Almond trees, almond bushes, Prunus triloba

The almond tree delights garden owners with delicious fruits, although in Central Europe it is mainly planted as an ornament because of its fantastic abundance of flowers. For this, however, the Prunus triloba requires a certain amount of specific care measures. With the professional care instructions from the plant expert, it works without any problems.

care

The almond tree is not one of the easy-to-use plants. It makes very high demands on the care and site conditions if the rose plant, which originally came from Asia, is to grow healthily, bloom vigorously and produce a lush almond harvest. Whether as an almond bush or an almond tree, you don't have to make a lot of effort, just follow the correct instructions that have been created for you by the plant expert.

Prunus triloba - Species description

In the botanical sense, the Prunus triloba is actually a shrub from the rose family. In its origins, a small stem developed that takes on the shape of a shrub through numerous side shoots. Because of the trunk, the name of the little almond tree arose for the Prunus triloba. Over time, it has been bred in such a way that it is also available as a tree with a thick trunk that can grow up to ten meters in height.

This almond tree is less characterized by an outstanding almond harvest, but is mainly due to gardeners chosen for its grandiose abundance of flowers, which heralds spring and which is why it is also called an ornamental almond plant will.

Location

Since the almond tree opens its buds early in March, it needs a special location that offers protection from the cold due to the frost that is still to be expected. Although some specimens are resistant to the cold of up to minus 25 degrees Celsius, the flowers are troubled by frost. Basically, you should consider the following criteria when choosing a location for your almond bush or tree.

• Light conditions: partially shaded to sunny
• As an adult plant it tolerates direct sunlight
• ideal in winter and spring is a south-west wall, where the sun only hits the almond tree at noon
• Young plants should be protected from the hot midday sun
• Adult plants tolerate sun all day from summer onwards
• Prevent drafts from young plants
• Wine-growing areas with milder temperatures are ideal for higher crop yields

Soil condition

The almond tree can be planted in normal soil in the garden as well as in a planter with substrate. Above all, the nature of the soil, which should meet the requirements of almond trees, must be taken into account.

• soil that is well permeable to air and water
• Soil / substrate must not compact
• good water drainage possibility (create drainage)
• rich in nutrients, especially during the flowering season and fruit formation
• pH: above 7.0
• calcareous
• poor in clay

Tip: You should note that compacted soil has a strong negative effect on overall growth, but above all on buds and fruiting. The soil should therefore be loosened at least once a year.

plants

• Pull the roots out of the pot or carefully remove the root network
• Immerse the root ball completely in a bucket filled with water for about ten minutes
• Dig out the planting hole twice as large as the circumference of the ball
• Plant hole depth: about eight to ten centimeters more than the root height
• Loosen the bottom of the planting hole deeply
• Remove old plant residues, rubbish and stones
• Lay out a drainage made of gravel or quartz sand on the perforated base (prevents waterlogging)
• Insert the root ball
• Mix the excavated earth with humus or compost
• loosen heavy soil with sand
• Loosely fill the planting hole
• Press the earth's surface only lightly (for more stability)
• Pour slowly and moderately

Tip: If you have brought an almond tree with you from your holiday abroad, you should rather plant it in a tub. Presumably it is not hardy in local areas, so you have to move it to a frost-free winter quarters.

Best planting time

late summer

The new almond tree will thank you most with a good growth if you plant it in late summer. It is important here that there is no prolonged heat wave. An almond bush or tree does not tolerate this well because it provokes a dry soil. Normally the almond tree does very well in dry soil conditions, but leaves longer during the growing season Dry soil does not drive the roots out sufficiently so that they anchor themselves in the soil and there for a firm hold for the plant can worry. As a result, the almond tree would not “come on”, would wither and perish.

Tip: If you cut leafy shoots after planting, less water will evaporate through the leaves and water requirements can be reduced in the event that the soil dries out too quickly should.

spring

Alternatively, there is also early spring for planting, but you have to expect that the flowering could be very restricted. Planting usually always means transplanting / releasing from the soil / substrate into which the almond tree has "settled". A load occurs, which is reflected in the impending bud formation.

to water

The almond tree copes well with dry soil for a long time. Exceptions are young and freshly planted specimens. There should be at least a low level of moisture continuously here. For the bud formation and development of the fruits, there is a higher water requirement, but this is usually adequately covered by the rain.

However, if the flowers and fruits have already developed, the almond tree prefers dry soil. If it is kept too moist, there is a risk that the flowers will not develop properly and wither more quickly. The same applies to the fruits if they get too much moisture.

Tip: Water early in the morning or late in the evening to keep hot sun from reaching the poured soil. Otherwise, the moisture would evaporate much faster and, in the worst case, wet parts of the plant would burn.

Fertilize

After planting

Almond trees need a lot of nutrients, especially in the initial phase after planting. Even at the beginning of the growing season in early spring, the nutrient requirement of a mantle tree is significantly higher than during the other months of the year. Compost is best for fertilizing. If a nutrient-rich substrate has been used, you should avoid additional fertilization.

For vigorous blooming

A special fruit tree fertilizer is recommended for flowering. Alternatively, you can enrich the soil with compost. After fertilizing, pour vigorously so that the fertilizer can spread well in the soil. From late summer onwards you should no longer fertilize, as this could have a negative impact on the winter hardiness of a coat tree.

Young plants

Annual young plants should not be fertilized until they are two years old. If the planting took place in spring, nutrients should not be administered until after the flowering period at the earliest.

Adult almond trees

In the case of adult trees, another nutrient-rich fertilizer can be administered between June and the end of August. This is particularly useful for trees that have reduced or impaired growth due to disease, pest infestation or age-related factors.

harvest

If the temperatures were quite warm in spring, you can also count on some edible almond fruits from the almond bush. The optimal time for harvesting is usually late October, when the outer skins of the fruit are slightly open. Then the almonds can be easily removed and can often be brought down by shaking the branches and collected from the ground.

Cut

Pruning is an important detail in care to keep the tree healthy and vigorous with an abundant number of flowers and fruits for many years to come. In order to achieve the right result with a pruning, it is essential that a pruning type is selected that corresponds to the cut ground. A conceptless pruning and indiscriminate truncation of shoots is discouraged, since you im In the worst case scenario, you could achieve exactly the opposite of what you actually did with the pruning want to aim. There is a choice of different types of pruning for the almond tree. You can find out more about pruning in the practical guide under “Pruning the almond tree - this is how you can shorten the almond tree correctly”.

Basic details you should know about cutting:

• Optimal cutting time: after planting and, depending on the cutting ground, from spring to autumn
• there must be no frost or it must be imminent
• during the winter season the almond bush is not cut

wintering

Some almond tree species are not hardy. This applies above all to those who are imported from warmer regions into cooler Central Europe. If you want to be sure that it is a hardy Prunus triloba, you should use a plant grown here. But you can also prepare the other species relatively well for the cold winter so that they survive this largely unscathed:

Potted plants:

• Keep non-hardy almond trees and small almond bushes in pots
• Minimum temperature: between five and ten degrees Celsius
• Light conditions: can overwinter in the dark - light from February
• only water when the soil has completely dried out
• Under no circumstances should it be placed in a warm room, otherwise the required winter rest cannot take place

Garden plants:

• Plant large almond trees sheltered from the wind
• Cover the root area thickly with leaves, pine needles or brushwood
• Under no circumstances cut or fertilize shortly before the start of winter
• Cover the trunk of non-hardy almond trees with fleece or a jute sack
• very important: protect from the first spring sun rays in the morning

Multiplication

If you already have a hardy almond tree specimen, propagation is not only worthwhile in terms of cost savings, but you can also tell from the mother plant how its own rearing develops and how it looks as the end result will. Propagation is possible either through a fruit and the seeds it contains, or through a cutting.

sowing

When the hard, woody skins form from the fruits from late summer onwards, this is the optimal one Time to use them for reproduction, because they contain the seed that is needed for a Multiplication ensures. It is important that the fruit must not be too ripe so that the almond has already developed too far. According to practical experience, the wooden fruits are best suited for propagation if you remove them from the tree in August. Then proceed as follows.

• Score the wooden bowl with a sharp knife or a saw so that moisture can get inside better
• The wooden bowl can also be split open, but not removed
• proceed carefully so as not to damage the inner core
• Fill the seed pot with potting soil or a special air and water permeable substrate and moisten it well
• Press the bowl about one to two centimeters into the potting soil
• Stretch the translucent film over the growing pot
• Location: partially shaded and without direct sunlight
• Ambient temperature: approx. 20 degrees Celsius
• Germination time: up to eight weeks, sometimes longer
• if the first leaves have formed, place in a sunny place (no hot midday sun) and remove the foil
• When the plant is about ten centimeters high, transplant it into a normal pot and leave it there for the first year

Cutting

Propagation by cuttings is less promising than that by sowing. With the following procedure, however, there is a good chance that roots will form.

• Cut off half-woody annual shoots
• put in moist air and water permeable substrate
• Moisten the substrate daily without causing waterlogging
• Location: sunny, without direct sun
• Ambient temperature: warm between 21 and 24 degrees Celsius
• Avoid heating and drafts in rooms
• first roots should show up after eight days at the latest
• If a larger network of roots has formed, plant almond trees in normal pots
• ready for planting in the garden only in the second year of life

Diseases

The almond tree is by nature quite robust and is characterized by its immense resilience. However, fungi can spread if your almond tree grows too dense and only a little up There is no air permeability, so that there is permanent moisture between the leaves developed. The peak drought (monilia), for example, is a typical mushroom.

Fungus control

• Cut off affected branches to at least 15 centimeters in the healthy area
• Spraying a large, voluminous almond tree with commercially available fungicide
• Spray a smaller almond bush with strong soapy water three times at intervals of three days
• Seal the interfaces with wax so that the fungus does not get inside
• Dispose of cut off plant parts in the household waste, not on the compost!

Pests

As a rule, pests do not bother either the almond bush or a large specimen. Every now and then the aphid can settle on it. Because it multiplies quickly and attacks neighboring plants, control is essential. They also leave unsightly stains and a sticky film that makes the leaves fall off and may even be life-threatening, especially for a smaller almond bush could.

Combat:

• Shower off the almond bush vigorously (usually enough if the infestation is low)
• in the case of larger infestation, cut off affected shoots completely
• Spray the plant with neem oil (sticks the respiratory organs and makes them die)