How to plant almonds by seed. Growing almonds and caring for a healthy tree. Which almonds can be sprouted?

Almonds grow in the countries of Western and Central Asia, the Mediterranean, but the tree can be grown in middle lane. The plant does not cause any trouble for the owner and is easy to care for.

Almond tree does not require complex care

Almonds take root well on chernozem soils, so they are grown on an industrial scale in Ukraine and the southern cities of Russia. Breeders have developed a large number of almond varieties and hybrids. There are varieties that are grown only as ornamental plants.

Characteristics of almonds

Is almond a shrub or tree? small size of the Plum family, can reach a height of three meters. The leaves are oblong, pointed towards the apex, muted green in color. Its fruits are not nuts, as many people think, but drupes. The pericarp is inedible, and the core is tasty and healthy, but not all drupes are edible: the fruits of wild plants contain a large amount of amygdalin glycoside, which breaks down to release hydrocyanic acid. The fruits of ornamental almond trees are also poisonous. The plant begins to bloom in May, before the leaves appear.

There are varieties with white, beige, dark pink, and crimson flowers. The flowering period lasts about 2–3 weeks. All this time, an amazing aroma emanates from the bush.

Almonds produce their first fruits 5–6 years after planting in open ground. The timing of fruit ripening depends on the variety, on average it is late August-early September. Some varieties completely shed their foliage in August to waste nutrients only for seed ripening. The fruits are covered with a pubescent green pericarp, which turns brownish when ripe. The thickness of the shell depends on the variety.

Not all varieties of almonds can be eaten.

Landing place

To grow almond tree, you need to select a place according to the following criteria:

Light level. Almonds love bright, diffused light.
Wind protection. The plant does not tolerate drafts.
The nature of the soil. Chernozem soil with a high degree of water permeability and aeration is ideal. Neutral or slightly alkaline environment (7–7.7 pH). The almond tree grows well in sandy soils and loams.
Proximity groundwater. If groundwater lie high, such a place is not suitable for the plant.

Lack of lighting leads to leaf diseases. Drafts, especially in late autumn and winter, cause freezing of the upper shoots and buds.

If you choose a planting site successfully, the seedlings will grow into strong trees and will bloom and bear fruit profusely.

Properly planted almond trees produce excellent harvests

Planting almonds

Almond trees are grown from seeds or seedlings, which take root much better. You can plant the plant in open ground in late autumn or early spring. It is best to plant trees in autumn. If planting is planned for March, the holes are still prepared in the fall. The main stages of planting seedlings:

Dig a hole a little more than half a meter deep. The diameter of the pit is 60 cm. The distance between planting places for different seedlings should be 4–5 meters.
Place drainage material (crushed stone, expanded clay, broken bricks mixed with sand).
Fill the hole with a mixture of fertile soil, sand, turf soil (1:2:3 ratio), 5.5 kg of rotted manure and 0.5 kg of superphosphate. Acidic soil can be diluted with lime or dolomite flour.
Place a meter-long support in the middle of the pit.
Make an earthen mound.
Dip the roots of a young seedling into a clay mash.
Place the seedling on a mound so that the root collar rises above the ground.
Fill the hole with soil, compact it and water with 10 liters of water.
Mulch the area of soil around the trunk. Peat is well suited as mulch. It should not cover the crown of the plant.

After finishing the work, you need to tie the plant to a support. In the spring, the tree is planted according to the same rules as in the fall. The pits can be prepared at the end of November and left for the winter.

Almond care

Almonds are unpretentious in care. Flowering and fruiting require strength. How to grow a healthy almond bush:

Follow watering rules.
Loosen the soil regularly.
Apply organic and mineral fertilizers.
Carry out pruning correctly and on time.
Weed the ground around the trunk regularly to remove weeds. It is advisable to remove leaves from the surface.

Watering is especially important for young seedlings and adult plants during the period of active growth, flowering and fruit ripening. The tree spends a lot of energy, and the soil quickly depletes at this time.

Watering is important for normal almond fruiting

Watering

Almonds tolerate drought, but can bloom and bear fruit profusely only under conditions of optimal soil moisture.

If a tree is planted in sandy soil, the volume of water for watering one tree is 15 liters. For plants living in loamy and clay soils, one bucket of water is enough. Watering is carried out as the upper layers of the soil dry out. Young seedlings need to be watered once every 10-14 days.

Almonds do not like excess moisture. If watering is excessive, the root collar will rot.

Fertilizers

An actively growing almond tree seedling quickly depletes the soil, so it is important to fertilize on time. Mature trees also need fertilizer. Nitrogen is especially important for the plant. In the first 5 years of life, you need to plant green fertilizers (green manure) between the rows of almonds, which will provide the plant with this element. This could be peas, rapeseed, alfalfa, lupins, mustard.

Mature trees are fed with ammonium nitrate. In April or May, 20 g of the substance is dissolved in a bucket of water and the soil near the tree trunk is watered. In the fall, when the earth is being dug up, manure, superphosphate and potassium sulfate are applied under each tree.

Alfalfa supplies nitrogen to the almond tree.

Preventative treatment

In the fall, pests can hibernate in the leaves and branches of a tree. To destroy them, they are treated with Bordeaux mixture. The procedure is carried out after the leaves have fallen.

