HAZELNUTS: Contorted hazel makes a fascinating ornamental shrub with its twisted and looped branches. It also produces a good display of catkins and may develop a few nuts too.

However, if you're serious about producing a nut crop, it's best to plant specifically with this in mind.

Two species of hazel are cultivated for nuts, and 100 years ago they were an important crop in Kent. Corylusavellana is our native hazel, beloved by dormice.

It produces rounded cobnuts that protrude from their green husks. 'Webbs Prize Cob' and 'Pearson's Prolific' are good varieties. Corylus maxima is a native of south-eastern Europe and Asia Minor and produces filberts - longer, flatter nuts that are completely covered by their papery husks.

The popular commercial variety 'Kentish Cob' is actually a filbert and C. avellana 'Cosford Cob' is a good pollination partner for it.

Two newer varieties, C. maxima 'Ennis' and 'Butler', also make a good, cross-pollinating pair and should out-perform traditional types.

For a more ornamental plant, C. maxima 'Purpurea' has deep purple leaves and produces nuts with pink husks. The best way to grow plants for nut production is as an open-centred goblet on a short trunk 30cm-45cm tall. Aim for eight to 12 main branches, stopped at about 2m tall for ease of picking. Established trees should be pruned twice a year.

In August, snap strong new side shoots, over 25cm long, by hand and leave them hanging. This process, brutting, improves the crop.

In winter, cut these shoots back to three-four buds. At the same time remove any suckers from the roots, and branches growing towards the centre.

Jobs of the week: * Plant overwintering onion sets and garlic cloves

* Prevent wind damage by tying in climbers, staking top-heavy plants, and pruning back tall shrubs in exposed positions by a third

* Lift tender gladioli once the leaves go brown

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