Description of the almond plant, recommendations for planting and caring for a garden plot, how to reproduce, tips on combating diseases and pests, interesting notes and applications, varieties.
Common almonds (Prunus dulcis) are attributed by scientists to the subgenus of the same name Almond (Amygdalus), which is a member of the genus Plum (Prunus). The latter, in turn, is included in the extensive Rosaceae family. The native territories of these representatives of the flora are in the lands of Western Asia. The studies also point to the adjacent areas, which include both the Mediterranean regions and Central Asia. Today, the largest plantings of almond plants are in the state of California (USA), as well as in the Mediterranean (Spain, Italy and Portugal). This also includes the Australian continent, Iran and Afghanistan. The subgenus in itself has up to 40 varieties.
| Family name | Pink |
| Growing period | Perennial |
| Vegetation form | Shrub or in the form of a small tree |
| Breeding method | Vegetative (by budding, shoots, layering) in rare cases, seed - by bones |
| Landing period in open ground | With the arrival of spring or in the last week of September |
| Landing rules | Saplings are placed at a distance of 3-4 m, row spacing of about 5-6 m |
| Priming | Chernozem with high indicators of drainage and air permeability, loamy, sandy, calcareous |
| Soil acidity values, pH | 7, 7 - alkaline |
| Lighting degree | Bright and sunny location |
| Humidity parameters | Regular, for seedlings, moisturizing more frequent than adult plants |
| Special care rules | Does not tolerate the proximity of groundwater |
| Height values | 2-6 m |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Single flowers or racemose inflorescences |
| Flower color | White or light pink |
| Flowering period | March-April, before the leaves unfold |
| Fruiting period | End of September |
| Fruit shape and color | Light brown drupe |
| Application in landscape design | As a tapeworm or in group plantings |
| USDA zone | 5–8 |
The plant got its name thanks to the ancient Greek terms "amugdalos", "amugdaln" or "amugdaliov", which in any case meant "almond tree". Well, in Russian, "almond" goes by horses to the word in Polish "migda?", Which in turn leads to the Latin "amygdalus".
All representatives of the genus have a long-term growth period and are characterized by a shrub or tree-like form. In the latter case, these are low trees. In nature, the plant prefers soils rich in calcium, which are most often found on rocky slopes or with gravelly substrate. The height of growth mainly fluctuates in the range of 800-1600 m above sea level, but if we take, for example, Israeli areas, then there are almonds at a much lower altitude. In nature, plants are located in small groups, in which there are 3-4 specimens, while the distance between them is 5-7 meters. This is because for the ripening of fruits, cross-pollination is necessary, that is, the presence of specimens with male and female flowers.
If the almond grows in the form of a tree, then its height indicators are within 4–6 meters, while shrub plants do not exceed 2–3 m. The depth to which the rhizome penetrates into the ground is quite significant, which is a salvation in dry periods. The rhizome itself is composed of no more than five skeletal root processes. Almond shoots are divided into the following types: long vegetative (devoid of flowers) and short, on which the formation of flowers and subsequently fruits (generative) occurs. Almond leaf plates are characterized by a lanceolate shape, with a pointed tip. They are attached to the shoots by means of petioles. The foliage is green, the surface is smooth.
When flowering on the branches of almonds, pale pink or snow-white flowers open. The buds can be located either singly or collected in racemose inflorescences. In such inflorescences, there are 2-3 buds. The diameter of the flower is 2.5 cm. The corolla is composed of five petals. The flowering process occurs at the beginning of March or April days. It is curious that the flowers begin to decorate the almond shoots even before the foliage unfolds on them. When flowering, a unique pleasant aroma hovers around the plantings. Almonds are pollinated by bees as they make an excellent honey plant.
After the flowers are pollinated, almond fruits will begin to ripen, but this is possible only if the plant reaches 4-5 years of age. But only when 10-12 years have passed from the moment of planting, fruiting will enter its full phase. The healthy fruits can be enjoyed for 30-50 years.
Interesting
Despite the fact that almonds are considered to be nuts, the plant has a fruit in the form of a stone.
The almond fruit is a drupe, which is characterized by a dry and velvety surface. The time for full ripening comes in early September. The drupe is oval in shape and has a leathery pericarp of green color. It is this bone that is popularly called "almond". Its surface can be smooth or have reticular grooves or holes. In this case, the shell (shell) is also of two types: thick and hard or thin and fragile. When the pericarp completely dries out and darkens, it can easily separate from the bone. The length of the bone can vary in the range of 2, 5–3, 5 cm.