Almond pruning is carried out early spring and at the end of autumn. There are two types of pruning depending on the purpose:

formative;
sanitary

The formation of the crown is not only aesthetic, but also practical. A properly pruned plant will not waste energy growing unnecessary branches. The formed crown accepts better sun rays, the branches do not shade each other. After planting, seedlings are pruned at a height of 1.2 meters. From a height of 0.5 m they begin to form a standard. Usually the plant has 3 floors of skeletal side shoots. Sanitary pruning includes the removal of improperly growing, frozen, dried out, and disease-affected branches.

Almond pruning: shortening annual shoots, molding pruning of the crown along a given contour and sanitary pruning

Almond diseases

A tree gets sick if it is not properly cared for or if inappropriate conditions were initially selected. Most often the plant suffers from the following diseases:

Scab. The causative agents are fungi and actinomycetes. Ulcers, spots, and peeling appear on the surface of leaves, branches, and fruits. Affected areas should be trimmed, and fallen leaves should be collected and burned.
Cercospora blight. At the initial stages of development, microscopic fungi affect only the leaves. If measures are not taken, the shoots will begin to suffer. The main symptom of cercospora blight is small brown spots and holes in the leaves.
Rust. Large red-brown or red spots appear on the leaves. Dark red seals appear on the underside of the leaf blade.
Gray rot. Visible on leaves and shoots brown spots. If the air humidity is high, the branches and trunk are covered with a grayish fluff - these are fungal spores. The spores are easily carried by the wind and infect other plants.
Hole spot. The main cause of the disease is frequent rains. Red-brown spots develop on the leaves, gradually they become larger and can merge with each other. The leaf tissue in the middle of the spot dies and a hole is formed, bordered by a brown fringe.

The leaf roller caterpillar is an insect pest of almonds.

Trees affected by fungi are treated with fungicides. To prevent diseases, every year after the leaves fall, you need to rake the leaves from under the almonds, remove them and burn them. Treat the wood with Bordeaux mixture. It is important to monitor the condition of neighboring plants. Almonds are also loved by insect pests: aphids, bark beetles, leaf roller caterpillars, and spider mites.

If the leaves on the tree are curled or have uneven holes, this is a sign of pest activity. I treat the affected plant with a suitable insecticide.

Almond trees will decorate any area. They bloom profusely and exude a pleasant aroma. Almond fruits are a very valuable and expensive food product. Growing and caring for a tree is not a hassle. If the conditions in the region are suitable for the plant, it will produce rich harvests every year.

Many gardeners wonder whether it is possible to grow an almond tree in our conditions. It turns out that this is quite possible. Almonds are famous not only for their decorative value. Some of its varieties bear tasty, healthy fruits.

Almonds belong to the Rosaceae family, the plum genus and the almond subgenus. It is a shrub or tree from 1 m to 8 m in height. Few people know that almonds, which are often called a nut, are not such. Its fruit is considered a seed, although it is quite edible. Externally, an almond kernel is similar to an apricot kernel. Almonds are successfully used in cooking, cosmetology and medicine. The almond tree (shrub) is considered an early spring honey plant, is well pollinated and produces nectar of excellent quality. You can see how beautiful the almond blossoms are in the photo.

Types and varieties of almonds

In total, there are more than 40 different types and varieties of almonds. There are also three types of culture:

sweet;
bitter;
thin-walled.

The most popular species include several shrubs and trees that are actively cultivated and grown:

Common almond is the most common type, which is widely cultivated in the Crimea, the Caucasus, Central and Asia Minor, Afghanistan and Iran. It is a real long-liver - it grows for about 130 years. It is a shrub up to 4 m or a tree up to 8 m in height. It has a lush openwork crown. Large white-pink flowers begin blooming in the last month of winter and fade after 2-3 weeks. The leaves are narrow, pointed, juicy green. The fruits have a flattened shape, are covered with a velvety peel, and inside there is a seed with an edible kernel. Common almonds have three varieties: bitter, sweet, brittle. Among the most popular varieties highlight Pink Fog, Pansy, White Sail. This is practically the only type of almond that is used in fruit growing.
Steppe almond, low - grows in the European part of Russia, Siberia, Central Asia, resistant to frost and drought. This is a low shrub, only 0.5-1.5 m in height, with thick crown in the form of a ball and falling leaves. Small 6 cm leaves have two shades of green - lighter below, slightly darker above. Small bright pink flowers up to 3 cm in diameter do not form inflorescences and begin blooming in early May. At the same time, the leaves bloom. After 2-3 weeks the bushes fade. The lifespan of the crop is from 60 to 80 years. The fruits of steppe almonds are small, 2 cm in length, covered with a light velvety peel, ripen in late August - early September.
Three-lobed almond - grows in Northern China. This tree is up to 5 m in height with spreading beautiful crown 1.5 m in diameter and falling foliage. It has dark gray shoots with yellowish leaves at the top of the crown and gray leaves at the bottom. Bright pink, dark pink and crimson flowers begin blooming in late April or early May. After 2-3 weeks, the bush fades and fruits appear on it, which fall off very easily.
Ledebur almond is a small shrub up to 2 m high, found mainly in Altai. The crown consists of large dark green leaves and light pink flowers, reaching 4 cm in diameter. Very aromatic plant, begins to bear fruit after 10 years of life. It blooms for 2-3 weeks from the beginning of May. Easily tolerates frost.
Almond Petunnikova – dwarf shrub up to 1 m in height and a crown no more than 80 cm. Its homeland is considered to be the Western Tien Shan. It blooms in May with beautiful pinkish flowers for 12-14 days. It begins to bear fruit after 5 years of life with red fruits with a velvety thick skin. IN winter period shoots may freeze.

