Almond is a delicious and nutritious dry fruit, which grows inside an inedible shell produced by the almond tree, a relative plant of the peach tree. There are two main varieties of almond: sweet and bitter. Sweet almonds are what you can buy in stores and eat, while bitter almonds, which contain toxic chemicals, are not considered edible. Almonds, which are native to the Middle East and South Asia, can be difficult plants to grow - without the proper climate and proper care, almond trees have a hard time surviving let alone producing fruit.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Plant an Almond Tree
Step 1. Make sure conditions are right in your area for an almond tree
These trees, native to the Middle East and South Asia, where the climate is hot and arid, do best with hot summers and mild winters and do not adapt well to other conditions. Almonds don't usually grow in colder climates. Unless you have a large, controlled indoor environment, you probably won't be able to grow them unless you live in an area with a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern climate.
Step 2. Buy seeds or sprouts
You have two options for planting an almond tree - you can use seeds (fresh, unprocessed almonds) or sprouts (small trees). Seeds allow you to experience the growing experience from the beginning, but it is the method that takes the most time and effort. Sprouts, on the other hand, are more practical, but more expensive.
If you want to harvest edible almonds, be sure to choose seeds or shoots of sweet almond trees that produce fruit. Bitter almonds are inedible and not all sweet almond trees bear fruit, so these varieties are only suitable for shading or for ornamental purposes. Talk to local nursery staff if you don't know which almond trees bear fruit
Step 3. Choose a sunny location for the tree
Almond trees need a lot of sun. Before starting, find a spot in the garden that receives direct, full sun, with no shade. You will need to grow the potted tree before planting it in the ground, but it is still important to choose the location first - the tree will only stay in the pot for some time.
You will also need to make sure that the spot you have chosen offers soil that has good drainage. Almond trees do not grow well in soils where puddles of water form which can cause the roots to rot
Step 4. Sprout the seeds
If you are growing a tree from seeds, start germinating them in a controlled environment - once the first stage of growth is complete, you can plant it in a pot or on the ground. First, collect your seeds in one large bowl (the more seeds you use the better - some may not sprout and some may not grow from mold). Then, sprout them according to these steps:
- Add some water and let the seeds soak overnight.
- The next day use a nutcracker to open the almond shells slightly - the shell should not crumble, but you should be able to see the seed inside. Discard any seeds that show signs of mold.
- Fill some small flower pots with potting soil. Make sure the pots have holes in the bottom to drain.
- Plant the seeds about 5 centimeters below the surface of the soil, with the openings facing up. Place the pot indoors in an area that receives direct sunlight. Wait for the sprouts to come out.
Step 5. Transplant the shoots
When the sprouts have started to grow (or alternatively, if you bought ready-to-plant sprouts), prepare your chosen spot of soil for planting. Make a small mound about two inches (slightly wider than its height) for each seed. Push the seed about 3 centimeters deep into the center of the mound. This technique helps prevent water from collecting near the plant's roots, and consequently avoids serious problems (such as rotten roots).
- If you are planting sprouts, do so at the end of winter or in spring. Alternatively, if you are planting non-sprouted seeds, do it in the late fall so that we have a chance to spring up at the beginning of the flowering season.
- If you are planting multiple trees, space each tree at least 7 meters apart. This will give the trees enough space and allow you to water them smoothly and effectively.
Part 2 of 4: Caring for an Almond Tree
Step 1. Water generously
Immediately after planting the tree, you should water it abundantly with at least five liters of water to hydrate the soil well. After this first stage, you will need to start watering the plant regularly. Almond trees thrive in warm climates, but they are not desert plants, so watering them is very important for keeping them healthy.
- Water each almond plant at least once a week unless it rains. Well-grown trees can survive 5-7cm of water without rain, but growing plants will need more.
- Alternatively, you could try using a drip irrigation system. It will be especially useful if you have a lot of trees.
Step 2. Fertilize the soil in the spring
When the growing season begins, it is a good idea to use a reasonable amount of fertilizer to facilitate the growth of the plant (even if it is not strictly necessary). For young trees, you will need to use small doses of nitrogen throughout the growing season. For adult trees, on the other hand, you will need to use about one kilo of urea or 15 kilograms of manure (single application).
Regardless of the type of fertilizer you are using, be sure to wet the soil before applying it. The fertilizer can "burn" the plant if it is applied without water or if used in excessive quantities
Step 3. Reap the fruits in the fall
Fruit-bearing almond trees will begin to produce small green fruits during the growing season - these hard, bitter fruits are not very popular in Western cuisine, but are commonly used in the Middle East. In the fall, these fruits will harden, turn brown and open. When the exposed almond shells are brown and dry, they are ready for harvesting. Read on for more information about the harvest.
There are two types of almond trees: those that bear "sweet" fruit and those that grow "bitter" fruit. Bitter almonds are not edible. They contain prussic acid, a toxic chemical. Even just a handful of raw, unprocessed bitter almonds can be lethal. However, it is possible to make them edible by working with a process that removes toxins
Step 4. Prune dead branches in the first days of winter
When the tree stops growing in winter, this is the perfect time for pruning - lethargic wood allows for safe and easy removal. However, note that you should remove dead or diseased parts of the plant immediately. To prune the branches, use a pair of pruning shears to make a clean, firm cut near the beginning of the branch. For more difficult pruning jobs, use a saw.
