-12m
- Heartnuts, Buartnuts, Persian Walnuts, Black Walnuts and Oaks: 9m-12m
Commercial Orchards: All of the trees should be spaced to maximize production. A planting plan for all nut trees except for the smaller trees, namely hazelnuts, should be on a square 12m x 12m (40 foot x 40 foot spacing. In the early years, a tree in the centre of the square will double the production. Later these trees can be removed or moved to a new area.
For landscaping purposes: These spacing suggestions vary as some people have limited space while others have plenty.
- Hazelnuts, Pawpaw and Quince: 3m -7m
- Mulberry, Pines, Ginkgo and American Persimmon: 5m -7m
- Chestnuts, Pecan, Hickory and Beech: 6m-12m
- Heartnuts, Buartnuts, Persian Walnuts, Black Walnuts and Oaks: 9m-12m
European hazels and their hybrids will grow to 6m (19 feet) tall and spread 5-7m (16-23 feet). We recommend planting plan spacing these trees at 6m x 5m (19 feet x 16 feet). Click here to see more about spacing standard size hazelnut trees.
Northern hazels are smaller than their European counterparts. They grow 3-4m (9-12 feet) tall and spread 3-7m (9-16) feet. Click here to see more about spacing planting plans for northern hazel.
We do not recommend pruning most trees for the first 2 years. Pruning a young tree reduces the ultimate growth for the year and should only be done as a last resort. On the other hand you want to remove undesirable branches before they get over 2 inches in diameter. Pruning is done to open the tree to allow sunlight to reach lower branches and increase nut production. Most home growers do not need to prune more than to remove low branches that interfere with mowing and yard maintenance. Central leader training would be good in the early years. Often young trees will produce 2-4 leader shoots joined at sharp angles. It is a good idea to annually remove all but one of these branches to maintain one upright leader going as high as you can reach with a pole pruner.
Hazelnuts will send up suckers from the root and it is advisable to remove these suckers 1-2 times during the growing season. Some growers like to leave 3-4 stems to form the permanent top of the tree.
Grafted chestnut and walnut family trees will often start to bear in 3 years. Seedling trees are more variable and can take up to 6 years to bear. Hazelnut layers or seedlings will start bearing in 2-3 years, while hickory, ginkgo, beech and pecans will take 8-12 or more years even if they are grafted trees.
Yes, we provide discounts for tree orders as below. Seed, tools, books and crackers are not discounted.
Net order before shipping
- over $1000 get 5% discount
- over $2000 get 10% discount
- over $3000 get 11% discount
- over $4000 get 12% discount
- continued 1% increase to a maximum of 20%
Unfortunately extensive consulting, added paperwork, changes to your original order, previous claims, and time consuming emails negate or reduce discounts at our discretion. Orders with discounts are not eligible for our full replacement warranty.
Most nut trees drop the nuts to the ground when they are ripe, so they should be harvested soon after. Hand harvesting and stoop labor can be tiring and discouraging. We recommend the ‘Wizard’, the ‘Little Davey‘ and the 'Silver Fox' as tools to gather them. For large plantings where machine harvesting is needed, there are several options and it would be best if you contact us for our suggstions.
The gypsy moth is found over most of eastern North America now, but it has not reached Manitoba westward to BC. As a result, for us to send trees to these provinces, we need to have a CFIA inspection of all of the trees going there with documentation. CFIA charges us for this work and we simply pass the cost on.
Almond and apricot (‘alpricot’ is a name we coined to identify apricot cultivars that have sweet seeds) are members of the prunus family that are affected by a European virus called ‘Sharka’ or more commonly known as ‘plum pox’. This disease was found in peach orchards in the Niagara area. To prevent the spread of this virus, the whole region was quarantined. This means that we cannot send trees or seed of these species out of the quarantine area.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulates the movement of trees. To prevent diseases, including insects, viruses and fungi that exist in the east from reaching BC, this ban is imposed.