Almond cultivation

Many novice gardeners are thinking about how to grow almonds so that they not only decorate the area with their wonderful color, but also bear fruit. Growing almonds is not a very troublesome task, but it has its own characteristics.

Almond propagation

Almond propagation is possible in several ways:

Three-lobed almonds are most often propagated by grafting onto fruit trees such as plum, sloe, cherry plum and bird cherry. The species is not winter-hardy, but is successfully hardened off on winter-hardy rootstocks;
Almonds are most often propagated by seeds in specialized nurseries. Sowing is carried out both in spring and autumn. For spring planting seeds are pre-stratified (moistened in a growth enhancer, frozen) 3-4 months before sowing at an air temperature of 2–5 °C. Annual seedlings grow very quickly. When the growth reaches 30 cm, the seedling can be planted in a permanent place. Transplantation is most often painless and already in the third year the bush begins to produce color. The sooner you start pruning, the greater the chance of forming a beautiful decorative crown;
almonds are bred by cuttings, layerings and suckers at vegetative way growing. To do this, in the 20th of June, lignified and partially lignified cuttings are taken, which are cut off from young shoots of this season. The length of the shoots must be at least 15-20 cm. After pruning, the cuttings must be treated with a growth stimulator. The cuttings are dipped into the solution and kept for 15-17 hours. After this, they are planted in boxes with a sand-peat substrate (1:1 ratio) for rooting. The boxes are placed in a cold film greenhouse. After 20-25 days, the seedlings produce good roots of 85%-100%.

Selection of location and soil

Almonds are not particularly picky in choosing soil and growing location, but they grow and bear fruit better under certain conditions:

Almond shrubs and trees grow successfully on rocky, gravelly soils, as well as light clay and even slate soils. The plant gives preference to soil that is not mechanically loaded, fertile, and soil with good drainage. It is not advisable to grow almonds in acidic and heavy soils. Also, almonds do not like highly moist soils that are saline with an excess of chlorine. Too heavy slate soils that have poor air permeability are also not recommended for growing almonds.
Almonds love a lot of light, grow poorly in shaded areas, and their productivity and fertility drop sharply. Therefore, it is better to plant almonds in open, light areas, not shaded by buildings, tall grasses and other trees.

Planting almonds

The most best time for planting almonds - November. During this period, the seedling takes root better, but in the spring there is less chance of this. One of the important conditions for growing almonds is that it is necessary to plant at least 3-4 mutually pollinating varieties, but at least 2 varieties of shrubs. If you plant one tree, it will have nowhere to pollinate. And even if your neighbors in the area grow almonds, do not rely on pollination from their bushes. To plant almonds correctly, you need:

Dig holes 60-70 cm deep and 50-80 cm wide at a distance of 2-3 m from one another. For dwarf trees, the distance may be less. If you plan to plant an entire almond orchard, keep in mind that the distance between rows must be at least 7 m.
Be sure to lay drainage at the bottom - crushed stone, broken brick or stones. Fill the drainage with sand with a layer of 7-10 cm on top.
Organic and mineral fertilizer. Best option– rotted manure and superphosphate in a ratio of 10:1.
The seedlings are lowered into the hole so that the root collar goes 10-15 cm deep into the soil. After this, the hole is filled with earth and compacted.
Mulch the soil with peat under each seedling 3 m in diameter.
After planting, a bucket of water is poured under each seedling.
Until the seedlings become stronger, they need to be tied to a wooden or metal support.

Care ha almonds

It cannot be said that almonds are a very demanding plant, but certain care is still necessary for them:

The plant should be watered as the soil dries. When the soil dries out, you need to pour 10-12 liters of water under the trunk, but no more, so as not to spoil the root system. Excess moisture can cause it to rot. During the dry season, more watering may be required, but during rainy summers, additional moisture may not be needed.
In order for shrubs and trees to bloom actively and bear fruit well, they must be fed with fertilizers. In the spring this is done with manure or chicken droppings, and in the fall, after the leaves have fallen, you can fertilize the soil with superphosphates.
Almonds need regular pruning of old, dried out and diseased shoots. This should be done in early spring, even before flowering. Ornamental shrubs Cosmetic pruning is required to form a beautiful crown. It is carried out after the bushes have faded.
Because almonds flowering plant, it is very fond of being attacked by various pests and diseases. It is imperative to carry out a preventive fight against them:
- most dangerous pest- aphid. If it is not neutralized in time, the tree may be left without leaves, and this will affect the further development of buds, then flowers, and as a result, it will be possible not to expect fruit. Special pesticides are used to control aphids. Small plants can be sprayed with a solution of laundry soap, a decoction of wormwood and red hot pepper;
- To dangerous disease to which almonds may be exposed include gray mold. There are no means that could protect the plant from gray rot. The only way to save a bush is by cutting off diseased branches;
- if almonds are infected with moniliosis, it is necessary to spray the bush with Bordeaux mixture;
- the caterpillar, which can attack your almonds and destroy all the foliage, must be combated with a solution of insecticidal soap or special oils.
Periodically, it is necessary to loosen the ground under bushes and trees, as well as free them from weeds, so that moisture, fertilizers and oxygen enter the soil more easily.
After loosening the soil, you can feed the trees. This is done annually after harvesting with superphosphate fertilizers. During the flowering and fruiting period, fertilizing with manure or bird droppings is allowed.
To protect almonds from frost, you can pinch the ends of the shoots and remove the outer buds. This promotes rapid lignification of the shoots and in this case they easily tolerate frost. The procedure is carried out at the end of August, after harvesting. It is better to cover the almonds that you have propagated using grafting for the winter with film or thick cloth and tie them up.

