Almond is known as a dry fruit, and its tree is medium size. In almond trees, fragrant flowers of pink and white colour emerge. This tree is found in mountainous areas, and its stems are thick, with long, wide and soft leaves. Almonds are known as a very powerful fruit. It is used in many types of food and food items. Therefore, almond cultivation is practised worldwide for higher profits.
Almond Cultivation Requirements For Higher Yield
Below is the complete information about Almond cultivation. It includes the growing conditions, soil requirements and other details.
Soil And Climate In Almond Cultivation
In almond cultivation, the soil should be rich in organic matter and have good drainage. Almond cultivation cannot be done on waterlogged land. This causes diseases in the plants, due to which the yield also decreases. Moreover, the soil pH between 5 to 8 is essential for proper growth.
A humid tropical climate is considered suitable for almond cultivation. In India, almond trees are grown in colder states like Kashmir. Both its plants and fruits grow well in cold climates. But the fog and frost in winter are harmful to its plants and fruits. Moreover, Almond cultivation requires 80 to 100 cm of yearly rainfall to grow well. However, plants need a temperature of 20 degrees for germination. And a maximum temperature of 27° C degrees is considered suitable for good growth. Almond cultivation can also tolerate a 2° C temperature during flowering, but excess exposure to this temperature is harmful.
Almond Cultivation Plant Preparation
The field should be prepared well because once its plants are planted, they produce fruits for 40 to 50 years. Therefore, before planting the plants in the field, the field should be ploughed properly in almond cultivation. Then, apply the cultivator operated by any Eicher tractor, and do two to three deep field ploughing. As a result, it will make the field completely flat.
After levelling the field:
- Prepare 1 to ½ metre pits at a distance of every 5 to 8 metres in almond cultivation.
- Mix the chemical fertilizer in old cow dung manure when the pits are ready.
- Apply it well in all the pits.
- However, all these pits should be prepared one month before the transplanting of plants.
Moreover, cuttings are used to prepare plants in Almond cultivation. Thus, plants prepared from almond seeds start bearing fruits in about 8 years. While the plants prepared with grafting methods start bearing fruits between three to four years. Also, it is recommended to buy plants from a government-registered nursery and plant them in the field.
Planting Season And Method In Almond Cultivation
In almond cultivation, the plants are planted in the pits prepared a month before in the field. Therefore, if you buy plants from the nursery, remember they should be one year old. Also, the plants should be healthy. Moreover, planting is done by making a small pit in the field, and farmers prefer a Cellestial tractor for it.
Before the planting process in almond cultivation, the pits should be treated with cow urine or Bavistin. So the germination of plants is easy, and the plant also remains disease free. After this, sow the plants in pits and press them well in the soil. Furthermore, It is considered good to transplant almond plants from November to December. During this time, the environment favours the plants, resulting in ideal plant growth.
Irrigation & Fertilizers In Almond Cultivation
Almond cultivation does not require much irrigation initially. As a result, watering twice a week in summer and once in winter is sufficient. But 5 to 8 irrigations are annually needed when the plant is fully developed. Moreover, the drip irrigation method is considered best for watering in almond cultivation.
Almond cultivation needs an adequate amount of fertilizer to produce healthy plants. For proper fertilizer management, 20 to 25 kg of old cow dung manure should be mixed well in the pits. A quantity of 100 grams NPK should be given to the plants at an interval of three years. When the plants start bearing fruits, fertilizer quantity should be increased per the almond cultivation requirement.
Almond Cultivation Harvesting And Yield
Almond fruits are harvested in the autumn season after they have fully ripened. Its plants start bearing fruits completely after 5 to 7 years. In almond cultivation, fruits are ready after 8 months of flowering. When the colour of almond kernels changes from green to yellow, the kernels automatically break and fall.
After harvesting the fruits in almond cultivation, they are dried in shady places. When the fruits dry, they are split, and the almond kernel is extracted.
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