The plant, although not as popular among gardeners as, for example, hazelnuts (hazelnuts), but recently it has increasingly begun to be grown in our latitudes. It is clear that, due to the thermophilicity, the cultivation zones are somewhat reduced. However, this does not prevent amateur gardeners from enjoying the presence of such a beautiful tree or shrub in their personal plot.
Recommendations for planting and caring for almonds - how to grow a tree in the garden
- Landing place for almond plantations, open and sunny are selected. Although there is information that they will be fine in light shading. But it is important that protection from drafts or gusts of cold wind is provided, since plants are famous for their thermophilicity.
- Soil for almonds. The tree will feel comfortable on soil with good air and water permeability. Such a substrate can be chernozem, sandy loam and loamy soil. It is desirable with high lime values. If there are none, then it is recommended to lime the soil by adding dolomite flour or slaked lime. In any case, the acidity should be approximately pH 7, 7. Do not plant almonds in acidic, salty, waterlogged or too chloride soil. The soil mixture can be compiled independently by mixing fertile soil with river coarse sand, humus and leaf substrate, maintaining a ratio of 1: 2: 3. Then 5-6 kg of rotted manure and 0.5 kg of superphosphate are added there.
- Planting almonds. The best time to plant almond seedlings is early March or fall (last week of November). If planting is carried out in the fall, then, as practice shows, such plants take root with great success. 14 days before planting on the site, you need to dig a hole with a diameter of about 50-70 and a depth of up to 60 cm. If several almond plants are planted nearby, then the distance between the pits is about 3-4 m, and when planting in rows, the row spacing will be 5-6 m. A drainage layer is placed on the bottom of the pit, and the prepared soil mixture is added as described previously. When the ground in the hole settles well, you can start planting. Before planting, a support is installed in the center of the pit so that its height exceeds the soil level of the site by 0.5 m. A slide from the soil is poured into the center of the pit, on which an almond seedling will be installed. Before planting, the root system of the plant is processed with a clay mash. The seedling in the pit is installed so that its root collar is slightly above the ground level. After that, the pit is filled up to the top with a prepared fertile substrate, compacted a little and watering is carried out. For each tree or almond bush, there should be 10-15 liters of water. After the moisture has been absorbed into the ground, the seedling is carefully tied to a support, and the trunk circle is sprinkled with mulch. This material can be peat or just dry soil. The thickness of the mulch layer should be 3-5 cm. The mulch layer should not come into contact with the root collar of the almond seedling. Spring planting follows the same rules.
- General advice on care. In the last week of March, it is recommended to loosen the soil in the trunk circle. The depth of loosening is no more than 10–12 cm. Such an operation is performed 3-4 times throughout the growing season, while the depth will already be 8–10 cm. It is important to regularly weed the near-trunk circle from weeds. Harvesting is possible when the shell of the fruit has acquired a dark hue and becomes easy to separate from the nuts. For storage, all the peels are removed from the fruits, and they are laid out on the fabric in one layer for final drying. After the kernels are dry, they are folded into fabric bags for storage.
- Watering almond plants, in spite of their drought resistance, is carried out regularly and moderately. At the same time, young seedlings will require more frequent moistening of the soil than adult specimens. If the soil is sandy, then you will have to water the almonds more often than when growing it on loam or clay soil. When the substrate in the near-stem circle has dried to a depth of 1–1, 5 m, then watering must be carried out, while at least 10 liters of water should fall on one plant. Do not overmoisten the soil when growing almonds, as this will provoke rotting of the root collar. To maintain seedlings and mature trees, it is recommended to irrigate every 10-14 days.
- Fertilizers for almonds must be applied in the last week of April or early May. The plant needs nitrogen preparations to grow the deciduous mass, therefore, the soil in the near-stem circle is watered with a solution of ammonium nitrate, while about 20 grams of the product is dissolved in a bucket of water. When in the autumn period digging of soil is carried out on the site, then a composition of 1 kg of manure and sulfuric potassium with double superphosphate is scattered in the near-trunk circle (each drug is taken 20 g each). It is recommended to grow plants between the rows of young almond plants for the first 5 years, which will subsequently be embedded in the soil to enrich it with nitrogen (the so-called green manure). They are plantings of phycelia, buckwheat or beans.