Ground almonds

In nature, there are also ground almonds, the cultivation of which differs from ordinary ones. This herbaceous plant from the sedge family. It is also often called chufa. The taste of chufa is not much different from regular almonds. Ground almonds grow well in loose, nutritious and not too wet soils. This heat-loving plant, which does not tolerate even slight frosts very well.

Propagation of ground almonds

Ground almonds reproduce mainly by tubers:

Tubers are planted in the spring, when the threat of spring frosts has passed and the air warms up to +10-15 °C. It’s even better to postpone the process to early to mid-May, when the weather is consistently warm.
Before planting, the crop tubers must be soaked in water. room temperature. If it is possible to do this in melt water, great.
Tubers are planted in holes 30 cm deep at a distance of 20 cm from one another, and the row spacing should be at least 30-40 cm.

Caring for ground almonds

Chufa is absolutely not a picky plant. Caring for it is as follows:

during the dry season, regular watering is required;
all growing season you can feed almonds with humus and wood ash;
If necessary, the soil must be loosened and weeded to remove weeds.

Harvest

As soon as the above-ground part of the plant turns yellow and begins to dry out, it’s time to harvest:

The first step is to mow the grass, then dig up the tubers and shake them off. The process is similar to digging potatoes.
After this, the tubers are sorted and cleaned, then dried in the open air.

Ground almonds are not only edible, but also decorative. They can decorate lawns by planting them around the perimeter as a fence.

Now that you have learned all the intricacies of growing and caring for almonds, you can safely get down to business. If be patient and take the time, after a while your almond orchard will bloom in all its beauty and bear fruit.

You can watch the video on how to properly trim almonds.

The abundant, early flowering of almonds grown in the south can be forever remembered for its splendor. Pink flowers, the sweet aroma is reminiscent of distant lands and endless summer. But the almond tree is not exotic at all. In temperate latitudes, its cultivation is quite possible. Released varieties are not only decorative, but also produce good yields of healthy fruits.

If in winter the air temperature does not drop below 25 ° C, then the shrub may well grow in open ground an ordinary garden. If several rules are followed, almonds produce from 6 to 10 kg of fruit per season and live up to 100 years.

How to grow almonds: planting according to all the rules

Blooming almonds can transform the entire garden and give it an exotic look. This southern heat-loving beauty naturally grows on rocky slopes and is demanding of light. What conditions will be optimal for its growth? The space allocated for the “almond orchard” must meet several requirements.

1. Soil quality. Rocky, sandy, well-drained soils work best. Loams and clayey soil must be limed to improve air permeability. Almonds feel good on rocky decorative hills.

2. The light-loving shrub should be placed so that it is not shaded for more than a few hours a day.

3. Plants that are protected from cold winds develop well. Best choice– the southern side of a slope or a place closed from the north by buildings or a fence, but open to sunlight from the south.

4. If water stagnates, the almond root may die. Therefore, places subject to prolonged accumulation of moisture are not suitable for planting.

Almonds are a demanding crop for pollination. The amount of the future harvest directly depends on this. Neighborhood with beehives will additional advantage when choosing a place. Early flowering will provide prudent owners with aromatic spring honey.

Ways to grow almonds

Once the location has been chosen, it is time to decide how the plant will be grown. There are several ways to propagate almonds:

Growing from seed;

Graft;

Rooting layerings and cuttings;

Planting a grafted seedling.

The first method is the most labor-intensive; grafting will require certain skills; the last method is simpler than others. Let's start with something simple.

Almonds: planting a seedling, brief instructions with photos

If zoned varieties are available for sale, the problem of purchasing planting material comes down to choosing between seedlings of decorative and table varieties. Grafted seedlings from a bona fide seller are guaranteed to have the properties of the declared variety.

When purchasing, you should keep in mind that for full fruiting, almonds need cross-pollination. Therefore, to obtain a harvest, it is necessary to plant several plants, preferably different varieties.

Planting a seedling is not a difficult undertaking:

1. Preparing the planting hole. The size of the planting hole will indicate the size of the root. For a one-year-old plant, a hole up to 60 cm deep and the same diameter is usually sufficient. The bottom should be covered with a layer of crushed stone, broken bricks and sand. This ensures the necessary drainage; excess moisture cannot harm the young plant.

2. The distance between the holes should be maintained within 3 m. This way, bushes growing upward and wider will not block each other from the sun.

3. The soil for filling the hole is fertilized with superphosphate (no more than 0.5 kg per plant), rotted manure (about 5 kg); Be sure to lime by adding 1 cup of dolomite flour or lime.

4. At first, the seedling needs support. A long pole, stick or bamboo support is stuck deeper into the center of the planting hole. The roots are distributed along the bottom of the hole, preventing upward bending.

5. When filling the hole, carefully ensure that the grafting site remains above the soil level.

That's all the basic wisdom of planting. Each plant should be watered abundantly; later, keep the soil around clean. Almonds do not tolerate root vegetation, even ordinary grass.

In the first year, the bushes grow reluctantly - they develop mainly root system. But the following years will delight you with the active growth of the bush. Almonds, with care and proper feeding, begin to bloom at the 4th year of life.

Almonds grown from seed

You can grow a shrub using seeds. Almonds are grown (as in the photo) in the house to the size of a seedling, or the seeds are sown directly into the ground in the spring. It is not always possible to preserve species characteristics by such reproduction.