Payment Options:
All payments must be completed before shipping. Payments by cheque must have time to clear before shipping, so we do not accept cheques after March 15.
Customers may pay by the following methods: cash, US or Canadian personal or business cheque, Canadian etransfer, Visa and MasterCard. Please do not send cash in the mail. We require 3 weeks for cheques to clear before we ship.
We have a great new website. We are now able to confirm your order online and send you a payment request when payment is due. When you receive this email you can click on the link, or follow the directions to pay online through our secure payment portal. We no longer need to take credit card information by phone.
American orders are quoted in US dollars and are to be paid in US funds. This helps to cover the extra cost of inspection, brokerage and shipping across the border to UPS. We must pay most of these costs in US funds.
We guarantee that your tree(s) will leaf out and grow, provided you follow the planting cautions and instructions provided with the trees. When full price is paid on your tree order there is up to 100% replacement allowance on failed trees provided you let us know in writing by email or mail (by September 1 but not before June 20). A phone call is not accepted for replacement. The written claim must explain that procedures were followed, and the trees were not damaged by too much or too little irrigation, a killing frost, insects, animal damage, a zone we do not recommend or planted a low, poorly drained site.
CLAIM FORM - Please submit this claim form with the photos of your failed tree(s). Photos must be focused on the tree and not on the background.
We require a detailed description of the planting site, planting procedure and photo proof of loss. We may ask for the return of the tree or with clear photos as proof of loss. Instead of asking for the tree to be returned, we may ask you to destroy the tree by cutting in half at the lower trunk and sending us a photo.
We have the right to choose to refund for the value paid, or replace the trees as described below.
Replacement Follow Up
Once approval for a replacement is provided, we require that you re-order the lost tree with all your information. In the comment section, please include a copy of our written replacement approval and we will remove the charges and send you a copy. If other trees are ordered with the replacement(s), only the replacement tree(s) are exempt from charges. The order needs to be received in a timely manner to be sure that your tree(s) are reserved for you.
All replacements will be provided the following spring and are only replaced at the same value paid.
For Commercial growers, most losses are less than 2%. We reserve the right to limit losses. Growers who receive discounted rates for their tree purchase are limited in the replacement policy to a max of 3% of the total trees purchased. A higher rate of loss is not normal, and we will work with the grower to find a solution to prevent future losses.
All nuts are fall harvested. Our first nuts are available early October from our farm store until sold out. Some nuts and nut meats are available all year round.
Mud packing is a term used to describe a way of killing chestnut blight cankers before they encircle the tree. Small branch cankers can be pruned off and burned to prevent spread but when a major limb or the trunk of a susceptible tree is attacked mud packing will control it. Simply make a slurry of garden soil and water, plaster it around, above and below the canker and cover the slurry with stretch wrap to keep it in place. After a month or so it can be removed. If the callous around the injury is normal healing tissue then it was successful, if not, reapply the mud.
Hazelnut or sometimes called filbert bud mite is a tiny mite that lives inside the new buds on susceptible hazelnut trees. They migrate from old damaged ‘blasted’ buds to new buds in spring. They remain and feed on the flowers and shoot that eventually would normally grow from that bud in spring. On a heavily infested tree, the buds open and look like they exploded like popcorn. Eventually a shoot will emerge from the area but it will not have flowers and so no nuts.
The solution is twofold. One is to plant trees that are resistant to bud mite. However this may not be practical since some of our best selections and pollinators are not very resistant. The second option is to put on one or two sprays at the appropriate time to get control. Since the bud mites live inside the bud it is protected from topical sprays and no systemic sprays are registered. The only option is to spray when the mites are on the move to new buds. The easiest way to determine this is to select several infected trees and place some ‘Tanglefoot’ ™ goo around the branch leading from the blasted buds to the new growth buds. When the bud mites can be seen with a ten power magnifier caught in the Tanglefoot™, it is time to spray.
