Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Plant An Almond Tree From A Seed







Plant an Almond Tree From a Seed


If you love almonds and have a sunny backyard, you can grow your own almond tree using the almond seed, even without gardening experience. Almond trees require cool winters and hot summers in order to thrive. Plant the almond seed in January or February, since early plantings bear the healthiest almond trees. Almond trees produce fragrant pink and white flowers and the almond nut, which is the fruit of the tree. However, it can take up to three years for the almond tree to reach maturity.


Instructions


1. Purchase a fresh, untreated almond that is still in its shell. Look in health food stores and gourmet markets for the highest quality almonds.








2. Crack open the almond shell using a nutcracker and remove the almond seed. Using the nutcracker, crack the almond seed, just enough to slightly split it open. Fill a small container with potting soil and plant the almond seed inside it. Leave a portion of the seed exposed above the soil surface. Place the planted seed in a sunny indoor location until it germinates. Water the seed just enough to keep the soil damp. Once the almond sprout appears, transplant the almond outdoors.


3. Use a shovel to dig a hole that is 1 ft. x 1 ft. wide and 12 inches deep in an outdoor location that receives plenty of sunlight. Plant the almond seed 4 to 6 inches in the soil and add fertilizer. Add enough soil to the hole until it's completely covered.


4. Water your growing almond tree regularly to keep the soil moisturized, but don't over-water. Over-watering can cause the almond tree to develop fungal and mold infections, which will reduce nut production.


5. Prune off any dead or diseased branches from your almond tree each year with pruning clippers. Prune in the late winter, before any new growths appear. Thin out any heavy growth of leaves and branches to help improve air circulation and increase sunlight penetration.

Tags: almond seed, almond tree, Almond Tree From, Almond trees, From Seed, just enough, keep soil