Exteme conditions-

A few more points on keeping newly planted tubelings alive in extreme conditions.

Our regular planting instructions strive to be complete; but the reality is, the current record-breaking heat and drought are outside anything you could call "normal".  We do have some additional experience that can help you in this situation.

A.  Water deeply.  If you are only able to supply enough water to get the ground wet down 2-3"; you might be better off not watering at all.  Because: hazels normally grow roots very near, or even "in" the ground surface.  Particularly when newly planted, they have limited resources to work with; if you are only watering shallowly, they will be encouraged to grow mostly shallow roots- following where the water is.  They may not have energy enough to also grow deep roots.  So- when it gets dry again- they will be stressed, again.

Try to deliver enough water so that the ground becomes wet at least 6" deep; 8" is better.  This will encourage deep root growth- and down below 8" there will still likely be water available in the soil; and the roots will continue growing deeper.

B.  DO NOT PULL WEEDS near your newly planted tubelings.  Their roots are intertwined, and you will destroy some of the roots of the tubeling; it may not be able to recover in this extreme situation.  You can cut the weeds off; but don't pull them.

C.  NEVER HOE around new tubelings- the damage to their roots can be drastic.

D.  DO NOT suddenly remove all weed cover, if the tubeling has been buried- it will burn up.  If weed cover has become extensive, we cut off all weeds to the NE of the tubeling, leaving most of the weed shade to the south, west, and overhead.  A little shade won't slow the tubeling down at all; and a little protection from drying winds and sun may actually help.

E.  DO NOT let the tubelings remain totally buried in weeds - not only will total shade slow them; but the deep cover greatly encourages insects, which are safe from birds there.  In particular, young hazels may be skeletonized by grasshopper nymphs - if buried in grass.  Opening up just the NE side will drastically decrease grasshopper attacks.

F.  If you feel you cannot keep up with watering in these drastic conditions; consider a) covering the tubelings with a hay/straw "hat", just during the extremes, quickly removed when the weather breaks; or even b) abandoning some of the planting, and concentrating on saving a portion of it- whatever you can actually deliver enough water to.

Even in the worst conditions- there are tactics that should prevent total loss.

G.  CALL US - if you need advice.  We'll try to help; and there are a few more tricks in our bag.

  888-557-4211

HEAT = WATER ?

We're spending a great deal of time right now watering - but only hazels (or other) that were planted THIS year.  Anything planted last year, for us, is not stressed - yet.  Though it might be.  Anything planted 2 years ago; we consider safe and not in need of supplemental water except perhaps in extreme circumstances (or on sandy soils, maybe).

But; yes; this kind of extreme heat and dry weather can kill tubelings planted this year; they're still tiny. Get them watered if you have ANY doubts about it.

Meanwhile:

Our friend Hank Roberts made this comment on the last post:

"I know you're too busy to be blogging these days, just thinking about y'all while watching the weather. I know a tiny bit about heat stress on corn and soy (both the limits during critical periods and the overall degree days, I think?), but nothing at all about what factors combine to affect success with your woody crops."

Yah, busy, but it takes a while for the pickup water tank to fill; 450 gallons-

We're expecting this to be a year when the hazel crop really shines- so far, the hazel crop is in no danger at all; not even stressed; while the prices of corn and soybeans go up every day it doesn't rain-

Take a look here to get an excellent idea of how heat and drought affect the corn crop: and note that's from August of last year.  The corn this year; having been planted earlier, may actually be more at risk.

Very quickly; the hazels share almost none of those risks.  The crop pollinated and the nuts were set in March and April.  Currently they are sizing, and filling.  Yes, it's known that some hazels may suffer decreased size, or even abort the embryo, if exposed to high heat at the wrong time.  But- our hybrids include genetics that appear to be immune to those problems.  So far.  Hazels are C3 plants, not C4 like corn- which we can and do argue is a great advantage (twice the Growing Degree Days in the same locations); but precise effects of heat are not well studied.

What is known about heat stress in hazels is only on a cultivar by cultivar basis- and our populations of diverse hybrids confound the desire to make broad sweeping statements.

One thing for growers to do- keep an eye on your hazels!  Those that come through this summer with good solid crops- are going to be important for future of food, as the climate warms.

URGENT NOTE- BONFIRE POSTPONED

Nothing we can do about weather; in this case it doesn't appear to be "maybe it'll rain" but - "maybe it'll be tornadoes and floods".  So - the bonfire is postponed from tonight ( Wed June 20) to- tomorrow night; Thursday June 21.

Looks like what Cannon Falls got last week, and Duluth got last night - is coming our way today.

Hope you get the note; and hope you can come tomorrow.

Bonfire & Huge Hazel Crop-

Folks, if you are reading this blog; YOU ARE invited to come to Badgersett- in two days- for our Annual Summer Solstice Bonfire.

In case you aren't aware; we've been doing a big bonfire on the summer solstice for about 16 years now.  There's nothing "new agey" about it- it's simply a chance to notice that: half the year is gone.  Oh; and a chance to relax for a little with friends.  Eat a brat or two.  Watch kids run around and holler and chase fireflies.  And talk.

This year, for those interested in the crops we work on here- this is a great chance to take a look at what is shaping up to be the heaviest hazel crop in over 10 years.  A huge number of bushes have "maximum" crops coming-

These nuts are far from full size at this point; and many hazel bushes with beaked hazel in their hybrid background are have nuts that are still barely visible.  But; overall; the crop is looking enormous.

Which is good.  But it's going to be exhausting; and for us, it means we need to take more data, in preparation for- next year.  Because it's the bushes that have a big crop this year; AND next, that are the ones we need to be breeding with.

So - if you can; COME for the bonfire, June 20; people start arriving around 7:30- 8; kids and grandparents please come too; bring a couple chairs to sit in, maybe a potlucky dish, though we provide basic brat-dog materials and marshmallows.  We light the fire at 10 PM; full dark.  It's spectacular if you haven't seen it.  These things used to be widespread community traditions, but for many reasons have faded into the past.  Shouldn't

Come see!  And relax.  (It may be your last chance to relax until January, so get some in now.)

Shipping and Planting and So On!

Yes, we are still taking plant orders for 2012. Hopefully I will get the actual website updated with that information soon.

We are indeed shipping, and have made it through a fair amount of the queue– we are up to date on many of our hazel types, but still behind the requested ship dates for chestnuts and hickories. Working on remedying that as I type, getting more planted in the greenhouse.

We also planted about 1500 research-grade bare-root dormant material in the field here on Badgersett Farm last weekend. I'll try to get pictures posted soon.  They're doing well, and we'll need to water them again soon, since it's been dry, sunny and windy.

So On includes that we're selling plants, nuts and t-shirts at the Mabel Farmer's Market on Saturdays now.