A variety of names have been used to identify hazelnuts. In England they are commonly called ‘cobnuts’. North American native hazels were called hazelnuts and European hazels were called filberts to create a differentiation. Jack Gellatly in BC called his native crosses with European filberts ‘filhazels’ and crosses with Turkish tree hazel as ‘trazels’. Finally Oregon producers decided to call all European, native and the hybrids ‘hazelnuts’, since the other names were often confusing and unknown. We have adopted this simple terminology too.
Trees that are 'open pollinated' are trees that are not produced by controlled pollination. It means that we don’t know who the father is. The pollen source can be any tree in the orchard that is compatible.
The chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus) was accidentally introduced to Southern USA from Japan on illegally imported grafting wood in 1974. It spread from there northward to Ohio and finally to Southern Ontario. It is a tiny parasite that lays eggs in the chestnut buds in late May and early June, then within 40 days, hatches and remains almost dormant until the following May when the buds become active. The larvae feed on the inside of the bud for 20-30 days causing it to develop swollen distorted growth. It emerges in late May or early June to repeat the cycle. This pest only attacks chestnut. By removing and burning galls in May the spread can be eliminated on young trees. There are no sprays that can be used to control this pest.
Fortunately there are parasitoid wasps both natural and imported that follow the wasp and lay eggs in the gall wasp larvae, hopefully keeping it under control and allowing the chestnut to survive.
The shelters can be left on for several years even after the greenhouse effect is no longer needed. They will protect the trees from rabbits, mice and voles. Only remove them early in spring and not during the summer growth period to prevent sun damage to sheltered leaves.
We like the ‘Duke’ black walnut cracker the best for cracking black walnut. The rack and lever action multiply the force reducingthe effort to crack black walnut.
The term ‘Carpathian’ was introduced to identify the Persian walnuts that were brought to North America by Reverend Paul Crath from the Carpathian Mountain region Poland in the 1930’s. The nuts were distributed widely in an effort to expand the areas where the Persian walnut would grow in Canada and the United States. Off-spring of these trees and other sources have been found that have proven hardiness as well. To simplify, we revert back to the more common name “Persian” walnut, the place believed to be the origin of the species.
The insect you are describing is the walnut husk fly, a fly that resembles the common house fly. In black walnuts and heartnuts it does not seriously affect the nut meat, but in Persian walnut shell is blackened and the meat is dark and possibly bitter. The fly lays its eggs in the husk of the walnut in August but it is in the orchard for some time after emerging from the ground.
To control this pest, mix an attractant (black strap molasses) with an insecticide that is approved for this pest and spray it on the lower branches of the walnut trees in early to mid-August and again about 10 days later. The molasses will attract the flies to feed on the poison and kill them. In this way the whole tree does not need to be sprayed.
This could be several conditions or culprits.
It could be poor pollination or aborts damaged by late spring frosts.
It could be squirrels or grackles eating or knocking them down. Look for bird pecks on the fallen nuts.
It could be butternut curculio, a butternut pest that also attacks heartnut. Look for a crescent shaped mark on the surface of the nut, the telltale evidence of the egg laying of this pest. A spring spray can be applied to control this pest but it must be applied before the eggs are laid.
Here is a useful map with climate zones and a map of the area. Click here.
Navigation such as Google maps is quite accurate.
For seed sales: We open our seed page with a list of what we will have available for ordering on September 1 Orders are taken from then to October 15 or until seed is sold out. We cannot always provide the cultivar seed you want. Our own seed requirements come first. Payment is taken upon ordering. Seed is shipped when your order is harvested and ready. Some seed like pecan is harvested late October to early November so if ordered with other seed your shipment will be held up until all seed is ready. We will prepare seed for stratification and send instructions for handling the seed. In most cases water will need to be added when received to properly begin stratification.
