How to Grow Almonds

Delicious, nutritious almonds are the fruit of the almond tree, a tree native to the Middle East and South Asia related to peaches, apricots and other nut trees. Almond is a relatively fastidious plant; If not grown in the right climate and with the right care, almond trees can be very difficult to survive, let alone bear fruit.

Table of Contents

Planting almond trees

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Make sure the conditions in the area are suitable for growing almonds. The almond tree, which is native to the hot and dry climates of the Middle East and South Asia, grows best in regions with hot summers and mild winters and does not adapt well to other conditions. . Almond trees usually cannot survive in cold countries. ^{[1] X Research Source} Unless you have a carefully controlled indoor environment, you will have a hard time growing almonds outside of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern climates.

If you are in the US, you can use the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to determine if the climate where you live is suitable for growing almonds. ^{[2] X Research Sources} This map classifies geographic regions by minimum temperature, giving a relative indication of the types of plants that can survive in each region. If you want to grow almonds, you need to choose a site with a minimum rating of 6 – the higher the better.
Under this system, appropriate areas in the United States include much of central and eastern California, parts of Arizona, Texas, and inland Florida.

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Buy seeds or seedlings. You have two options to start growing almond trees – using seeds (raw, untreated nuts) or seedlings. ^{[3] X Research Source} If you choose to grow by seed, you can experience the growing process right from the start, but it will take more time and effort. On the other hand, growing with seedlings is more convenient but can be a bit more expensive.

If you want to harvest edible almonds, be sure to choose the seeds or seedlings of the sweet almond tree. Note that bitter almond trees are not edible, and not all sweet almond trees produce fruit. These varieties are only suitable for shade and ornamental purposes. Ask the staff at the nursery if you are not sure which almond tree produces fruit.

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Choose a sunny location to plant. Almond trees grow well where there is plenty of sun. Before you start planting, you need to find a spot in your garden that receives full, direct sun and is not shaded. You’ll plant the almond tree in a pot before you plant it in the ground, but it’s still important to choose a planting location in advance – almonds can’t be potted for long.

You also need to choose an area with good drainage. Almond trees do not tolerate standing water around the roots – the tree can suffer from root rot.

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Seed incubation. If you’re going to grow almond trees from seed (i.e. almonds with only an envelope), you’ll need to start by growing the seeds in a controlled environment. Once the seeds start to sprout, you can either plant them in pots or plant them in the ground. First, you will put the seeds in a large bowl (the more seeds the better, as some will not germinate or will be damaged by mold). Next, incubate the seeds according to the steps below:

Add water to the bowl and soak the seeds overnight.
The next day, use a chestnut tongs to crack open the shells of the almonds – the shells are still glued together, but you should be able to see the seeds inside. Discard all seeds that show signs of mold.
Pour potting soil into a few small flower pots. Make sure the pots have drainage holes in the bottom.
Sow seeds about 2.5 -5 cm deep under the ground, cracked shell facing up. Place potted plants indoors where the sun shines. Now you just have to wait for the seedlings to sprout.

Caring for the almond tree

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Water a lot. Immediately after planting, almond trees need to be drenched with at least 4 liters of water to fully moisten the soil. ^{[6] X Research Source} After your first watering, you will need to maintain a regular watering schedule as the plants continue to grow. Almond trees do well in hot climates but are not desert plants, so watering is essential for healthy growth. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Water each almond tree at least once a week, unless it rains. Rooted plants can survive with 5-7.5 cm of water when it doesn’t rain, but growing plants will need more water. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
Another way is to use a drip irrigation system. This is the most convenient option if you have a lot of plants.

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Fertilize in spring. At the start of the plant’s growing season, you can use an appropriate amount of fertilizer to promote growth (though not required). For seedlings, you need to apply a low-dose nitrogen fertilizer every few weeks throughout the growing season. For mature plants, you will need to use 1 kg of urea or 15 kg of manure (in one go).

Whatever fertilizer you use, you must water it after fertilizing. Fertilizer can “burn” the plant if you fertilize without watering or applying too much at once. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Harvest fruit in autumn. Fruiting almond trees will begin to produce small green fruits throughout the growing season – these hard, sour almonds are not a popular treat in the West but are quite popular in the Middle East. In the fall, the almonds will harden, turn brown, and crack. When the outer shell has dried and turned brown, the almonds are ready to be harvested. See below for more information on the harvesting process.

There are two types of almond trees: “sweet” and “bitter” fruit. The tree and bitter almonds are not safe to eat . Bitter almonds contain cyanideric acid, which is toxic. Just a handful of raw and untreated bitter almonds can be fatal. ^{[10] X Research Source} However, bitter almonds can be processed through a toxin filtration process to make them edible.

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Prune the tree in early winter. Winter is the best time to prune trees – pruning is easier and safer when the tree is dormant. However, you should note that diseased or dead branches should be removed immediately at any time of the year. To prune branches, you can use pruning shears to trim close to the end of the branch. Use a saw to cut stiffer branches.

Pruning will help the tree grow evenly, healthy and beautiful. Methodical pruning also makes the tree stronger, sturdier, and more resistant to pests and diseases. ^{[11] X Research Source}
When pruning trees, you should try to trim away the dense foliage and remove the places where the two branches rub against each other. You also need to prune branches that grow taller or farther than other branches to help the tree grow more evenly. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Caring for fruit trees

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Wait 5 years before the tree bears fruit. Almond trees need some time to start bearing fruit. Usually, this “waiting” period lasts about 5 years. However, depending on the cultivar, it can take up to 12 years for the plant to reach maximum yield. Be patient – a healthy mature tree can produce up to 20 kg of fruit in a single harvest season!

