How to grow almond
Family Rosaceae. Hardy to USDA hardiness zone 6a+ (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Full sun. Ready in 3-5 years to bearing (perennial tree).
Sun
Full sun
Spacing
15-25 ft
Days to harvest
3-5 years to bearing (perennial tree)
Hardiness
Zone 6a+
What growers actually recorded
Loading zone 7b results…
When to plant almond
- Transplant out: ~2 weeks after last frost.
Companion plants for almond
Plant with: Chive, Garlic.
Common pests & problems
Navel orangeworm, peach twig borer, brown rot.
Feeding & fertilizer
N-P-K ratio: Balanced 5-5-5, avoid fresh manure
Organic options: Compost mulch every spring · Blood meal + bone meal before flowering · Kelp meal after harvest
When to feed: Once in spring, once after fruiting. Renovate strawberry beds every 3 yrs.
Watch for: Runner overload but few berries = too much N.
N = nitrogen (leaves), P = phosphorus (roots and flowers), K = potassium (fruit and disease resistance). How to read a fertilizer label →
Grower's tip
Blooms very early, even earlier than apricot; late spring frost is the biggest threat to a nut crop, more than any pest.
When to plant almond in your zone
Free month-by-month sowing and transplanting lists, built from frost dates for your USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) hardiness zone.
Soil & water for almond
Soil & pH
5.8-6.5 (berries lower; apples/pears 6.0-7.0)
Deep loam with sharp drainage. Berries dislike heavy clay and wet feet.
Compost mulch each spring. For strawberries, renovate the bed every 3 years to keep yields up.
Watering
1-1.5 in / week; 2 in during fruit swell
Drip. Overhead watering causes berry rot and apple scab.
Small, seedy fruit = drought during ripening. Steady water two weeks before harvest fixes it.
Knowing when to harvest
- Hulls split open and turn from green to tan-brown, exposing the shell.
- Nuts rattle loosely inside the shell when the branch is shaken.
- Harvest by shaking onto tarps once most hulls have split, typically late summer to early fall.
Storing & keeping
Dry hulled nuts to below 6% moisture, then store shelled kernels airtight in the fridge or freezer for a year or more; at room temperature they turn rancid within a few months due to oil content.
What to expect
Per plant: 20-50 lb in-shell from a mature tree, bearing by year 3-5
Requires a long, hot, dry summer to properly dry the crop and a low-humidity climate to avoid hull rot.
Troubleshooting almond
Heavy bloom, almost no nut set
Likely cause: No compatible pollinizer variety or poor bee activity during a short bloom window
What to do: Plant a second, bloom-overlapping variety and ensure pollinator access during bloom.
Shriveled kernels or hull rot
Likely cause: Late-season irrigation or rain during hull split
What to do: Cut back irrigation as hulls begin to split and harvest promptly.
Varieties worth growing
Nonpareil
The commercial standard, thin-shelled, needs a pollinizer like Carmel or Monterey.
All-in-One
Self-fertile, the practical choice for a single backyard tree.
Growing almond in containers
Not practical. Almond wants a hot, dry, long growing season and a large root system; it is an orchard tree, not a patio plant.
Nutrition
Vitamin C, anthocyanins, ellagic acid (berries); pectin and quercetin (pome fruit).
Common questions
Can almonds be grown outside a Mediterranean-type climate?
Poorly. High summer humidity brings on hull rot and fungal disease, and almond blooms very early, risking frost in most other climates.
Do almonds need a second tree?
Most standard varieties do; self-fertile types like All-in-One are the exception.
Where these numbers come from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Zone assignment and the 30-year normals behind every cold-hardiness figure.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals. Frost dates, growing-season length, and the probability bands on both.
- Cornell, UMN, and UC Davis Cooperative Extension crop guides. Spacing, days to maturity, soil pH targets, and per-plant yield ranges.
- USDA FSIS / FDA Produce Safety guidance. Wash, cure, and cold-storage handling numbers.
Ranges are regional guidance, not a promise for your yard. Your own logged results always override the published range.