A Guide to Planting Almonds in the Fall for Beginner Gardeners
Almond is a unique tree. It has an amazing delicate aroma, beautiful pink and white flowers, tasty and healthy fruits and nuts. Once upon a time, the almond tree was grown only in the south; today it has settled in the central zone of the country. Almonds can be found both in the Krasnodar region and in the Leningrad region or Moscow region.
The success of cultivation largely depends on when and how the plant is planted. In this article we will look in detail at how to germinate almonds in open ground and how to care for such a tree in your garden.
Is it possible to plant almonds in the fall?
Planted out almond both in spring and autumn - it all depends on the planting method and the growing region. For autumn planting holes, they prepare them at the beginning of summer - they dig holes and fertilize them with organic fertilizers: slurry, wood ash, humus or peat.
Pros and cons of autumn planting
In autumn, seedlings are used for planting. If you take the seeds, they will be destroyed by rodents - mice and moles. Also in the fall, the weather and humidity level are comfortable for almonds - summer residents do not have to constantly water the plant, as they would in the spring.
An autumn seedling will begin to develop much earlier than a spring one. This is also due to the fact that the earth has already been warmed up and has been treated against diseases and pests throughout the summer.
Attention! The advantage of autumn planting is that almond seedlings can be purchased at a good discount.The planting material is pickled and immediately placed on the site. There is no need to store it in special conditions for 1-2 months, as happens when planting in spring.
Sometimes a tree does not grow well because infected or damaged planting material was purchased. But this can happen in the spring. Problems also arise if the seedling is planted too late and the heat-loving almonds are frozen.
Almond planting dates in autumn
Planting begins before the rest of the garden trees shed their leaves.
In the south of the country this is mid-October, in central Russia - the end of September. In the northern regions (in the Urals and Siberia) almonds are not grown - the climate is not at all suitable for the southern tree.
The ideal day for the procedure is dry and warm, with a temperature of at least +10°C and air humidity of 80-85%. There should be no gusty winds, rain or other precipitation. When choosing a date, pay attention to the growing region and climatic conditions.
Some gardeners also take into account the lunar calendar - it shows favorable days for carrying out agricultural procedures based on the phases of the moon. The author of the article believes that this is a type of superstition, so we will not give specific dates “according to the lunar calendar” here.
What do you think about planting according to the lunar calendar? Share your opinion in the comments below the article.
Selecting a location
Almonds are a light-loving plant, so they are planted in sunny and spacious areas; shade or partial shade is absolutely not suitable. With a lack of light, the development of leaves and flowers slows down, the crown becomes dense - the internal shoots dry out.It is not recommended to grow the southern plant near houses or other garden buildings - they obscure the tree and create shadow.
The land for the almond tree should be located on a hill - this protects the root system from waterlogging and rotting. A high level of groundwater is unacceptable, because of which almonds suffer from fungal diseases. There should be no open sources or bodies of water near the tree. Experienced gardeners select gentle slopes for seedlings.
Suitable neighbors for the plant are low-growing shrubs, for example, raspberries, black and red currants, serviceberry, gooseberries. Nightshades or herbs are also planted nearby. Unfavorable neighborhood - tall fruit trees: pear, apple, plum, apricot, peach.
Plants shade each other, causing them to lack sunlight and warmth.
This is interesting:
Where and how to store almonds at home, peeled and in shell
Soil preparation
Almonds are undemanding to the type of soil and grow well on light clay, light sandy and even rocky soils. A rich harvest is obtained from plants that are located in nutritious and mineral-rich soils.
Heavy clay soil and soil with a high level of acidity are not suitable for cultivation - the pH should be 4.5-7.5, otherwise you can forget about a good harvest.
Planting pit
Weeds are removed from the ground, fallen leaves, dry grass and debris are removed. Before planting, 2-3 months before planting, dig a hole 50 cm deep and 60 cm in diameter. Within 3 weeks, organic and mineral components are added to it - 5 kg of rotted manure and 500 g of superphosphate.
The holes are filled with soil, which consists of equal parts of turf, purchased and leaf soil. To improve the breathability of the soil, purified river sand is added to it. If the soil is acidic, add chalk or lime - 150 g per 1 square meter. m.
A drainage layer of broken brick or crushed stone is constructed at the bottom of the planting pit. Afterwards, a long pole is installed in the center of the hole - this is a support for the seedling. The pole must rise above the ground surface by at least 50 cm.
Attention! It is recommended to grow 3-4 mutually pollinating varieties on a personal plot. The distance between trees is from 3 to 5 m, the distance between rows is 5 m.
Planting material
Planting material is purchased from specialized nurseries. When purchasing, gardeners always check with the seller whether a particular variety is intended for cultivation in a particular region. For example, for the middle zone, frost-resistant varieties Primorsky and Dessert are chosen.