- Almond pruning it is carried out both in the spring (before the movement of juices) and in the fall. The 1st is performed as a sanitary procedure, the 2nd for crown molding after flowering. When pruning, three tiers of skeletal shoots are removed. When the almond seedling is planted, it is cut at a height of 1, 2 m, the trunk is molded so that its height is 50–70 cm. If thinning pruning is carried out, then from trees that are already bearing fruit, the branches thickening the crown of the plant and grow incorrectly. If the flower buds have been frozen, then the annual shoots should be shortened.
- The use of almonds in landscape design. Since the plant is mainly needed to obtain nutritious fruits, it is grown both in single and group plantings. Occasionally, it is used to decorate rocky gardens or form hedges.
See also how to grow a walnut: planting and caring for a tree in the garden.
How to reproduce almonds?
You can get a new almond plant by vegetative propagation, which includes the rooting of root cuttings, root shoots and budding, and occasionally propagated by the seed method, planting seeds.
Propagation of almonds using seeds (seeds)
This process is quite long and you need to be patient. Almond seeds are sown in the spring or before winter. When sown in spring, almonds should be stratified - kept for a long period of time at low temperatures so that they can germinate faster. For this, seeds (nuts) are placed 3-4 months before sowing (around the end of autumn) in the lower drawer of the refrigerator, where the temperature is within 0-5 degrees. Sowing can be carried out both in seedling boxes filled with loose peat-sandy substrate, and place them on the garden bed. In any case, grooves are made in the soil, the depth of which is at least 8-10 cm, the distance between the grooves is about 45-60 cm. The seeds are distributed into grooves, leaving about 10 cm between them. Almond sprouts can be seen after a year, approximately in the middle of next spring, but during this time it will be necessary to water, weed and loosen the soil in the seedbed. In the middle of summer, with a seedling height of 50-60 cm, it will be possible to transplant them to a prepared place in the garden and allow them to root thoroughly.
Propagation of almonds by grafting
When the almond seedlings are moved to the garden at the chosen place of their growth and have already passed adaptation, then on their trunks the lateral shoots are cut out with a pruner in the form of a ring. The cutting height will be 10–12 cm from the top of the soil. The stem near the root collar of the seedling must be at least 1 cm thick and then it is used as a rootstock. The stock during this operation can be saplings of cherry plum and blackthorn or plum, and not only almonds.
Almonds are grafted in the third decade of April or at the end of summer, when sap flow is at its peak. For this, a cool time of the day is selected - earlier in the morning or around four in the afternoon. A couple of days before the operation, it is recommended to water the stock very well so that the bark can easily be separated from the wood body during budding. For the scion, you need to pick up straight branches with well-developed vegetative buds. To exclude too intense evaporation of moisture from the scion, it is recommended to remove all the foliage from it, leaving only the petioles from the leaves, the length of which will not exceed 1 cm.
At the site of grafting, the rootstock must be wiped from dust and in the root zone (the area of the root collar) an incision is made with a well-sharpened knife in the form of the letter "T". The bark where the incision is made and the lines intersect must be carefully bent. A flap is cut from the scion, which has a bud with a length suitable for the incision to the stock so that it can fit there. When budding, when the flap is cut off, in addition to the bark, a small layer of wood is also captured with a knife.
Important
Do not touch the cut flap with your hands.
The almond shield is placed in a T-shaped incision made on the rootstock, the bent bark is pressed tightly against it. The vaccination site requires tight fixation; for this, it is wrapped with a plaster or scotch tape is used.
Important
When the vaccination is fixed, the main thing is not to close the kidney with material.
When, after 14–20 days, the remainder of the petiole falls off on its own, and the peephole turns green, the budding process was successful and the fixing material is weakened. When budding is carried out in August, the bandage that fixes the inoculation should not be removed until spring comes. The root collar with grafting requires covering with soil. With the arrival of spring, when there is confidence that the vaccination was successful and the kidney took root, the substrate is removed from the root collar, and the fixing material is removed from the grafting site. The stock is cut a little higher than the graft site.
Important
When growing almonds in a windy region, the stock is cut 10–12 cm higher from the grafting site.
When, during the growing season, twigs begin to appear on the rootstock from dormant buds (located below the grafting site), it is recommended to remove them immediately so that they do not begin to lignify.
Propagation of almonds by root shoots
Usually this method is recommended for those varieties that grow in the form of a shrub. After pruning is carried out, the almond plant acquires abundant root growth. A couple of years after the appearance of such shoots, when their roots become large and strong, then in the spring they dig up and transplant these young seedlings to a prepared place in the garden.
