Brutting is a really simple technique to make your hazel or cobnut trees produce more nuts. It is done in August.

All you do is snap (but don’t break off) the ends of all the new shoots that were made this year. Count up to six or seven leaves on the new shoot from where it comes out of the older wood and snap the shoot there. This will stop the tree trying to make a new shoot and force the bit below the snap to make more flowers, which will turn into more nuts next year. That’s it!

You can do this on any type of hazel, cobnut or purple hazel.

Everything planted during the last 2 winters will need watering!

It looks like we are having a dry start to the year, so your plants really need you to water them regularly.

Remember that light rain showers in this warm, sunny weather won’t really water the ground well. Only heavy rainfall counts as a free watering.

This is quick tip for people who love saving water:

Make the most of the water your butts collect from roof gutters in periods of low rainfall

In warm weather, light, patchy rain will not get deep enough into the soil to water your plants effectively.
But it will be filling up your water butt.

So, water your plants from the butt while it is raining and your butt is filling up.

This way, when the mild rain stops, your plants will be thoroughly watered and your water butt should be full, because you were using water that was otherwise going to overflow from the butt.