Hazelnuts Planted in Nebraska

Hazelnut planting has begun at the Nebraska Forest Service’s Horning Farm. Yesterday NFS staff and others planted about 550 hybrid seedlings grown from Oregon State seeds and 100 Americana plants grown from Rutgers seeds. Another 100+ Americana plants will go in the ground there today plus about 25 ‘Jefferson’ and ‘Yamhill’ cultivars from the International Agricultural Products Center at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. These hazelnut plants are being tested for heat and cold hardiness and eastern filbert blight resistance. 

Unlike planting day last year which had a heat index of 105 and gnats everywhere, yesterday’s weather was perfect. After the planting is finished, we’ll mulch, set up the plant protectors and install the deer fencing around the Americana plot. We also need to start plumbing for the drip irrigation system we hope to use this year. – Troy Pabst, forestry property manager, Nebraska Forest Service