Propagation of almonds by layering
For this, it is also recommended to choose almond plantations with a shrub growth. Then, in the spring, a strong, healthy and flexible shoot is selected, which bends to the soil until it comes into contact with it. Then a groove is dug in the ground, where the branch is laid and fixed in this position in several places. For this, hairpins or stiff wire are used. The shoot is covered with a layer of soil, no more than 20 cm.
When caring for an almond layer, all the requirements will be true, as for an adult specimen, but it will take a long time to wait for the appearance of roots. When leaving, you must not stop watering, weeding and loosening the soil. Only after a year or even more, the cuttings will acquire their own roots and it will be possible to separate it from the mother plant. Then the almond seedling is immediately transplanted to a prepared place in the garden.
Disease and Pest Control Tips for Growing Almonds
Many members of the Rose family, including almond plants, suffer from both harmful insects and diseases.
Among the diseases of almonds, the following stands out:
Scab,
caused by pathogenic fungi, in which not only leaf plates are affected, but also flowers, shoots and fruits. With this disease, ulcers, seals in the form of warts and swellings, and spotting on the surface of parts of the plant are formed. At the same time, spores are able to winter on shoots or foliage damaged by them.
To carry out preventive measures, you need:
- choose varieties that can withstand the disease;
- digging the soil on the site in November;
- treat almond plantations with fungicides such as Bordeaux liquid or Fundazol before flowering and after the fruits are harvested;
- cut off the affected shoots and then burn them.
Rust,
manifested by spots of red color on the surface of the leaves. If measures are not taken, then the size of such a spot grows, and the leaves begin to dry out and fall off. For treatment, sulfur-based preparations are used - a solution of colloidal sulfur (aqueous suspension) or sulfur powder. The foliage after falling should be removed from the site, and it is recommended to dig up the soil before winter. Treatment is also carried out during the above periods with fungicides.
Moniliosis
or monilial burn, is the most common disease in almond cultivation. You can recognize the problem already in the spring by the like burnt foliage of the plant, then the flowers, and subsequently the branches, undergo drying out. At the same time, the dried-up parts continue to remain on the bush or tree, without falling off for a long time. To fight, you should first cut off all the affected parts, and then treat with copper sulfate, 1% Bordeaux liquid or drugs like Gamair, Teldor or Abika-Peak.
Also, insects such as weevils or moths act as carriers of the disease, so pest control should also be carried out.
The main trouble with growing almonds is:
- Almond seed, whose larvae can hibernate in nuts that remain on the branches. Therefore, it is important not to leave such fruits on the shoots, but to shake them off and destroy them. In the autumn (November), it is recommended to process almond plantations with Bordeaux liquid.
- Aphid, sucking nourishing juices from the foliage, while the leaves turn yellow and fly around. During the season, the pest can have up to 10 generations. Here you will have to spray with insecticidal preparations, like Aktara or Aktellik. It is necessary to select insect-resistant varieties for cultivation and if you do not want to use chemicals, then process almond plantings with tincture on tobacco or a solution based on laundry soap (300 grams of grated soap is diluted in 10 liters of water).
- Leaf Roller, caterpillars which spoil the leaves. In order to carry out prophylaxis, before the buds bloom with the arrival of spring, spraying with Nitrafen should be performed, and also used for processing Karbofos at a concentration of 0.2%.
- Almond leaf sawfly, larvae and caterpillars, which also feed on young foliage. Insecticidal preparations such as Karbofos, Aktara or Actellik are used to combat.
Birds can be attracted against pests, so feeders for birds are hung on trees in the garden, which will simultaneously clear almond trees and bushes.
Until the plant crosses the 3-4-year mark, there is no need to wait for the fruits, but in the garden you can fully enjoy the flowering and aroma that spreads around the almond plantations.
If we talk about the benefits of eating almonds, then today the answer to this question is not fully understood. However, according to nutritionists, even eating two almond fruits every day can improve brain activity and help cleanse the internal organs.
For a long time, folk healers knew about the beneficial properties of almonds, since they had an effect that eliminates cramps, relieves pain and enveloping features. If you correctly take such fruits, then they will contribute to the removal of sand from the kidneys with urolithiasis, uncorking of the ducts in the liver and spleen, which will be indispensable for cleaning the blood, and there is also the ability to expel bile from the body. For a long time, doctors prescribed the use of almonds (as well as others) for men suffering from a decrease in potency and for general improvement in health.
Interesting
Eating almonds can eliminate the hangover syndrome.