Once it has begun to bear fruit, the almond tree bears fruit every year for up to 50 years, and you will be able to harvest many almonds in the years to come.

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Make sure the plant is pollinated. It’s important to understand that most almond trees will not “implicitly” produce fruit. The almond tree produces fruit through pollination during sexual reproduction. This means that unless you grow a self-pollinating almond tree, you will have to cross-pollinate the tree with a tree of a different variety in order for it to bear fruit.

The easiest way to do this is to plant a variety of plants. When you plant two or three plants close together, pollinators like honey bees will carry pollen from one tree to the other according to their natural habits.
You can also manually pollinate plants by rubbing the first flowers of one tree with the first flowers of another to mix the pollen. However, this method of pollination is much more time consuming and may not be as effective as natural pollination.

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Transplant another cultivar into an existing tree. The grafting method will turn a non-fruiting tree into a fruiting tree if the growing tree is not self-reproducing but is grafted with a branch of another variety. Once “alive”, the graft will be able to bear fruit even though the rest of the tree will not. This method is applicable to most certain crops, such as orange trees.

There are many ways to graft fertile cuttings into growing plants. The simplest way is often the T-eye grafting technique, whereby a long and narrow incision is made in the “host” tree and the graft is placed into the newly formed groove. After that, the graft will be tied with a string until the host plant receives the new branch.
Note that it is common to transplant trees in the spring, when the underside of the bark is moist and green.
Remember that grafting will not be able to turn a non-fruiting tree into a fruiting tree if the cause of the non-productive tree is planting in the wrong place, lack of nutrients, etc.

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Harvest almonds when ripe. Almonds are usually harvested from July to October (in some countries such as Saudi Arabia, the harvest season starts at the end of May), when the outer skin is dry and cracked. You can shake the tree and pick up the fallen almonds, remember to throw away the rotten ones. Almonds can also fall even when no one shakes the tree. These fruits are still edible unless they begin to rot.

Once harvested, you can freeze the almonds for 1-2 weeks to kill any remaining shell pests. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Troubleshoot common problems

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Avoid over-watering to prevent root rot. One problem that can affect virtually any tree species (including almond trees) is root rot. This harmful disease is usually caused by a fungus that grows on the roots when the roots are exposed to water for a long time. Root rot is difficult to treat, so the best measure is prevention. Never over-water a plant – standing water around the base of the plant can do more harm than good.

To prevent waterlogging, you can increase the drainage of your soil by mixing in plenty of humus or organic matter to increase the permeability of the soil. Note that shallow, heavy and clayey soils have very poor drainage.
If you experience root rot (which often shows near-dry signs such as leaves turning yellow, wilting, and dying), dig up the roots and cut away the squishy and black patches. If the condition does not improve, you must discard the whole plant to prevent the fungus from spreading to the whole garden.

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Good weed control. Weeds are not a major concern for older and mature almond trees, but they can be a serious threat to young trees. Weeds compete fiercely for nutrients, water and sunlight with young almond trees. If you let the weeds grow, they can even “strangle” the almond tree before it has a chance to grow. ^{[14] X Research Source}

The best way to deal with weeds is to pull the weeds early and do it regularly, especially during the first few months of planting. Try to clear weeds within 1.5-1.8 m between the beds – you can weed manually (using your hands or a garden tool) or use an herbicide. ^{[15] X Research Source}
You can apply mulch or mulch to prevent weeds. This method is suitable for small orchards at home.

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Remove all almonds from the tree to prevent navel orangeworm. During the winter, the insect hides in “mummies,” as the almonds are called, that remain on the tree. When spring comes, they become active again and damage the almond tree. The best way to prevent this worm is to remove all the “mummies”. When there is no place to hide through the winter, the orangeworms will not be able to survive and invade healthy almonds that year.

After removing the remaining almonds, run the lawn mower to crush them. Orangeworm worms can still live in the “mummies” still on the ground.

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Spray Bacillus thuringiensis to kill peach top borers. Peach borers are what the name suggests – small maggot-shaped insects that drill into nuts like peaches and almonds. This pest can eat fruit and cause significant damage to plants, so if you see this pest (or see rotting leaves that signal its presence), apply an insecticide immediately. to protect the tree. Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterial insecticide, is an excellent choice for killing top borers. Time your spraying during the bloom season to kill the pests before they have a chance to cause damage. ^{[16] X Research Sources}^{[17] X Credible Sources University of California Integrated Pest Management Program Go to Source}

In addition to the two pests mentioned above, there are many other pests that can attack almond trees – too many to list here. For more information, you can search for “almond tree pests” or contact your local university’s nursery or botany department.
You can also learn about integrated pest control. It is a pest control method that combines biological, environmental and chemical techniques. This method is more efficient than just using one method. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Advice

Start seeding in the fall so that the plants sprout in early spring.
If you want to plant an almond tree for fruit, you must plant two other trees that are the same.
If planting more than one almond tree, you need to plant the trees 6-9 meters apart.

Warning

Do not over water. Almond trees are susceptible to rot and mold.

Steps