It is not recommended to plant seeds outside in the fall. Their smell attracts rodents. By spring there may simply be nothing left to sprout. All seeds intended for sowing must “overwinter” in containers with wet sand, at a temperature not exceeding 10 °C. This will increase their germination rate and have a beneficial effect on future harvests.

When replanting a young sprout, you should pinch the root to ensure uniform development of the above-ground and underground parts of the plant.

Vegetative propagation of almonds

If you have an adult plant of the desired variety, you can propagate it in several other ways.

Cuttings obtained by pruning. Cuttings up to 20 cm long take root well in damp sand and in a cool place.

Root growth appears regularly around bushes. By leaving a few sprouts when pruning, in the second year you can get a ready-made seedling with a developed root system.

Layers are low-growing branches that take root easily when in contact with the soil. Having pinned such a branch to the ground and covered it with earth, it is enough to wait for the roots to appear. Separating the rooted branch from mother bush, it can be planted as an independent plant.

Almonds: care for an adult plant

Almonds are unpretentious in care. It will only require regular watering, fertilizing, and timely pruning.

Crown formation begins from the moment of planting. A seedling planted in spring is immediately shortened to a height of 80 cm. The side branches are cut into three buds. Almonds are grown as both bushes and small trees. The main task is to form a sparse crown. All damaged, thickening, fruit-bearing shoots should be removed.

Formative pruning is carried out after flowering has ended. Peach and almond equally love pruning; their crowns are formed according to the same principle - more air and light. The fan type of crown formation has proven itself well.

Appearance adult almonds are laid in the first years, and depend on the height of the central trunk laid initially.

When watering almonds, it is important to maintain the “golden mean”. Lack of moisture leads to poor flowering and fruiting, and with excess moisture, the root collar easily rots. When the soil dries to a depth of 2 cm, it is enough to use 10 liters of water per plant when watering.

Stone fruit crops are demanding when it comes to fertilizing. In early spring, fertilizing with copper-containing preparations is appropriate. The spring-summer period is the time for nitrogen and potassium fertilizing. Closer to autumn, superphosphates are relevant.

Helping almonds survive frosts

A few tricks from experienced gardeners will help the plant survive the winter without significant losses.

In July–August, the apical buds on the shoots are pinched. The shoots will ripen faster and withstand the winter more easily.

Seedlings are wrapped for the winter (for example, with lutrasil). The tree trunk circle is also covered with special materials or mulch.

When hilling the trunk with snow, there is a danger of the root neck heating up.

Existing varieties almonds, with care and proper attention, allow you to grow a heat-loving plant even in Siberian conditions. The southern aroma, beauty of flowers, healthy and tasty almonds will be a well-deserved reward for a patient gardener.

Belongs to the Plum family. It is often called a nut, but in biological terms it is a stone fruit, a close relative of the apricot, the seeds of which are also edible. Almonds are native to the Middle East and South Asia, therefore they are a heat-loving plant.

Many varieties of almonds can only be cultivated in regions where winter weather is characterized by a short-term drop in temperature to 17-22 degrees, but frosts of 25 degrees and above can destroy flower buds.

is a shrub or small tree with developed roots. The above-ground part of the plant can grow up to 11 meters, and the underground part can go five meters deep. The crown can have a round, pyramidal, spreading shape, and sometimes the appearance of a weeping willow.
During flowering, the almond tree is densely dotted with white or pinkish flowers; in some varieties, the petals are bright pink and edged with a white stripe.

Each flower has five petals surrounding numerous stamens with a pistil. Almond blossoms occur in mid-spring and precede the blossoming of leaves. Flowering trees endowed with a pronounced pleasant aroma, for which they are valued as early honey plants, capable of producing up to 38 kg of honey per hectare. The green leaves are elongated and resemble the leaves of an olive tree, but are larger in size. To produce a harvest, almost all varieties need pollinators, so several trees should be planted on the site.

Unlike and, the pulp surrounding the seed is a rough, green, pubescent peel and is unsuitable for food. Darkening and cracking of this peel signals the maturity of the edible seeds, which are elongated and covered with depressions and grooves. But inner part The seeds are not edible in all varieties. Wild almonds have a bitter taste and contain toxic substances. From such seeds they obtain valuable almond oil and milk, which are actively used in cosmetology.

The collection of sweet almond “nuts” occurs at the end of summer - beginning of autumn, when the pericarps crack. They are removed from the fruit and dried, after which they are tightly packed and sent for storage in a dry place. Almond trees begin to bear fruit in the third or fourth year of life and produce crops for 40-50 years, and the tree itself can live up to 85 years. The nutritional value of the almond kernel is equal to that of bread, milk and meat. “Nuts” contain 55-63% fatty oils, 23-35% proteins, up to 8% sugars, as well as B vitamins. Almonds can be stored for a long time without losing their qualities, and almond oil does not burn at all.

To obtain a harvest of edible nuts, common almonds and its varietal varieties are cultivated. The choice of variety is influenced by the climatic conditions of the region and the possibility of self-pollination, which is inherent in very few varieties, for example, Nikitsky 62.

Also varietal characteristics affect the shape and size of trees, as well as their resistance to cold, diseases and harmful insects. The size of the seeds, the thickness of the pericarp and the amount of harvest depend on the variety.

Frost-resistant almond varieties:

Primorsky - has good immunity to diseases, needs pollinators and is capable of producing up to 15 kg of “nuts” from one tree.
Nikitsky 62 - capable of self-pollination and produces up to 13 kg of yield.
Dessert - blooms in mid-spring and needs pollinators.