We will prepare seed for stratification and send instructions for handling the seed for Canadian customers. In most cases water will need to be added when received to properly begin stratification. We do not prepare seed for stratification for foreign orders. A government inspection and phytosanitary certificate is required at a cost of $15 for each order and the medium (peat moss) we use cannot be included.
2023 approximate price of Seeds: Prices for all seed of one species or clonal variety (minimums - some seed are priced higher) are as follows. Shipping is extra and added after ordering.
20 seeds… $18.00
100 seeds … $80.00
500 seeds … $200.00
Nut Sales, Nut Crackers, Tools, and Plantra Shelters: Orders can be made year round. Payment will be taken on ordering, and shipping will usually take place on the following business day after payment has been made.
Stratification is a method of preparing seed nuts so they will grow when planted. Most nuts need to go through a cold moist period, usually 2 months or more, in order to trigger germination. Fresh seed can be planted in the fall shortly after harvest and they will stratify naturally.
To stratify the nuts for spring planting, the nuts can be mixed 50-50 with a moist medium like peat moss or sawdust, placed in a sealed plastic bag and stored in a refrigerator for the winter. Do not freeze the nuts. They can then be planted in the spring about 5 cm (2") deep when the ground is ready to work. If the nut has sprouted when planting time comes, be sure to orient the white root downwards and take care not to break it.
Seedling trees are grown from seed, so each resulting tree grown from seed is an individual having the seed parent and a pollen parent. Each seedling different in genetic makeup, just like every child is different.
- Nut size, shape and shell thickness may be different from one seedling to the next.
- Ripening date will also vary from seedling to seedling.
- Nut production will vary from heavy to very light.
- Nut filling of the shell may vary from well filled to poor fill.
- Number of blank nuts will vary from seedling to seedling.
- Ease of removing the nuts from the husk can vary.
- Tree hardiness may vary from very hardy to tender.
- Resistance to filbert blight will vary from nearly immune to susceptible.
- Resistance to bud mite can vary too.
Hazelnut clones are reproduced by asexual means, that is, the superior selection is reproduced by layering, tissue culturing and sometimes by cuttings. Layering is a method where a sucker or shoot coming from the root or stem of a tree is bent down into the ground and caused to root at the bend.
In tissue culturing, buds from a mother tree are forced into growth. The growth is removed from the mother plant and is grown in a sterile environment into another tree.
To root cuttings, new stems are removed from the forced mother tree and rooted in a mist bed.
These new offspring have the same genetics as the mother tree it came from and therefore the nuts produced and the tree characteristics will be copies of the mother. This also means that we can predict all the above characteristics where we can’t with seedlings.
Planting distances: Each type of tree has different space requirements based on their final growth.
Hazels = 3-5 metres
Walnut, black walnut, heartnut, chestnut, pecan = 10-15 metres
Butternut, hickory, ginkgo = 5-10 metres
Mulberry = 3-8 metres
Bare root trees as the name suggests are trees that are grown in the soil and dug with the soil removed. This allows the trees to grow a well-developed root system. We prune them after digging to prepare them to grow vigorously for you. This also makes them easier to ship.
On arrival the tree(s) may appear lifeless and small. That is because they are dormant. They do not need soil at this time but be aware the roots do need to be always kept moist and cool until they are planted. Care is also needed to protect the roots from freezing while they are waiting to be planted.
Not usually and it depends on what is being grown and how they are grown. Tap rooting trees like walnuts and other nut trees need to grow downwards into the ground. In a pot the roots are compromised and may develop circling roots that eventually strangle the root system as they grow larger. Bare root trees may have the tap root severed in the digging process, but it re-establishes the tap root once it is planted. After a year or two a bare root tree will grow just as fast as a potted tree that is properly grown.
Potted trees are heavy. We can prepare 50 potted trees in a plastic bag or shipping box carefully packed together that can be easily carried away by car or be safely shipped right to your door anywhere in Canada and much of the USA. A truck or trailer would be needed for the same potted trees.
