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Almonds

Prunis Dulcis - a delicious treat

A peach in disguise?  The Almond is a dry fleshed relative of the peach (and nectarine) and like peaches will grow well in many regions of NZ.  

Pollinated by bees, Almonds are mostly self-sterile so require a pollinator; the self-fertile varieties will perform and crop better if another Almond within about 6 meters.  Almonds can be pernickety and sometimes will be dormant for a season before growing on. 

Almonds are used in Marzipan Icing, to make Almond Milk and Oil, Nut butter, or most often eaten raw or lightly roasted; they are a nutritional powerhouse containing fiber, folic acid, magnesium, riboflavin, potassium, calcium and vitamin E. 

Situation - Almonds like warm dry summers where there is low humidity and little or no frost; plant in a sunny sheltered situation.  Best planted during winter, or early spring. 

Soil – Grow Almonds in well drained loamy soil; they will not tolerate wet soil as this will rot their roots.

Water – Keep soil most during growing season do not let water pool around trees. 

Feeding – Fertilise with a general purpose product; apply extra Nitrogen is trees growth is poor. 

Pruning – It is not necessary to prune your Almond tree as they need plenty of fruiting wood for their crop - can be pruned lightly to allow good airflow. 

Harvesting – The nuts mature in early autumn when the hulls begin to dry, shrivel and split to reveal the nut.   They are hand picked, and left to dry. 

Almond 402, a pollinator for other varieties 

Almond All-In-One, can be grown in northern areas 

Almond Garden Prince Dwarf, good container plant, grows best with another Almond nearby

Almond IXL, pollinate with Monavale

Almond Monavale,  a pollinator for other varieties

Almond Self-Fertile  can be grown in northern areas

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Wairere Nursery
826 Gordonton Road, R D 1, Hamilton 3281 Ph: (07) 824 3430 Email: