NOISETIER : TOUT CE QU’IL FAUT CONNAÎTRE SUR CET ARBUSTE FRUITIER ET COMMENT LE PLANTER AVEC SUCCÈS

NewsJardinTV is pleased to present issue 35 of "Gardening Feels Good!", its "little family show" hosted by Patrick Mioulane, the channel's editor-in-chief, and illustrated by his "Little Gardener," Nicole. This video was filmed in their small garden in Essonne. A large shrub that grows up to 5 m tall and 4 m wide, the hazelnut is called Corylus by botanists, a corruption of the Greek Korus, meaning "helmet," which refers to the shape of the membranous, fringed cups that surround the hazelnut. The hazelnut grows wild throughout Europe, but is less popular in the Mediterranean region. It is a shrub, that is, a large shrub formed from several trunks that become tangled over the years if the plant is not pruned. Very attractive in the fall for its fruit, but also for the color of its deciduous foliage, which then turns yellow, the hazel belongs to the same family as the birch (Betulaceae). It is easily recognized by its rounded leaves with toothed edges. It is a monoecious plant, meaning that the male and female flowers are separate, but coexist on the same plant. The small female flowers are clusters, enclosed in a bud, from which emerges a tuft of vermillion-red pistils. The male flowers are drooping catkins, 4 to 6 cm long, composed of overlapping scales. They form during the summer and remain compact, then begin to elongate in February and release a large quantity of pollen. The hazel's strong point is its ease of cultivation. It tolerates all types of soil and requires no special maintenance other than pruning when mature. It involves removing branches that are eight to ten years old, which become tangled and produce fewer and fewer fruits. The clump is also limited to about ten main branches to achieve an airy silhouette. The main pest of hazelnuts is the weevil, a beetle that pierces the fruit shells to lay eggs inside. The larva develops inside, consuming the hazelnut. Hazelnuts can be eaten from September, when they detach easily and fall naturally to the ground. They can be stored for several months outdoors, in their shells. After this detailed presentation of the plant, Patrick suggests planting a young hazelnut tree; the optimal season runs from late October to mid-February. Planting should be done in good, frost-free weather. Our editor-in-chief begins by digging a hole twice the volume of the plant's container, and loosens the bottom well. He removes the young hazel tree from its pot and scarifies the roots that cover the periphery of the root ball. He places the plant in place, burying it 2 or 3 cm, and orients it in the direction where it looks best. Next, Patrick adds a slow-release organic fertilizer to build up a nutrient reserve that will ensure the hazel tree's healthy growth. He uses a product suitable for organic farming. He covers the roots, working the soil particles well into the hole, compacts it gently, and then creates a small basin at the base of the shrub to retain water (10 liters for this specimen). The video ends with a quick look at the "witch hazel" (Corylopsis pauciflora), a pretty shrub that blooms in late winter and is much less cumbersome than our Corylus. The entire NewsJardinTV team warmly thanks you for following our publications and enjoying our videos. And allow us to draw your particular attention to the weekly one-hour program devoted entirely to plants, gardens, botany, nature, and gardening, entitled "Bienvenue au Jardin!", offered by NewsJardinTV. This comprehensive and varied program is available online every Saturday starting at 8 a.m. (giving you the opportunity to chat with other users). The first 66 episodes of this great podcast are presented by Patrick Mioulane and Roland Motte. You can follow them on video on YouTube or in their audio version on all major podcast platforms, not forgetting, of course, the NewsJardinTV website. Do yourself a favor by gardening and admiring plants, nature, and gardens. Our entire team looks forward to seeing you soon for new gardening adventures and starting Saturday with a new episode of "Bienvenue au Jardin!", on NewsJardinTV, of course!