They are ready to harvest when a gentle flick of the top of the nut releases them from the cup. No point trying until they are turning brown though. Depends on where you live as to when they are ready.

They are ready, in my garden, when the squirrel starts to check them out.....usually as they start shedding from the tree and going less green coloured. Seize the chance then, or Nutkins will get there before you and bury a lot of them in your garden.....especially the lawn....then come and dig them up.....lick them and reposition them. He hides the repositioning, but not the digging up bit!

We have never had a single nut from our tree because as Dorjac says, the squirrels will pinch the lot, overnight when no one is looking!!! They then proceed to plant them all over your garden, I give up!

I wonder if that Rhyme 'I had a little nut tree and nothing would it bear' has anything to do with squirrels? It's either memory or scent of some kind. We are in a town garden. They come along at just the right moment and not for most of the rest of the time, apart from the odd dig it up and hide it again expedition.

Funny enough Dorjac, I wrote a blog about my nut tree and nothing did it 'bare' !!!! Being quite naive we didnt realise it was a squirrel that was stripping the tree, until we witnessed it!!

Our not so little nut tree is in line to be pruned, a tree surgeon's job. Plus the Laburnum which is nearbye. Nutkins might be a bit miffed next time he pays a visit!!Beware, a native Hazel can get into a good sized tree, or form an enormous stool. The wood is like iron for years after brush wood killer too. Not one of those stumps that rots down fast.

Funny you should say this, we pruned ours to more than half its size last Autumn, that'll teach old Nutkins!!!