- Pruning trees has many benefits. The most important is the promotion of healthy, uniform and pleasing to the eye growth. By making smart pruning choices, you can also get a stronger, more robust and disease-resistant tree.
- When pruning, try to eliminate areas with particularly dense foliage and areas where two branches touch. You should also prune branches that grow much taller or sideways than others to promote even growth.
Part 3 of 4: Making the Tree Produce Fruit
Step 1. Wait five years before expecting fruit
Almond trees take time to produce fruit. Typically, this waiting period lasts around five years. However, it can take up to twelve of them for an almond tree to reach full production capacity. Be patient - a mature and healthy tree can produce more than 20 pounds of almonds in a single crop!
Once an almond tree starts bearing fruit, it will continue for up to 50 years, guaranteeing you enough almonds for years to come
Step 2. Make sure the tree is pollinated
It is important to understand that most almond trees do not produce almonds all the time. Almonds are usually produced as a result of pollination, which is the method of sexual reproduction of plants. This means that unless you have a tree of a self-pollinating variety, you will need to pollinate your tree with pollen from another tree to get fruit.
- The simplest way is to plant more than one tree. If you grow two or three of them, side by side, pollinating insects such as bees will carry pollen from tree to tree as part of their natural behavior.
- You can also manually pollinate by taking a flowering branch from another tree and rubbing it against the almond blossom to mix the pollen. However, this is a much longer time-consuming method than natural pollination and may not be as effective.
Step 3. Alternatively, graft a productive branch onto the tree
If, for whatever reason, your tree doesn't produce almonds, don't worry! There is still hope. With a process called grafting, it is possible to physically add a part of a plant that produces fruit to a different tree. Once the graft has "taken root", the grafted part will still be able to produce fruit, even if the rest of the tree will not be able to. This is the method by which many plants, such as oranges, are grown.
- There are many ways to graft a productive branch on your tree. The simplest is usually the T-graft, which involves making a long, narrow cut in the original tree and inserting the new branch into the generated recess. Afterwards, the new branch is stopped with ropes or rubber ties until the original tree has integrated it.
- Note that grafting is mostly done in spring, when the material under the bark is wet and green.
Step 4. Collect the almonds when they are ripe
Almonds are usually harvested in late summer or autumn, between July and October, once the outer fruit has dried and opened. Shake the tree and collect the falling almonds, being careful to throw away the rotten ones. In some cases the fruits will fall on their own. Unless they rot, fallen almonds are good to eat.
After harvesting, it's a good idea to freeze the almond shells for 1-2 weeks to get rid of any insects
Part 4 of 4: Treating Common Problems
Step 1. Avoid watering the tree too much to keep the roots from rotting
A problem that can affect almost any tree (including almond tree) is root rot. This harmful disease is mainly caused by fungi that start growing on the roots of trees that remain in contact with water for a long period of time. Since this condition can be difficult to treat, the best policy is prevention. Never water the plant too much - creating pools of water near the base of the tree promotes root rot.
- To avoid overwatering the plant, you may want to increase the drainage capacity of the soil. You can do this by mixing hummus or organic material into the soil to improve permeability. Note that heavy, sandy, shallow soils drain particularly poorly.
- If your plant's roots rot (usually signaled by drought-like symptoms, including yellowing and wilting of leaves and their falling off), dig to expose the roots and eliminate the dark, slimy areas. If the problem is not solved, discard the plant to prevent the fungus from spreading throughout the garden.
Step 2. Check for weeds
Weeds aren't a big problem for mature, well-established almond trees, but they can be a major threat to young shoots. Weeds compete fiercely for the same nutrients, water and sunshine with almond trees. If you ignore them, weeds may even strangle a sprout before it has a chance to grow.
The best policy for weeds, particularly during a plant's first few months, is to start weeding early and do it often. Try to keep a 1.5-2m strip along each row of weed-free shoots - you can use manual methods (e.g. hands or garden tools) or herbicides to get rid of them
Step 3. Keep the tree pest free
One particularly annoying to the almond tree is the Amyelois transitella moth. In winter, this insect takes refuge in so-called "mummy" fruits - almonds that are not harvested and are left on the tree in late autumn and winter. When spring comes these insects become active and damage the crop. The best way to prevent this problem is to get rid of the mummies. If they don't have any shelter for the winter, these pests shouldn't show up, as they won't be able to penetrate healthy fruit anyway.
Once the mummies are removed from the tree, destroy them by mowing the grass. The larvae may still take refuge there if they remain intact on the ground
Step 4. Use bacillus thuringiensis spray for peach moths
Peach moths are small, worm-like insects that sneak into fruits such as peaches and almonds. These insects can cause severe crop damage, so if you notice them (chewed leaves could be a sign), use a pesticide to protect your trees right away. Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterial insecticide, is a great choice for killing these pests. Spray the insecticide during their hatching in the spring, before they have a chance to cause serious damage.
In addition to the previous two examples, many other pests can attack almond trees - in fact, there are so many that it is impossible to list them all in this article. For more information, search a search engine for "almond pests" or consult your garden supplier or your local university's botanical department
Advice
- If you are planting more than one tree, arrange them 6-9 meters apart.
- Begin to sprout seeds in the fall so that the almond trees sprout in the early spring.
