About Almonds
Almond is a plant with a long history of cultivation around the world. It belongs to the same family of plants as peaches, cherries, and apricots. It is native to the Mediterranean region and the Middle East but is now grown worldwide. The almond tree grows to roughly 33 feet tall but can reach about 50 feet in height when cultivated for commercial purposes.
Almonds are the fruit of the almond tree. They grow in clusters on branches and ripen between August and September. Although almonds are usually referred to as nuts, they are drupes (stone fruits) like peaches, cherries, and apricots. The inside of the fruit is white and bitter due to the presence of amygdalin, a poisonous chemical that tastes sweet. The fleshy part on which the seed grows is called an endocarp and it has a hard shell that protects the edible seed until it is ripe enough to fall off. In other words, almonds are not nuts because they do not grow on trees like most other nuts, they are drupes because they have an outer fleshy part that surrounds an inner hard shell section with an edible seed inside!
There are two different types of almonds: sweet almonds and bitter almonds. Almond plants are grown from seeds collected from wild almond trees or grafted seedlings from domesticated trees. Sweet almonds are used for food products such as marzipan, nougat, pastries, cookies, pralines, and candies. Bitter almonds are used to make almond oil or medicinal amaretto liqueur or syrup.
Growing Almonds
If you live in a warm climate and have space for a deciduous tree that can grow up to 30 feet, consider the almond tree. When mature, it produces fragrant white or pink flowers from which it bears fruit. You can make your almond butter or almond milk.
1. Plant your almond tree in rich, well-drained soil and make sure that the soil is slightly acidic.
2. Water the tree frequently during dry periods; almonds need a lot of water to grow, especially while they’re young.
3. Place mulch around the base of the tree to preserve moisture in the soil and avoid having to water so frequently.
4. Thin out the almonds on your tree as they begin to grow in order to allow airflow and prevent any disease from taking over your vegetable garden.
5. Fertilize your trees if their growth seems stunted or if you notice that their leaves are yellowing or falling off prematurely.
6. Harvest your nuts when they are ready for picking!
Caring Almonds
Almond trees are some of the most beautiful evergreens, but they require careful and detailed care. If you have an almond tree, you must follow these steps to keep it healthy and happy.
- Almond trees are often planted in pots, so they can be moved around on a patio or inside the house during colder months.
- You’ll need to check your tree every day to make sure it’s still standing and not wilting.
- If you see brown spots forming, this usually means there isn’t enough water in the soil.
- Almond trees need lots of sunlight and water to grow big, strong roots and branches. However, if there isn’t enough water then the tree won’t get enough nutrients from its soil either—which means it won’t live long! If your tree starts turning brown all over without any new growth happening at all, this could be a sign that there’s something wrong with your watering schedule or technique (or both).
Process of Harvesting
Harvesting almond trees is a complex operation. Almond trees often grow on large, sprawling ranches. Almond tree harvesters are in high demand during harvest season, which typically peaks in August and September (in the Northern Hemisphere).
Almond trees bear fruit in the form of a seed that must be removed from its shell. Workers move through the rows of trees and use long poles to knock the nuts out of their shells and onto the ground below. Once all of the nuts have been harvested, they are picked up from the ground by giant machines that sort them into bins based on quality and size.
The almonds themselves are then either shipped to consumers for eating or processed before shipping for uses like oil or flour.
Propagating Almonds
Almond trees can be propagated by seed or by vegetative means. Almonds have a chilling requirement and need a certain number of hours below 45 degrees Fahrenheit during dormancy to break dormancy, flower, and fruit.
Propagating almond trees by seed does not lead to plants that are true to seed. Cultivars that are grafted onto rootstocks will be more consistent from plant to plant in terms of growth habits and fruit characteristics than seedlings.
Almond seeds should be soaked in boiling water for five minutes to soften the outer coating of the hard shell so that it will split open in preparation for planting. Almonds in the shell can be planted directly in the ground at the beginning or end of winter or planted indoors in containers so they can be transplanted outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.
Soak seeds in boiling water for five minutes.
Prepare a planting area with well-draining soil or use containers with drainage holes either indoors or outdoors. Plant almonds two inches deep and two inches apart in rows 12 inches apart if planting outdoors.
Pest and Disease Control
Pests and diseases rarely affect the tree’s health, and commercial growers can go years without using pesticides. However, some pests will attack nut crops, and diseases can seriously damage or even kill almond trees.
Listed below are common pests and diseases that may affect your almond trees.
Aphids
Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that attack the flowers and nuts of almond trees. These insects feed on the sap in leaves, causing them to curl, turn yellow, and drop early. Aphids also excrete a sticky substance that attracts ants and serves as a growth medium for sooty mold fungus. Aphid attacks can be controlled by spraying the trees with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil once every two weeks during spring and summer.
Peach Twig Borer
Peach Twig Borer is a caterpillar that attacks the flower buds of almond trees in late summer or early fall. This pest causes the buds to turn brown before they open. Controlling this pest requires spraying with an insecticide when the first nutlets begin to form.
Leaf-Footed Bug
Leaf-footed bugs are a common pest of almond trees and other crops. The adult is about 1/2″ long and varies in color from brown to gray, with white markings on the wings. They have piercing mouthparts and suck plant juices from fruits causing them to turn black; if the fruit is eaten it may taste bitter. They can be handpicked or controlled with insecticides.