Growing Almond in Australia: The Complete Guide
Almond is a moderate nut tree to grow, needing full sun with regular while establishing, moderate once mature watering.
If you're thinking about adding almond to the homestead, here's the real detail behind our printable guide — what it actually takes to grow it well in an Australian garden.
Nut anatomy
Almonds develop inside a green, fuzzy hull that splits open at ripeness, revealing the familiar hard shell and kernel inside — very similar structure to other stone fruit.
How to Plant Almond
Method — plant bare-rooted while dormant, graft union above soil. Soil — well-drained, moderately fertile. Timing — plant in winter while dormant.
Ongoing Care
Keep these points in mind:
- Plant two varieties for cross-pollination — most almonds are not self-fertile.
- Water regularly while young; established trees are relatively drought-tolerant.
- Prune in winter to an open, airy shape.
- Protect blossom from late frosts, which can wipe out a season's crop.
Problems to Watch For
Worth paying attention to:
- Late frost — damages early blossom; site away from frost pockets.
- Fruit fly — net or manage as fruit develops.
- Bacterial spot — leaf and fruit spotting; improve airflow.
- Poor nut set — no compatible pollinator variety nearby.
Harvest and Storage
Signs — hulls split open and begin to dry on the tree, typically late summer to autumn. Method — knock or shake branches over a tarp, or hand-pick as hulls split. Curing — remove hulls, then dry nuts in shell 1–2 weeks in a warm, airy spot. Storage — shelled kernels keep months airtight in a cool spot, longer frozen.
For the condensed, printable version of everything above, head to the main almond guide page.