Grafted trees can sometimes have problems. In the first year check the tree frequently to check for sprouts coming from the rootstock and remove them. If allowed to remain, the tree will favour the sprouts and the graft may fail. We use a cleft graft in all of our grafted trees. On a small number of trees the graft may not have healed all around the graft. If this is found seal the open area with candle wax or a sealer. This open area should heal over during the growing season with no ill effects.
Winter cold conditions especially in the first winter can cause a graft to fail and sprouts can appear from the rootstock. Check the top for green tissue under the bark. If green then remove the sprouts below the graft to encourage the top to grow. Winter dieback can be prevented by not encouraging excessive growth so the tree can harden off for the winter. Do not fertilize after the middle of July and do not apply fresh manure even in spring. Only use well cured compost and only in the spring.
Late spring frost can kill newly sprouting buds especially when the tree is small. Protection can be provided with a tree shelter covered with a pillow case or toweling when the tree is small for overnight frost predictions. If practical a small incandesent lightbulb under the tree sheltered young trees can protect them.
With sweet chestnut grafts, incompatibility can occur even several years after planting the tree. This cannot be predicted. Failure of the graft can also be caused by extreme winter conditions, drought or other stress related issue.
Bambora is the processing company and may show up on your credit card statement. It is supposed to say Grimo Nut Nursery, and we apologize if it does not. We are working on this!
Plants
This is always a tricky issue with preordered trees and plants. If we hold bareroot stock for you and you cancel your order we may or may not be able to sell it - depending on the time you cancel your order.
A 10% restocking fee will be charged on all cancelled tree orders after March 1.
A 25% restocking fee will be charged on all cancelled orders after April 10.
Orders cancelled after May 1 will be decided on a case by case basis depending on our ability to sell the plants.
Other items
Nuts, books Plantra and other non perishable items do not have restocking fees unless we had to order something specifically for you.
Thank you for checking. Our hazels and heartnut plants are protected due to the years of breeding that it takes to make our selections. The new selections from Oregon and Rutgers are protected as well.
Other trees that were selected by others like Thomas or Emma K are allowed to be grafted freely.
If you are unsure it is best to check with us. Thank you!
There are a multitude of reasons why trees that were planted died. Here are a few reasons.
Plants not stored properly over the winter prior to shipping. (If all or most of Grimo’s plants are doing fine at other locations, than this likely isn’t the problem.
Plants experienced extreme temps during shipping. (Not sure you’ll ever know).
Plants dried out during shipping. (If the roots were dry when you opened the box, this could be a problem. If they were packed with wet newspaper or something else, then the plants were likely fine.)
Plants not store properly once you received them. (How long between receiving and planting? How were they stored? Had the buds started growing?).
Plants dried out during the planting process. (If the roots were exposed to the air even for just a few minutes, they could have dried out and died, especially if it was sunny).
The soil was too wet, too dry, or too chunky when planting.
The plants were planted too deep. (The root flare should be roughly 1” below grade.
Residual herbicide damage. (Pre-emergent herbicide carry over).
Herbicide damage from drift or applying the wrong herbicide. (Have you applied any herbicides after planting?)
Crazy pH levels. (Anything between 4.5 and 8.5 is fine. They won’t grow as well at the extremes of that range, but they won’t die right after planting. 5.5-6.5 seems to be the preferred range.
Too wet or too dry after planting. (If the plants sat in water-logged soils, the plants may have been damaged by lack of oxygen.)
Heavy clay soil that is poorly drained.
A low planting area in a frost pocket.
Extreme temps after planting. (Anything below -4 degrees C (25 F.) after planting?)
Insect or disease damage? Nut trees do get some diseases, but nothing that will result in catastrophic death right after planting.
Over-application of nitrogen. Nitrogen touching the trunk can kill, especially after a heacy rain. (Did the plants get fertilizer or compost at or right after planting?)