If you regularly eat almond fruits, you will see an improvement in brain activity, they help, if necessary, to relax the body, eliminate insomnia. In case of bronchial asthma, pneumonia or stomatitis, patients were also advised to consume almond oil. If you prepare the so-called "almond milk", then it will serve well as an enveloping agent for stomach and intestinal diseases. Such a product is obtained by grinding unroasted almonds and mixing the resulting material with water.
For a person with chronic diseases, doctors recommend introducing almonds into the diet, which will have a positive effect on the general condition of the body. If the patient (especially women) suffers from severe thinness, then they are offered to consume almonds without peeling them off. All due to the fact that flavonoids are present in the peel, which serve to enhance the antioxidant properties of the fruits themselves.
Traditional healers prescribed grated almonds with added sugar for anemia and insomnia, anemia and cough. Taking almonds can reduce the acidity of gastric juice, and they are also introduced into the children's diet when there is a growth retardation.
Despite all the useful qualities of almonds, there are also contraindications to its use. It is important to correctly calculate the dosage of taking fruits, as nuts can cause an allergic reaction. Overeating almonds can lead to dizziness, and even intoxication, which is akin to narcotic.
If the kernels of bitter or under-roasted almonds are used for food, this will entail food poisoning.
Important
Be sure to buy almonds, pay attention to the quality of the nuts.
The following categories of patients can be distinguished, who should be careful to use such fragrant almonds:
- hearts that have heart rhythm problems;
- obese, due to the calorie content of the product;
- allergy sufferers.
See also interesting notes on catalpa.
Types of almonds
Basically, among the whole variety of varieties, gardeners have singled out only common almonds (Prunus dulcis), which are divided into two types:
Bitter almonds (Prunus dulcis var.amara)
The plant bears this name due to the fact that the seeds contain such a poisonous substance as hydrocyanic acid. However, if the bones are processed at high temperatures, then the bitterness goes away. The seeds also serve as a material for obtaining almond oil, which is produced by squeezing. It occupies the same place in cooking as sweet almonds.
Sweet almonds (Prunus dulcis var.dulcis)
well known to everyone for the use of drupes, both directly in food and in the preparation of culinary dishes.
The most popular varieties are both bitter and sweet, with different characteristics of appearance, taste, and the required cultivation conditions. Among them are:
- Milas is a tree-like plant, branches of adult specimens of which can reach 4 meters in height. The crown is dense and rounded. Possesses average indicators of resistance, both to diseases and to a decrease in temperature. Fruiting begins 3-4 years after planting the seedling. In fruits, the shell is characterized by thinness, while the weight of the nuts is 2-3 g. Such fruits are perfectly stored at room temperatures. One tree can yield up to 6 kg. There is a possibility of harvesting using a mechanized method.
- Nikitsky 62. The variety is characterized by self-pollination and an average ripening period. Plant height is 4–5 m, the crown has fan-shaped outlines, which are created by spreading shoots. Winter hardiness is excellent. Flowering dates are late. Fruits begin to ripen from the first days of September. Harvest can be expected three years after planting. The size of the fruit is large, the color of the shell is light brown, its structure is soft. The average weight of one sweet fruit is 4 grams. Up to 12 kg of nuts can be harvested from one specimen of this variety.
- Seaside. The variety was obtained by crossing such varieties as Nikitsky 53 with Princess 2077. The height of an adult tree is 3-4 meters. Shows good resistance to diseases, especially those of fungal origin. Possesses a late flowering period. It is possible to get a harvest only by the end of September. However, it is famous for its increased yield, since up to 14 kg of nuts can be harvested from one plant. In drupes, the shell is thin and soft. Fruit size is large, with elongated outlines. There is a high resistance to temperature drop.
- Dessert represented by a tree with an average height. The crown is characterized by rounded outlines. The buds bloom in mid-spring, bears fruit in the second half of September. The size of the nuts is medium. Although the fruits ripen regularly, the harvest is medium in weight. It has a good ability to tolerate frost. Shows average resistance to diseases. It is possible to harvest fruits mechanically.
- Yalta is of Crimean origin. The size of the tree is average and does not exceed 4.5 m. The crown is characterized by density and density. Flowering later, does not show resistance to low temperatures. The harvest can be collected regularly, and it will always be abundant. The fruits are characterized by an oily consistency, their taste is sweet and quite pleasant.
- Anyuta owner of winter hardiness and decorative outlines. Can be grown successfully in mid-latitudes. When blooming, large-sized flowers open, petals of a bright pink hue. The flowering process is characterized by a week later than other varietal variations.
Video about growing almonds in the garden:
