Almond with pink flowers. How to grow decorative almonds on your site. How to propagate by shoots

Three-lobed almond, three-lobed louiseania, three-lobed aflatunia, and also Lindley's amygdalopsis, three-lobed plum, terry plum - all these are the names of one of the most beautifully flowering shrubs, which is sometimes mistakenly called also sakura.

For the first time I was lucky to see the three-lobed almond in the early spring of already distant 1993 at the International Youth Conference in Lviv. Then everyone was fascinated by the flowering branches of an unusually beautiful shrub.

Strewn with large double pink, purple, light red, crimson flowers, the branches were somewhat similar to both apricot and plum.

A report on the plant was made by an amateur gardener from the Rivne region. Vladimir Batochenko, who, at his own expense, worked on creating new varieties of this amazingly beautiful shrub, crossing its different varieties with each other and even with cherry plum, plum and felt cherry. In total, at that time he brought out more than 10 different varieties.

It is a pity that the planting material did not survive the long postal journey, and then I did not manage to breed almonds in my garden. Although the speaker stated that the shrub is quite frost-resistant and quite suitable for Belarus.

A few years later, during field expeditions, we sometimes began to meet three-lobed almonds on garden plots, mainly in the western regions of Belarus, where the plant got, apparently, from Poland, and recently already twice - running wild under a fence and even ... in a landfill.

It is this circumstance that allows us to conclude that almonds are sufficiently winter-hardy in the conditions of the middle zone.

Although the three-lobed almond came to Europe more than 150 years ago, it still remains exotic.

And yet, the three-lobed almond deserves wider distribution and use. Growing it on my site for seven years confirmed its good winter hardiness and unpretentiousness: it responds to minimal care with abundant annual flowering.

The shrub quite easily tolerates frosts down to -20-25 degrees, but with prolonged thaws or the absence of snow cover, it leaves its dormant state early and can be damaged by late frosts. More often suffer from this flower buds while the plant itself survives.

This is a rather large shrub with leaves falling for the winter, reaching a height of 3, and sometimes 5 meters. But it can also be formed in the form of a small tree.

The three-lobed almond received its specific name due to the original broadly elliptical or three-lobed shape of the leaves, which is better manifested on young shoots.

The size of the flowers varies depending on the variety up to 3-4 cm in diameter. They are solitary, on short pedicels - which makes it seem that the entire branch is strewn with flowers. Flowering usually begins before the leaves bloom or at the beginning of their deployment and lasts up to two weeks.

Three-lobed almonds can be used for forcing in early spring. It also tolerates urban growing conditions.

Three-bladed almond care

Annual pruning after flowering. This operation is necessary because almonds suffer quite a lot from such a harmful fungus as monilia, which infects flowers, young shoots and leaves, often causing the death of the plant.

After a strong pruning by autumn, long annual shoots are formed on the bush, which will bloom profusely next year. If by autumn they do not have time to ripen and become woody, it is recommended to pinch off their tops in September.

This will speed up the maturation of the branches. By the way, such an operation can be carried out with other shrubs, including grapes.

To prevent the development of moniliosis, in addition to pruning and destroying the affected branches, it is possible to spray the shrub in the spring every two weeks with 1% Bordeaux liquid and twice with foundationazole (10 g / 10 l of water) during the flowering period. The spread of the disease is facilitated by high humidity and low temperatures during flowering.

The probability of infection with moniliosis also decreases when growing three-lobed almonds on a trunk, when, in addition to the fact that the plant itself looks very beautiful in this version, strong pruning gives the shrub an exotic look.

Sometimes, almonds may experience undercooking of the root collar and bark, which does not occur in standard specimens. As a stock, it is recommended to use local varieties of plums or thorns (almonds are incompatible with cherries and cherries!).

Plant damage by pests is insignificant (at least in the conditions of Belarus).

Three-lobed almonds require abundant watering during flowering, especially on the lungs. sandy soils, otherwise the flowers become smaller and quickly crumble.

It should be borne in mind that the three-lobed almond is a light-loving plant, and therefore it is better to allocate open spaces for it in the garden, and supplement the plantings with conifers, which makes the flowers look amazing on a green background. It also looks good with early spring small-bulb plants.

Propagation of three-lobed almonds

When propagating three-lobed almonds, it is most often used to graft on cherry plum, plum, blackthorn, apricot and felt cherry or green cuttings in an ordinary cold greenhouse.

The Plena variety reproduces well in this way. Of course, you can propagate almonds with both layering and root shoots.

Seeds, on the other hand, are most often difficult, since not all varieties produce full-fledged viable fruits (they are inedible, because they are very acidic), and even after sowing, a significant part of them disappears during the period of germination and the beginning of growth.

So, for the entire time of cultivation, the Plena variety did not give full-fledged fruits. At the same time, full-fledged seeds can be obtained from the L. Kyiv variety, which must be stratified before sowing.

And even better - sow freshly harvested, having previously cleared them of the pericarp. Among the seedlings, there is a significant number of plants with simple and semi-double flowers, which somewhat reduces the decorative effect of the shrub.

In addition to three-lobed almonds, low or steppe almonds can be found in the culture.

This is a shorter shrub, rarely reaching a height of more than 1 m. In the conditions of the middle zone, it is also quite stable and winter-hardy.

In spring, its branches, even before the leaves open, are covered with bright pink flowers, sometimes even larger than those of the Three-lobed Almond.

It is also very rare to see it in our gardens, although it is beginning to appear both among amateurs and in urban plantations (for example, we observed it in plantings near the administrative building in the Vitebsk region, where a significant collection of various exotics is collected).

Agrotechnics of low almonds is not particularly difficult. However, it, like the three-bladed one, is damaged by moniliosis. It is usually propagated by root offspring, green cuttings and stratified seeds.

Other types of almonds, and there are up to 40 species in the genus, are grown in more southern regions, although, according to some reports, some of them can be quite successfully cultivated in middle lane- Baljuan almonds (Amygdalus bucharica), Georgian (A. georgica), Ledebour (A. le-debouriana) and Petunnikov (A. petunnicowii).

Among them there are also species with edible fruits.

This culture has been grown since the 4th millennium BC. In total, there are 40 types of almonds, 3 of them grow in Russia, the rest in the USA, Europe, and Asia.

The species of this plant are propagated by seeds, varieties - by grafting, cuttings, shoots, layering.

Modern varieties are adapted to the climatic features of a particular region, so deciding to grow this useful and beautiful tree, you should choose the most suitable variety.

Despite its resistance to frost, due to the early flowering of almonds, flower buds, flowers and ovaries can freeze at low temperatures in early spring. For this reason, for planting in the northern latitudes, it is recommended to choose specimens with a long and stable dormant period of generative buds, late flowering periods and high palatability of fruits. Below are winter-hardy varieties of almonds.

One of the most unpretentious and winter-hardy varieties is "Nikitinsky 62". It is a shrub up to 5 m high. The bark on the trunk and branches is gray-brown, gray at the end of the shoots. The leaves are large, hanging. Flowers 4.5 cm in diameter, white-pink. The fruits are large, flat, wide, with a wrinkled surface, dark brown. Sweet taste. The variety is suitable for growing in all regions, as it has a stable winter rest period, high yields, and its flowering occurs in mid-April. The variety is self-sterile. Dessert and Languedoc are used as pollinators.

"Papershell"- resistant to spring frosts. Reaches a height of 4-5 m. Its flowering occurs in late March - early April. The flowers are white, the edges of the petals are crimson, 3 cm in diameter. The fruits are large, 4 cm long, with a paper shell. The kernels are light brown, rough, sweet.

"Seaside"- has a stable dormant period. It is a tree up to 3.5 m high. Its crown has a fan-shaped shape and a flattened top. The branches are thick, short, densely leafy. The bark of the trunk and shoots is gray-brown, the annual branches are green. The leaves are large, lanceolate, green, shiny. The flowers are medium in size, with white-pink petals. Flowering in mid-April. The best pollinators: "Dessert", "Alenik" and others. The fruits are elongated, pointed at the end, with a round base. Ripens in November. The yield of the Primorsky variety is high.

"Dessert"— differs in the increased resistance to frosts of flower buds. Reaches 4.5 m in height. The crown is dense, spherical. The ends of the shoots are thin, hanging down. The bark of the trunk and branches is grey. The leaves are lanceolate, with a wedge-shaped base, arranged horizontally. The flowers look like roses. Flowering in early to mid April. The fruits are oval, slightly pointed, with a soft, rough shell, easily separated from the core. The kernel is oval, yellowish-brown, with a thin skin, with a sweet, oily taste. The fruits ripen in September. Varieties - pollinators: "Primorsky", "Spicy". Productivity is high, annual.

To the most frost-resistant species almonds include pedunculate almonds. It has small fruits of good taste and high yield. This type of almond is widespread in Russia. It is a short branched shrub with short shoots, reaching up to 2 m in height. It has wedge-shaped leaves of medium size. The fruits are pointed on top, slightly pubescent, contain a stone with a rough surface.

Southern varieties are designed for growing in warm climates. As a rule, they do not tolerate low temperatures and spring frosts.

Almond "Petunnikova"- undersized shrub no more than 1 m high. The crown is spherical, compact, 0.8 m wide. pink flowers This plant blooms in May. Flowering lasts 12-14 days. Comes from 3 years of age. Fruits are orange or light brown, small, round, pubescent. It starts fruiting 5 years after planting. The tree is warm. In winter, the ends of annual shoots often freeze slightly.

"Yalta"- a medium-sized tree up to 4 m high. Gives annual, plentiful harvests. The nuts are large, oval, pointed at the end and rounded at the base. The shell is smooth, brown. The kernels are light brown, oily, sweet, with a pleasant aroma. Late blooming variety. Flower buds are sensitive to low temperatures.

"Fragrant"- shrub 3-4 m high. Nuts are large, weighing 3.5 g. The shell is light brown, with an uneven surface. The kernel is yellow-brown, oily, sweet, tightly attached to the shell. Flowering time is late.

"Reems"- medium or vigorous tree. Brings regular, good harvests. Fruits are oval or rounded, weighing 3 g. The shell is dense, rusty brown. The kernel is large, brown, oily, with high taste qualities. Seeds of this variety ripen in mid-late October.

California almonds - a nut crop

The California almond is widely distributed in California, where it is the most popular nut crop. In total, there are 25 of its varieties, each of which has its own distinctive features. Some of them are described below.

"Nonpareil"- early maturation. Nuts of a light yellow shade, with a smooth surface. The shell is soft, dark brown, easily separated from the core.

Carmel- ripens a month later than the variety "Nonpareil". Medium-sized nuts, narrow, smooth, with a soft, whole shell.

"Butte"- a variety of medium ripening period. The nuts are small, round, with a rough surface. The shell is soft, easily separated from the core.

"Padre"- average maturity. The nuts are short, wide, dark brown, with a wrinkled surface. The shell is hard, there is no opening of the seam.

Mission — late deadline maturation. The nuts are wide, short, wrinkled, with a strong aroma. The shell is hard, smooth, there is no opening of the seam.

Monterey- late maturity. The nuts are large, long, narrow, with a surface dotted with deep wrinkles. The shell is hard, smooth, with a small seam opening.

Sonora- medium maturity. Nuts are large, long, smooth. The shell is paper, with a bumpy surface and a good opening of the seam.

Common almond - shrub up to 6 meters in height

The common almond is a shrub reaching up to 6 m in height. The bark of the trunk and skeletal branches is gray-brown, young shoots are red-brown. The leaves are oval, lanceolate, narrow, with a pointed apex, alternate, serrate-toothed along the edge. Attached to a long petiole. On short branches they form in bunches. The flowers are large, grow singly, develop on last year's shoots, the petals are light pink, the calyx and stalk are pubescent. The flowers bloom before the leaves. Common almond blossoms in warm regions in late February - early March.

The fruit is an oblong, unequal ovoid drupe 3 cm long. The pericarp is thin, dry. Ripens in June.

This type almond is very popular among gardeners for its decorative effect and high palatability of the fruit. During the flowering period, it looks very impressive, it resembles a huge ball strewn with pink flowers.

In Russia, this crop is grown in the Crimea, the Caucasus and Krasnodar Territory. This plant is demanding on light, but grows equally well in any soil. Does not tolerate stagnant moisture and the proximity of groundwater.

Pink and three-bladed almonds and his photo

pink almond(photo above) - a sprawling shrub up to 5 m high. In another way, it is called three-lobed almonds or three-bladed Louisiana. The homeland of this culture is Northern China. The crown is wide, vertical, about 2 m wide. The shoots are dark brown. The leaves are broadly elliptical, alternate, sharp, three-lobed, dark green above, gray below, 6 cm long. Distinctive feature of this type of almond are dark pink, double flowers resembling roses, which form in pairs along the entire length of the shoot, which gives the tree an unusual, attractive appearance during the flowering period. Flowering occurs in May, lasts 14-20 days. The fruits are small drupes 1 cm long, with a dry hard shell.

This culture, unlike other types of almonds, is quite whimsical. Prefers sandy, loamy, loose, light soils. During the flowering period, it needs a lot of moisture. For growing this plant, an open sunny place, protected from wind and drafts, is suitable. Pink almond tolerates frost well, but flower buds can sometimes be damaged. In order for a tree to successfully overwinter, it is necessary to provide it with a layer of snow cover. In this case, it will withstand frosts down to -30 ° C.

A photo of a three-lobed almond proves that this culture is a real decoration of the garden. Spectacular shrub can be planted singly and in group plantings. During the flowering period, it harmoniously looks against the background. Flowering branches are cut for a long time.

Undersized steppe shrub wild almond

Wild or steppe almond grows wild in the steppe zone and the European part of Russia, as well as in Central Asia. Often settles on ravines and beams. It is a low-growing shrub 1-1.5 m high. It has a dense, spherical crown with straight branches. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, smooth, serrated along the edge, dark green above, lighter below. The flowers are small, pink, bloom at the same time as the leaves. Flowering is plentiful, comes in May. Lasts 2-3 weeks.

The fruits are oval-shaped drupes, 2 cm long, with slight pubescence. The stone is flattened, with longitudinal furrows.

The shrub is photophilous, winter- and drought-resistant. Lives up to 80 years.

Almond is a bright and unusual plant, quite adapted for growing in climatic conditions Northwest. I especially want to highlight two of its types - ledebour almonds and low almonds or bean almonds.

Genus almonds are small deciduous trees or shrubs widespread in Europe from the Mediterranean to Central Asia, America. About 40 species and garden varieties (both ornamental and food) are known.

The leaves are simple, with alternate arrangement, on shortened shoots are brought together in a bundle. Flowers solitary, on short stalks or sessile. Petals are pink or white, bloom before the leaves appear or at the same time.

Plants bloom from late April - mid-May, depending on the time of snow melting and the establishment of heat. Flowering continues in some species up to 5 weeks. The fruit is a drupe with a dry pubescent pericarp. It has the greatest decorative effect during the flowering period. During the growing season it stands out with beautiful shiny lanceolate leaves.

Almonds are not very demanding on soils and additional watering, although they are responsive to various agricultural practices - weeding, the introduction of mineral and organic fertilizers(with an excess of nitrogen - it freezes strongly), responds well to watering and spraying in hot weather. Soils should not be very acidic.

Almonds are quite drought-resistant and sun-loving, which must be taken into account when choosing a place for growing almonds. But not all species have winter hardiness and garden varieties almonds. In the northern regions of the country, it is advisable to cover them for the winter.

It is best to grow almonds from seeds collected in autumn and sown before winter, or root offspring (easily separated in spring or early autumn), cuttings are possible. The division of the bush and the transplant is easily tolerated only in early spring, before the awakening of the kidneys, or in early autumn, but not later than mid-October.

Almonds in garden plantings- one of the finest early spring garden plants. Group plantings on rockeries fit perfectly, they are harmonious in "Japanese" gardens. Spectacular during flowering against a dark background of conifers, among large stones.

Shrub up to 1-2 m tall, giving abundant root shoots up to 2-5 m in height. The leaves are lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, reaching a length of up to 7 cm. It often freezes heavily in winters with little snow, but is restored due to the active growth of root shoots. It suffers from recurrent frosts during the flowering period, which often occurs in late April or early May. The most important point in the cultivation of almonds is to limit the growth of its underground shoots, during the season a bush can produce underground shoots up to 1 m.

Almond low, steppe or bean. Shrub with protruding branches and red-gray bark, from 0.5-0.8, rarely up to 1.3-1.5 m in height. The leaves are lanceolate or oval, collected in bunches. The flowers are large, solitary, their petals are bright pink or pink, with a delicate delicate aroma. Flowering is abundant, up to 2 weeks, beginning in late April or early May. The fruits are thick and hard felt, ovoid. Bones are laterally compressed. Blooms at the same time as the leaves open. Well propagated by seeds.

Almond is a tree or shrub. It belongs to the Plum and Rose family.

Many people mistakenly believe that almonds are nuts. However, it refers to cultures with a stone fruit.

decorative tree looks nice on suburban area, which is why many gardeners acquire this amazing plant.

In early spring or late autumn, almonds are planted. Caring for an ornamental plant in the open field is not difficult, but it has some features.

By providing the plant with the right care and conditions for development, you can grow a healthy decorative almond, which will decorate the site for several years.

The almond shrub is able to grow up to 2 or 3 m in height, at the same time the almond tree is much taller, it reaches 4-6 m.

The root system of the plant has 3-5 skeletal roots that penetrate deep into the soil.

The shrub or tree has pointed dark green leaves that grow on brown petioles.

A distinctive feature of almonds is that they bloom very early, starting around March. The flowers of this original plant are white or pink, the fruit is a drupe.

Common almonds are grown for their fruits.

This species is subdivided into wild (bitter) almonds and sweet. The first type contains hydrocyanic acid.

Sweet almond is a popular plant among gardeners.

This plant is not an ornamental, but it is often grown on an industrial scale for medicinal fruits that have a high nutritional value.

Ornamental almonds are grown as a group planting or single plant.

You can also find almonds planted like a living hedge.

This amazing plant pleases the eye with its numerous flowers of white, red, pink or purple. Decorative almonds fell in love with gardeners for their original appearance.

Low almond (steppe, bean)

Low almonds are also called steppe or bean.

It is a deciduous shrub that grows up to 1.5 m in height.

The branches of the steppe almond are straight with gray bark. The leaves of the shrub are narrow leathery.

On the wrong side, they are pale green, and on the front they have a bright green tint.

The flowers of this type of almond are light pink. Flowering continues for 7-10 days.

Among the most popular varieties of low almonds are:

• Dream;
• Anyuta;
• Pink flamingo;
• White sail.

Georgian

Georgian almonds can be seen growing on the edges or slopes.

The Caucasian variety of the shrub is highly resistant to cold.

This allows you to grow almonds in the suburbs.

The plant outwardly is a shrub about 1 m high with more long leaves And bigger size flowers, unlike steppe almonds, although they are very similar in appearance.

Terry

Terry almonds in central Russia are grown only as ornamental plant.

In this species, the flowers are beautiful terry, delicate pink.

Ledebour

In nature, Ledebour's almonds can be found in the foothills of Altai.

This species grows very densely. The plant has dark green leaves.

Ledebour's almond blooms somewhat earlier than other species and varieties.

For 1.5-2 weeks you can enjoy beautiful flowering.

At this time, delightful pink flowers form on the shrub.

Petunnikova

The real handsome man of Central Asia is Petunnikov's almond.

A shrub with straight or splayed branches, it grows to a height of 1 m.

The shoots of Petunnikov's almonds are light yellow, the leaves are pointed, green, and the flowers are separate, have pink shade.

three-bladed

Three-lobed almond is a beautiful tree, reaching a height of about 3 m. Its crown is spreading.

The leaves are three-lobed, which is why it got its name. Almond flowers are found different color. They grow in pairs on stems.

Three-lobed almonds come in different varieties, differing in terms of ripening, the size of the flowers and their color.

It is this species that has a huge number of hybrids. Among the most beautiful and popular varieties are the following:

• Tanyusha - differs in twisted leaves and double flowers;
• Svitlana - a beautiful variety with delicate light flowers, created by Ukrainian breeders;
• Ruslana is a hybrid with flesh-colored flowers that change color to white over time;
• Chinese woman - a variety with delicate light pink flowers;
• Hybrid No. 3 - great during flowering, which is similar to cherry blossom.

Dessert almond

Dessert almonds grow beautifully in central Russia. This species tolerates frost very well. The kernels of such almonds are very tasty sweet and oily.

When and where is the best time to plant almonds

To achieve the best result in the cultivation of almonds, it is recommended to choose annual seedlings.

It is best to plant plants in open ground in early March or in autumn - at the end of November.

The main thing in this matter is to pay attention to the fact that the site is protected from strong gusts of wind and drafts.

When planting trees, you need to know some of the nuances:

• prepare a pit for planting almonds in advance, about 2 weeks in advance;
• dig a hole, the diameter of which will be 50-70 cm, the depth - 60-70 cm;
• when planting in groups, leave a distance of 3-4 m between individual seedlings, while leaving 5-6 m between rows;
• Pour crushed stone or gravel at the bottom of the hole.

In order for a tree to develop well, it needs nutrients.

You can provide them with almonds if you properly prepare fertile soil. To do this, mix:

• 3 pieces of land;
• 1 part sand;
• 2 parts of humus;
• 5 kg of rotted manure;
• 0.5 kg of superphosphate.

Please note that if the soil is too acidic, dolomite flour must be added. If it was not at hand, flour can be replaced with lime.

Correct fit almond looks like this:

1. In the center of the pit, a support is dug in, the height of which should be 1-1.5 m.
2. Then they build a mound of earth around it.
3. After that, the seedling is stirred so that the root neck is about 3-5 cm above the ground line.
4. Next, the pit is covered with fertile soil, carefully rammed.
5. Water the hole thoroughly.
6. At the final stage, the seedling is carefully tied to a support and the soil is mulched so as not to damage it. As mulch, it is best to use dry leaves or peat.

If for some reason it was not possible to plant almonds in the fall, this can be done in the spring. The main thing is to prepare a pit for planting in the fall.

Reproduction of almonds

When propagating almonds, you need to know some features.

The fact is that species almonds can be obtained by growing seeds, and varietal - only by layering, shoots or grafting.

Growing almonds from seed

Almond seeds are sown in spring or autumn. When sowing in the spring, the seeds must be prepared in advance.

To do this, they need to be placed in a cool room with a low positive temperature.

Ideal conditions for this - a shelf for vegetables in the refrigerator. Soak the seeds in this way for at least 4 months.

Barbs are made in the soil with a depth of 7-10 cm.

The distance between the seeds is left at least 10-13 cm.

The distance between the furrows is 50 cm.

As soon as the first shoots appear, you need to provide them with proper care.

It consists in regular watering, weeding and loosening the soil to saturate it with oxygen.

When the seedling reaches a height of 50 cm, and its thickness is 1 cm, it is necessary to cut off all the branches growing at a height of up to 10 cm into a ring.

Pay attention to how to do this correctly, as many gardeners often make mistakes when doing this. It will be possible to plant almonds as soon as the seedling gets sick and adapts to new conditions.

almond graft

It is recommended to choose frost-resistant rootstocks for grafting. Best of all, almonds grow on rootstocks of plum, bird cherry, cherry plum.

Pay attention to the scion. It should be straight, with developed stems with eyes.

It is necessary to remove all leaves with a secateurs, leaving only petioles 1 cm long. As for the time, you can graft during the period of sap flow. It happens in spring or August.

Grafting process:

1. Dust, dirt are removed from the rootstock and rubbed with a damp cloth.
2. A T-shaped incision is made slightly above the root collar. For this, there is a special budding knife.
3. Gently cut the bark apart.
4. Cut off the shield from the scion.
5. Next, the shield is placed in the incision in such a way that it enters completely there. That is why it is better not to make the shield too long.
6. After that, the shield is pressed with the incised edges of the bark and fixed with adhesive tape, plaster.

At spring vaccination after 15 days, the petiole falls off by itself. If the vaccination was in August, then the adhesive tape or patch is left until next autumn.

cuttings

For propagation of almonds by cuttings, planting material is harvested in the first month of summer.

Semi-lignified cuttings should have at least 2 knots, while the length of the petioles varies from 15 to 20 cm. Planting material is placed in the ground.

Rooting occurs in 20-30 days. As a rule, 85-100% of cuttings take root.

How to propagate by shoots

To increase the number of root shoots, you need to do a strong pruning.

In order for the offspring to take root well, it must have a developed root system. As a rule, this occurs in the second year of development.

layering

For propagation by layering, it is necessary to dig a trench. Next, mark a long stem at the bottom, fix it with hairpins.

From above you need to sprinkle with earth. Throughout the period when the roots will develop, it is necessary to regularly water the trench. Rooting lasts for 1 year.

Features of care in the open field

Plant care includes the usual procedures that are common to all fruit trees.

Thus, it is necessary to water the plant in a timely manner, loosen, fertilize, and not delay pruning.

An important point in caring for a tree is considered to be preventive measures to prevent the occurrence of diseases and pests.

Feeding and watering

Mature plants are watered much less often. Tentatively, each tree can be watered every 20 days. In this case, you need to focus on weather conditions.

With a prolonged drought, watering can be increased, and during a rainy period, reduced.

An important point is loosening the soil around the tree. It is necessary for the active development of the plant.

Note! Almonds are very fond of top dressing. Fertilizer should be applied from the second year of seedling growth. In the spring, you can fertilize with ammonium nitrate or urea. In autumn, dig up superphosphate, potassium sulfide and rotted manure near the trunk.

cutting almonds

Pruning of almonds should be done before the buds begin to bloom. At this time, all dried, deformed and frozen branches are removed.

Formative pruning is carried out after flowering. In this case, you need to remove 3 poisons of skeletal branches:

1. In the first year of development, 3 branches are selected. They should be 15cm apart. These branches need to be cut to a length of 15 cm.
2. For 2 and 3 years, 3 tiers are formed at a distance of 20-30 cm.
3. Shoots, which are considered insignificant for the crown, pinch them. Do this all summer long.
4. The remaining shoots are cut to 50 cm.
5. At the end, the center conductor must be shortened. This should be done in such a way that a distance of 60 m is obtained between it and the upper tier.

Anti-aging and sanitary pruning is carried out in the fall. All branches that thicken the tree are removed. Broken and damaged branches are also pruned.

It is worth remembering that when pruning thick branches, the cut point must be processed with garden pitch.

How almond blossoms

According to some sources, almond is translated from ancient Greek as "beautiful tree". And it really is. The almond blossoms are simply spectacular.

At this time, a huge number of flowers form on a tree or shrub, which simply “stick around” the entire plant. Flowers are white, pink, purple or red.

In regions with a warm climate, almonds bloom starting in January. In mid-latitudes, you can admire the most beautiful flowering in April-May.

For this amazing look, almonds are often planted for ornamental purposes.

Diseases and pests

The almond plant can suffer from the following diseases:

• Scab - leaves, shoots and flowers suffer from fungal disease;
• Rust - you can distinguish it by red spots on the leaves, which dry out and fall over time;
• Gray rot- you can recognize the disease by gray bloom and brown spots on the shoots;
• Cercosporosis - brown spots form on the leaves, over time, the center of the leaf dries out.

In any case, at the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to cut off all the affected shoots, leaves, and burn them.

Plants are best treated with fungicides. To do this, you need to choose dry, windless cloudy weather. The best drugs according to experienced gardeners are considered:

• Topaz;
• Champion;
• Oksikh.

Most often, almonds suffer from aphids, leafworms or spider mites. Preparations will help get rid of uninvited guests: Tagore, Fufanon or Fitoverm.

Experienced gardeners recommend that special attention be paid to preventive measures. It is much more difficult to cure a plant already affected by a disease or pests.

Prevention includes the following measures:

1. Before the appearance of buds in the spring, the trees must be treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.
2. Re-treatment must be done after the leaves fall.
3. Proper care is the most important thing in growing any plant. That is why you need to regularly water, loosen the soil, get rid of weeds, pruning in time.

Please note that you can remove the almonds when the shell becomes darker. At this time, it should easily separate from the core.

Remove the almonds only after the green outer shell darkens and begins to easily separate from the kernel.

Preparation for winter and wintering

To protect almonds from freezing, in winter period it needs to be prepared. Young trees or shrubs are covered with dry foliage, straw.

However, mature plants tolerate cold well and do not require shelter. If the branches are still frozen, there is nothing to worry about.

In spring, the plant will quickly recover and come into shape.

For Moscow and the Moscow region, it is recommended to choose low, Ledebour, three-lobed or Georgian almonds.

There they will grow beautifully, delight the owners with their unique flowering. In Siberia, the climate is more severe, winters are frosty and long.

For this region the best option almonds will become low (steppe, bean).

An amazingly beautiful almond tree can be grown in any region of the country, the main thing is to ensure proper care.

We recommend to know: Name: the name "amygdala" named almonds in the 1st century AD. Columella. It has about 40 species growing in the countries of Eurasia and North America.

Description: deciduous shrubs, sometimes small trees with alternate, simple, lanceolate leaves, serrated along the edge; with abundant and very beautiful, large, solitary, pink or white flowers; fruits - rounded drupes with a dry, pubescent, drop-down pericarp and an easily separated stone with a perforated or furrowed surface. They bloom for 3-5 years.

Undemanding to the soil, salt- and drought-resistant, respond well to soil liming, photophilous, easily tolerate city conditions. Grow fast.

The testing of species of the genus Amygdalus in the open field in the botanical garden of St. Petersburg began in the middle of the 18th century. from cultivation A. nana L , (= A. campestris Besser) (before 1766-2005; 1900-1939 - potted Arb.). A century later, two forms of A. nana were tested: f. alba S. K. Schneid. (1864-1865, 1873-1879, 1887, 1950-1963) and f. fl. pleno(1863-1867). In the 19th century the first attempts were made to grow 3 more species in the open field; Later on, these attempts were repeated several times: A. pedunculata Pall , (until 1852-?, 1863-1865, 1963-?, 1992-?), A. georgica Dosf. (1861-1862, 1870-1879; 1980-2005), A. communis L . (1879, 1908-1917, 1923-?, 1950-2005; 1873 - potted Arb.). 8 new species were first tested in the 50-60s. 20th century: A. ledebouriana Schlecht. (1949-2005; seeds from Altai; all subsequent plants in the park were grown from the offspring of the first specimen planted by scient. 129), A. petunnikowii Lithuania. (1951- 1963), A. bucharica Korsh. (1951-1956), A. spinosissima Bunge (1956-1962), A. x vavilovii Popov (A. communis x A. turcomantea, Lincz.) (1958-1967, 1974-1985), A. x kalmykovii Lincz. (A. communis x A. spinosissima) (1959-1963), A.mongolica Maxim. (1963-?), A. fenzliana (Fritsch) Lipsky (1964-1968).
In 1978, A. scoparia Spach And A. turcomanica Lincz . - they died in the very first winter, and they tried to grow the second species in the nursery back in 1956, and a negative result was also obtained.

According to the data of V. I. Lipsky and K. K. Meissner (1913/1915), Sadom was first introduced into the culture of A. bucharica, but probably in closed ground or potted arboretum (according to Reder - 1902).