The seedling must have a healthy appearance, without stains, damage, or signs of rot. Immediately before planting, the roots are placed in a clay mash. This will protect against possible diseases and help the plant quickly adapt to new growing conditions.
Planting nuts
One way to plant an almond tree is to grow it from a nut. To do this, at the end of spring or summer, dry almonds, peeled from the shell, are prepared and sprouted. Several of the largest nuts are placed in a bowl of clean water at room temperature and left for 10-12 hours. Afterwards they are washed, the water is changed and left for another 8 hours. During this time, the nuts swell. Next, they should hatch - at this stage the seeds are ready for planting.
They are placed in deep pots with prepared nutrient soil. The seeds are buried 10-12 cm, sprinkled with loose soil and watered abundantly. Almonds are left on a sunny windowsill, periodically watered and fertilized. The first shoots will appear in 5-6 weeks. As soon as the tree reaches 1 m, it is moved to the site.
How to plant almonds in the fall
In order for almonds to delight you with lush and fragrant flowers, and then bring healthy nuts, it is recommended to study the step-by-step instructions. It will help you avoid common mistakes and reveal all the nuances of the procedure.
Step-by-step planting instructions
The optimal time for planting is early cloudy morning. After the root system of the seedling has been lowered into the chatter, proceed to the following:
- Soil is poured into the hole on top of the laid drainage layer to form a small hill.
- A seedling is installed in its center, carefully straightening the roots in different directions.
- The root collar of the plant is placed so that it rises 2-3 cm above the soil surface.
- The hole is tightly filled with soil; there should be no voids.
- Compact the soil and water with warm water.
- The soil is mulched with peat, sawdust or dry soil. Mulch covers the root collar by 3-4 cm.
- As soon as the earth settles and the liquid is completely absorbed, the seedling is tied to the support installed earlier.
Mistakes to Avoid
Almonds will not bear fruit if the root system is damaged during planting, for example, by too much compression or careless spreading of thin roots. This leads to the fact that already in 2-3 years the plant often gets sick and grows sluggish.
Also, inexperienced gardeners are inattentive when choosing a planting location - they grow an almond tree near apple trees, pear trees, a swamp or another body of water. All this also leads to weak immunity and diseases.
The tree grows poorly if you choose the wrong variety or buy a sick and weak seedling. It is not recommended to purchase planting material from unfamiliar sellers. Problems with cultivation also arise due to the fact that the soil is heavy and clayey, with high acidity.
Features of planting depending on the region
A necessary condition for growing an almond tree in the south is a drainage layer. Otherwise, high temperatures and humidity lead to root diseases, which causes the entire tree to suffer and reduce productivity.
For drainage, improvised materials are used: broken ceramic dishes, charcoal, moss, foam cubes or ordinary pebbles. Drainage is placed in the hole before planting - first large particles, then medium and small ones. It is desirable that there are no large voids between them.
When growing almonds in the regions of the central zone of the country, before planting, the pit is fertilized not only with organic matter, but also with mineral components. This can be 200 g of double superphosphate or 150 g of potassium sulfate. Fertilizer increases the frost resistance of the plant. After such refueling, the seedlings are not fed for 2 years.
Post-procedure care
Water the almond tree when the soil dries out. It is important to ensure that the root collar is not in water, as this causes rotting of the seedlings. 10 liters of water are poured under one plant. After each watering, the soil is loosened to a depth of 5-6 cm so that the liquid does not stagnate on the surface and penetrates as deeply as possible. Before the procedure, gardeners remove all weeds and dry grass - this is an ideal place for the breeding of pests (aphids and spider mites).
In order for almonds to grow and develop quickly, fertilizing is applied in the spring: mullein infusion or manure, ash or peat.Mineral fertilizers are also suitable - 10 g of ammonium nitrate and 5 g of urea per 5 liters of water. The nutrient solution is poured under the plant. It strengthens the immune system and prevents diseases: bacterial necrosis of the bark, stem rot, burns.
Advice from experienced gardeners
Planting an almond tree is standard, similar to planting other garden trees.
Advice from experienced gardeners will help you get a rich harvest:
- plant in well-lit areas away from groundwater;
- pre-fertilize the pit with mullein or slurry;
- prepare a drainage layer;
- before planting, place the seedling in a clay mash;
- observe the rules of the neighborhood and the spacing between plants;
- plant almonds before autumn leaves fall;
- do not forget about support in the form of a pole or stick;
- water with clean water as the soil dries;
- in the second year after planting, carry out formative pruning.
Conclusion
Fall is the ideal time to plant almonds. More often it is grown from seedlings, less often from nuts. For planting, prepare a hole 60 cm deep and fertilize it with organic matter, laying a drainage layer of pebbles or broken bricks on the bottom.
The seedling is placed in a hole and covered with earth, then tied to a support. The plant is planted in sunny areas with light sandy or clay soils. There should be no other fruit trees or tall buildings nearby. After planting, the plant is watered and mulched.