Almonds
Scientific name: Prunus dulcis
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Bearing habits: Biennial
Dormancy: May-June
Flowering time: Late July-Early September
Hull distribution: Early January- Late February
Harvest time: January - April
Harvesting methods: Mechanical, Hand (shaking or using a pole)
Bearing age: 6 to 8 years
Productive age: 20 to 25 years
Yield per Ha: 2040 kg (shelled)
Price per Kg: ~ R85 / kg
Establishment cost: ~ R120 000 / Ha
Pollination requirements: 2 to 3 pollinators are recommended
Chill requirements: 300 to 600 hours below 7.2 ° C
Recommended spacing: 7mx7m, 6mx7m, 6mx3m or 6mx4m depending on soil and climatic conditions.
Recommended shape: vase
Top cultivar in South Africa:
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Nonpareil (50% of all almonds produced in SA)
Almonds have extremely high nutritional and water needs. They need 1/4 more water than wine grapes and more fertilizer than peach or apricot trees.
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There are few commercial operations here in South Africa as the growth requirements were initially misunderstood and the rootstock initially used (Kakamas) was not ideal. Kakamas rootstock has higher cold requirements and lower vigor than most almond vines, which means that the forest stem or forest stem is not synchronized with the rootstock. This has led to less productive trees and many farmers abandoning their newly planted almond lands.
In addition, young almonds need a third more fertilizer than peach or apricot trees and are often under-fertilized as a result. Since farmers treated almonds like peaches or apricots, they also pruned them in the same way. Although it is good practice to prune almonds initially in an open vase form with 3 to 4 branches, it is important to keep pruning to a minimum after two years of age.
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