Varieties with average resistance to frost:

Milos - has average immunity to diseases and produces about six kilograms of “nuts”.
Alushtinsky - ripens early and produces large nuts, but needs pollinators.
Steppe - different average yield and good taste.

Varieties of heat-loving and drought-resistant almonds:

Jubilee - late date ripening, with above-average yields
Sevastopol - late ripening with high yield, needs pollinators.
Foros - mid-ripe large-fruited variety, resistant to pests and diseases, needs pollinators.

Almond trees feel good in a well-lit place, do not make any special demands on the soil, love liming, tolerate urban conditions and grow very quickly.

Almond trees can be propagated in several ways: seeds, seedlings, layering and cuttings. The first method is the most labor-intensive, but allows you to feel the whole process. When growing an almond tree from a seed, you should remember that the crop does not always preserve the varietal quality of the fruit.

The place for planting seeds must be protected from strong winds, the soil needs to be fertile and well-drained. In dry climates, irrigation will be required:

Seeds are sown in the spring; with autumn planting, the risk of seed destruction by rodents increases.
the ground should be dug or plowed deeply
the bones are buried 11-16 cm

Before planting, seed material is necessary. To do this, the bones are placed in sand and kept for about a month, maintaining the temperature at a level of 1 to 10 degrees. The optimal time for this event is the first half of winter. But it needs to be carried out 20-25 days before sowing. If the roots of the seeds have sprouted strongly, they should be pinched to stimulate the development of lateral roots. When the seedlings reach 15 cm, they should be shortened using a sharp shovel. After which the plants are watered abundantly.

About six nuts will be placed on one meter, and if a permanent place is chosen and budding is carried out without subsequent replanting, then two nuts should be placed in one hole.

Budding is carried out at the end of summer to prevent premature germination of eyes.

The procedure is carried out near the root neck. For the winter, the budding seedlings are hilled up, which helps to avoid early germination and death of the plant from the cold. When the oculant grows 12-15 cm, it is spudded for fixation. As the oculant grows, the procedure is repeated, and the rootstock itself is freed from new shoots. In the first year, the crown shape is not formed. Young trees are dug up and transplanted to a permanent place, if necessary.

The most common method of propagating almonds is to plant grafted seedlings. But to acquire planting material You should contact a trusted seller or nursery to get the tree of the desired variety.

It is also worth considering that most varieties require pollinators, so you should plant several different varieties.

Planting of seedlings is carried out according to a certain scheme, following simple rules:

Prepare planting holes, the size of which should be twice the size of the root. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom using crushed stone, broken brick and sand.
The holes are dug at intervals of at least three meters so that future plants do not interfere with each other’s development.
The soil for planting seedlings should be fertilized using superphosphate (about 500 grams per tree), rotted manure (4-5 kg), and also add lime.
The roots are evenly distributed along the bottom of the planting hole and a support is installed in the center.
The grafting site should not be immersed in the soil.
After planting, each seedling should be well saturated with water. As they grow, promptly clear the soil around the trees from weeds and loosen them.

In the first year of life, seedlings will grow slowly, because the plant directs all its forces to the development of the root system. But in subsequent years, the almonds will actively begin to grow and after four years they will delight you with their first flowering.

Almonds require special care immediately after planting, but in subsequent years they will need regular watering, timely pruning and fertilization:

In the absence of precipitation, trees need to be watered at least once a week. Older individuals can get by with less frequent irrigation. You need to make sure that the root collar does not get wet, because it can quickly rot and the plant will die. It is reasonable to carry out watering using drip irrigation, which will eliminate many problems.
Almonds need to be fed regularly. During the period of active growth, fertilizers enriched with nitrogen and potassium are applied to young trees. For mature trees, manure and ammonium nitrate in the form of solutions are suitable (a kilogram of manure and 0.2 kg of nitrate per bucket of water). At the beginning of spring, copper-containing fertilizers are applied once. Any fertilizers must be filled with water to avoid burns to the plant and to ensure uniform distribution of fertilizers.
It is necessary to carry out formative and health-improving almond treatments. They are carried out after flowering. First you need to thin out the crown and remove damaged and dried branches.
Also, grafted almonds need shelter for the winter to avoid freezing of the crop.

At the fourth or fifth year of life, almond trees produce their first harvest. After flowering, medium-sized hard fruits with a sour taste are formed. In some countries they are used as food. As the fruits mature, they begin to harden, become dark and crack. The drying of the shell serves as a signal to collect the “nuts”.

Like all plants, almonds can get sick and be attacked by insects. The plant is most susceptible to gray rot, rust, moniliosis, cercospora blight and cluster blight. All of these diseases, including scab and orange spot, are fungal, so they need to be treated. Treatments are carried out twice a week.

As a preventative measure, almonds are treated with a one percent solution. Bordeaux mixture, and also destroy fallen leaves by burning.

Almond trees can be affected by budworms, plum moths, almond leaf sawflies and samoyeds, as well as spider mites. They are used against all insects, in addition to the last one. systemic insecticides, and spider mites are expelled with acaricidal drugs. Trees are treated several times in the spring, before flowering begins. As a preventive measure, natural enemies of insects - birds - are lured by installing feeders in the garden. You should also burn fallen leaves and dig up the soil for the winter.

If you follow all the rules, you can grow a healthy fruit-bearing almond tree and enjoy healthy and tasty “nuts” that are very nutritious, but allergenic and not recommended for overweight people. And wild almonds can be used as a rootstock for peach and apricot, which will increase the drought resistance of these crops.

More information can be found in the video:

The almond plant is small but very valuable fruit tree or a bush that is related to the plum. Contrary to popular belief, almonds are not a nut, they are a hard stone fruit. Asia is considered the birthplace of this plant, but currently almonds grow in many parts of the world, they are successfully grown in some states of the USA, in the Tien Shan mountains, China, in Europe almonds are common in Mediterranean countries and in the Crimea, as well as in the Caucasus, which , as you know, is located at the junction of Asia and Europe.

Almonds grow in small groups on rocky slopes quite high above sea level. Prefers sunny places and is not afraid of drought, having a well-developed root system. The plant is frost-resistant, but does not tolerate frosts during the growing season. The soil for almonds should contain a large amount of calcium. It begins to bloom with light pink five-petaled flowers in late winter - early spring, and the fruits appear in early summer. The average lifespan of a tree is one hundred years, but sometimes almonds live much longer. The fruiting period ranges from five years of age to thirty to fifty years. Almonds are cross-pollinated plants.

Almond fruits are green seeds covered with short hairs, similar in shape to apricots, which, after full ripening, crack along the inner seam. Thus, the almond fruit looks like a nut, although the plant itself is not a nut. Almond fruits are very tasty, dietary and at the same time highly nutritious - the amount of oil in some types of tree reaches almost 70%, protein - up to 35%. In nutritional value, almonds surpass not only all the fruits and vegetables we are accustomed to, but even wheat, beef, milk and fish.

Almonds also contain a lot of vitamins and microelements, thanks to which the famous medieval healer Ibn Sina (Avicenna) used this plant in the treatment of the liver, spleen and kidneys. Due to its composition, almonds are indicated for diabetics, asthmatics and ulcer sufferers; they are also taken for gastritis, headaches, and nervous exhaustion. This plant has the ability to calm and at the same time stimulate the brain.

Almond oil cleanses bladder and kidneys, reduces bad cholesterol, is used for pneumonia, various sprains, and even helps treat some cancers. It is popularly believed that almond oil helps get rid of age spots, freckles and dandruff (if you mix it with wine and rub it into your hair), and it is also taken for severe coughs.

Almonds are quite high in calories, so you shouldn’t overuse them. However, the balanced composition of these fruits allows even people who are overweight to take it without much concern for their figure.

Important! Unripe almond seeds contain cyanide, and some varieties also contain poisonous hydrocyanic acid. Such fruits should be consumed with caution and only after pre-roasting. Glycoside and amygdalin, contained in large quantities in almond fruits, are fatal to humans; it is enough to eat only a few dozen grains to cause death.

Almonds are an excellent addition to confectionery products. It shades and enhances the taste of chocolates and other sweets; it is also added to various jams and jams, pastes, cheeses and ice cream. Almond flour as a substitute for wheat flour is used in recipes for delicious cakes and pastries. A paste is prepared from crushed almond kernels, which is an independent delicacy, as well as an ingredient for enhancing the taste of other products and saturating them with a unique almond aroma.

Did you know? Almond flour and marzipan made from it were previously used to treat psychiatric diseases. In the years of famine, due to its high calorie content, it was used daily to make bread as a substitute for the missing regular flour.

Where is the best place to plant almonds?

Although almonds can tolerate drought, dehydration can greatly harm the plant - it slows down its growth and begins to shed its leaves, resulting in a reduced yield, not only for the current year, but also for the next. Productivity also drops when there is insufficient light, when almonds grow in places shaded by other plants or buildings.

These features must be taken into account when deciding on almond cultivation.

What species and varieties are best to plant?

Before growing almonds, you need to decide for what purpose the plant will be planted, and depending on this, choose the most suitable variety.

There are more than forty types of almonds, but the common almond is considered the most common. Its height can reach six meters, but in dry places it grows as a low bush. Depending on taste qualities fruits are distinguished by bitter, sweet and brittle almonds, all of which belong to the plant species in question.

Almond varieties such as “Pink Fog” and “Anyuta” are very popular, but fruit growers prefer to grow “White Sail”.

If the purpose of growing almonds is to decorate your site, you should pay attention to varieties such as “three-lobed” almonds (it has a very beautiful one and a half meter crown and flowing leaves, blooms with bright pink or crimson flowers); "Ledebura" (distinguished by its special aroma, large dark leaves and large light pink flowers) and "Petunnikova" (ornamental dwarf shrub with beautiful flowers pink shade).

What soil is suitable for growing

The almond tree does not place too high demands on the soil; it can easily grow on crushed stone, sand and stones. It is optimal that the soil is light, fertile and has good drainage.

Acidic clay, salty, especially chlorine-containing soils are contraindicated for this plant; its root system does not tolerate the effects of high groundwater, as well as the lack of air and water permeability.

How and when to plant almonds

Deciding how to grow an almond tree begins with choosing a location. In addition to the requirements for soil composition and plenty of light, it is necessary to provide the seedling good protection from the wind. It is best to place the plant on the south side of the site.

It is optimal to plant almonds in late autumn; plants planted in spring take root less well.

Important! There is one more secret: given that almonds cannot pollinate on their own, several varieties and specimens must be planted at once. The presence of other almond trees somewhere nearby does not solve the problem: for successful pollination, almonds need insects that have settled in the hive directly near the plant.

