How to grow Almond

Prunus amygdalus · almond tree

A nut tree related to the peach, grown for its almonds, harvested in August and September. It flowers before the leaves, at the time spring frosts still come, needs 400–500 hours of winter chill and a second cultivar for cross-pollination.

Quick facts

Type	Fruit tree
Family	Rosaceae
Light	Full sun
Frost	tolerates light frost
Sowing to harvest	1460 days
Where it grows	Open ground

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Harvest from August to September (northern hemisphere).

Frost dates · When to plant

Care

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	nitrogen, at the start of the stage
Flowering	every 7 days	—	—
Fruiting	every 7 days	—	—
Harvest	every 7 days	—	—
Winter rest	—	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Full sun for at least three quarters of the day.

Soil

Deep, well-drained soil, ideally a fertile sandy loam; almonds will not tolerate wet soils.

Care

Plant bare-root trees while dormant, in winter or early spring. Water a young tree deeply, to about 30 cm, then let the soil dry for several days; young trees may need 11–19 litres a week. Feed nitrogen every year in the growing season. Prune in the dormant season; once the framework is built only light pruning is needed. Knock the nuts down as soon as the hulls begin to split.

How to tell it is ripe

The green hull has split open, showing the shell inside.
The split hull dries and pulls away from the shell.
Crack a nut: a ready kernel is dry, not milky or damp.
Shake a branch: ready nuts fall to the ground.
Start knocking or shaking the nuts down as soon as the hulls begin to split, pick them up quickly and remove the hulls before storing.

Pests and diseases of Almond

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.