The technology for planting an almond tree is as follows. Holes a little more than half a meter deep are dug at a distance of two to three meters from one another (for shrubs and dwarf varieties, this distance can be reduced). Fine gravel or crushed stone is poured into the bottom of the hole, up to 10 cm of sand is added on top, then fertilizing is done, ideally phosphate fertilizers and manure.

The trees are carefully placed in the hole (the root collar should be 10-15 cm underground), after which the hole is filled fertile soil and compacts well.

A near-root circle with a radius of one and a half meters should be mulched. It is best to use peat for these purposes. A support is driven in near the seedling, to which the young tree is tied to protect it from the wind.

Each seedling needs to be watered abundantly.

Almond propagation

Almonds are propagated by seeds, cuttings, and also by root division of the plant.

Almonds can be grown from the seed, but in this case the biological and commercial characteristics of the almond may be lost. In order to germinate the almond seed as best as possible, it should first be soaked in a strengthening solution and planted at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other in a pre-prepared, well-dug place in late autumn or early winter to a depth of 10-15 cm. Two seeds can be placed in one hole; in this case, after germination, a stronger seedling is left.
The seeds can be planted in early spring, but before that, from the end of January - beginning of February, they need to be stratified (germinated in conditions similar to natural wintering) in the sand. The process lasts up to one and a half months at temperatures from zero to ten degrees above zero.

When the seedlings reach 10-15 cm, the roots of the plant at the same depth must be cut with a shovel, after which they should be watered abundantly.

Budding of seedlings is carried out at the end of summer in the area of the root collar, after which the budding plant is budded. Annual seedlings need to be transplanted, otherwise they will not form a crown.

Propagation of almonds by cuttings

To propagate an almond tree using this method, at the beginning of summer, cuttings 15-20 cm long (two nodes) are cut from the top of the plant and placed in a stimulating solution for several hours. After this, the cuttings are planted in a prepared mixture of sand and peat (ratio 1: 2) and placed in cold greenhouse for 20-30 days. During this time, the cuttings should take root completely, after which the young almond tree continues to grow in the training bed.

Almond propagation by shoots

If an almond tree is heavily pruned, it produces abundant growth. In the second year after emergence, such sprouts can be separated, preserving the roots, and transplanted to a separate place.

Almond propagation by layering

Young almond shoots can also be used for propagation by layering. To do this, you need to bend it to the ground, pin it with a metal or wooden pin and lightly sprinkle it with earth. Such shoots develop their own root system in about a year, during which time they need to be regularly watered, the weeds around them must be weeded and the soil fluffed up. Subsequently, the seedlings are separated from the mother tree and planted in a permanent place.

How to care for almonds

To receive good harvest For almonds, it is necessary to follow not only the planting rules, but also provide the rooted plant with proper care in the open ground.

How to water almonds correctly

Almonds need abundant watering only if it grows by sandy soil. An abundance of moisture is very harmful to the plant, but if there is a lack of water, the tree does not bloom well and does not bear fruit. Almonds should be watered when the soil around the plant has dried to a depth of about one and a half centimeters. The watering rate is from seven to ten liters of water per bush.

Fertilizer and feeding of almonds

Almonds require a lot of strength to keep the fruits properly shaped and plump; This feature of the plant determines the agricultural technology of its cultivation. in spring mature tree fertilize with organic matter and ammonium nitrate (20 g per bucket of water). In autumn, the soil must be fed with double superphosphate and potassium sulfate - 20 g of both per square meter.

Almond trimming

Pruning and trimming almond trees is very beneficial for the plant. Even flowering branches cut for decorative purposes will not harm the tree. It is imperative to remove damaged and dried branches. It is necessary to shape the tree as soon as it has finished blooming. Pruning is necessary for almonds, as they grow very quickly and without proper trimming, they take on an unkempt appearance. To make the plant pleasing to the eye, annual shoots should be pruned.

Almond grafting

Almonds can be grafted not only onto a plant of the same variety, but also onto other varieties of almonds, as well as plums, cherry plums or sloe. This is best done in mid-spring or late summer, when sap flow is especially active. The weather shouldn't be too hot.

A couple of days before the procedure, the rootstock needs to be poured very well (the bark should come off easily), so that when budding is carried out, the bark is well separated from the wood. As a scion, take a straight cutting with a formed bud, from which you need to carefully trim the leaves, leaving cuttings of a few millimeters so as not to damage the bud.

In the area of the root collar of the scion (first it must be cleaned of dirt) sharp knife an incision is made in the shape of the letter “T”, and the bark is carefully folded back where the incision lines meet. The shield with the bud is cut from the prepared cutting so that it fits into the prepared cut. When trimming the shield, you need to grab, in addition to the bark, some wood tissue. The cutting is inserted into the cut, covered with bark and secured with a tight bandage of plaster or tape (the bud should remain on the surface).

After 2-3 weeks, a control check is carried out: if the grafting is successful, the eye should be green and the petiole will disappear. After this, the bandage can be loosened. If budding was carried out at the end of summer, the eye band should not be removed until spring. Eyes that have not taken root need to be budded again.

In the spring, after the foliage appears, the binding can be removed and the rootstock with the dried eye can be grafted using a cutting prepared in advance.
When the height of the oculant reaches 10 cm, it must be additionally hilled; the procedure is repeated at least twice, as it grows. The shoots produced by the rootstock should be removed in the same way as side shoots, appearing on the oculant.

Did you know? In the southern regions, almonds, as a hardy, unpretentious plant that can easily tolerate frost, are used as a rootstock; peaches and apricots are grafted onto it, which feel quite confident on such support. You can recommend this article to your friends!

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