Almonds are plants in which aging stems die off completely, gradually being replaced by root suckers that appear from the third year of the plant's life. At about the seventh year of life, the offspring begin to die off. Therefore, you should monitor the condition of the curtain, aging shoots in the presence of good shoots must be completely removed. Several highly decorative species deserve special attention.

Georgian almond- Amygdalus georgica Desf. = Prunus tenella Batsch Endem of the Caucasus. It grows on the slopes of mountains, in hollows and along the edges of the forest. Light-loving entomophile, mesophyte, microtherm, mesotroph. In culture in botanical gardens mainly in southern Europe. Shrub up to 1 m tall, similar in appearance to low almond, from which it differs more large leaves, up to 8 cm long, with larger bright pink flowers and bristly, hairy fruits. Blossoms in May, fruits ripen in September, fructifies from seven to nine years. Shoots by winter are completely lignified and easily tolerate frosts. A very promising view for landscaping. In GBS since 1951, 5 samples (7 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from Voronezh, there are plants of seed and vegetative reproduction of GBS. At 38 years old, height 2 m, crown diameter 150 cm. Vegetates from 29.IV ± 8 to 11.X ± 5 for 165 days. The growth rate is average. Blossoms from 3 years, from 17.V ± 7 to 27.V ± 9 for 10 days. Fruits in 7-9 years, fruits ripen on 9.IX ±15. Seed germination is low. 40% of cuttings take root when treated with a 0.01% IMC solution for 16 hours. It is less hardy, but in the conditions of Moscow and St. Petersburg it is quite stable, blooms and bears fruit. Can be used on a par with low almonds.

Almond Ledebourg- Amygdalus ledebouriana It grows in the foothills of Altai and Tarbagatai. It grows in the meadow steppe, in the foothills and low mountains, forms almonds. Restorative, irruptive, photophilous mesophyte, entomophile. In culture, it is grown in the botanical gardens of Minsk, St. Petersburg (where it showed high winter hardiness, abundant flowering and fruiting), Moscow, etc. In the Main Botanical Garden, it blooms in May, the fruits ripen in September. The leaves are large, dark green. The flowers are pink, the fruits are up to 4 cm long. It blooms earlier than many almonds, the duration of flowering in spring is 2-3 weeks. Seed grain size 96 - 100%. Fruits from 11 years old. Popular foreign variety "Fire Hill"- pink-red flowers, up to 3 cm in diameter, otherwise similar to Ledebour's almonds. It can be purchased from Bruns Pflanzen. In GBS since 1957, 9 samples (15 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from the botanical gardens of the Caucasus, Karaganda, Alma-Ata and reproductions of GBS. At 32, height 1.9 m, crown diameter 170 cm. Vegetates for 156 days from 28.IV ± 8 to 1.X ± 5. Average growth rate. Blossoms from 3 years, from 13.V ± 5 to 22.V ± 7 for 9 days. It bears fruit from the age of 11, the fruits ripen 5.IX ± 12. Seed germination is average. 57% of cuttings take root when treated with a 0.005% IMC solution for 16 hours.

low almond, or steppe (bean)- Amygdalus nana L.= Prunus nana Stokes. Grows in Central and South-Eastern Europe, Western Siberia, Central Asia. It grows in the zone of herb-meadow steppes, in hollows, along ravines, beams. Restorative, irruptive, light-loving mesophyte, entomophile, microtherm, mesotroph, dominant and codominant of shrub thickets. Small, deciduous shrub up to 1.5 m tall, with a dense, spherical crown. The branches are erect, reddish-gray, with numerous shortened branches, densely covered with narrow, linear-lanceolate leaves, up to 6 cm long, dark green above, light green below. Single, bright pink flowers bloom at the same time as the leaves and adorn the bush in abundance. Flowering lasts 7-10 days. The fruit is a drupe, up to 2 cm long, with a dry, pubescent pericarp of a whitish-straw color. In GBS since 1941, 2 samples (28 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from Novosibirsk and reproductions of GBS. At 20 years old, height 1.6 m, crown diameter 180 cm. Vegetates from 30.IV ± 7 to 28.IX ± 12 for 151 days. The growth rate is average. Blooms from 3 years, from 14.V ± 6 to 24.V ± 6 for 9 days. It bears fruit from the age of 5, the fruits ripen on August 22 ± 18. Seed germination is average. The cuttings take root weakly. Exceptionally photophilous, drought-resistant, winter-hardy, undemanding to the soil, tolerates smoke, shearing, gives numerous root offspring. Propagated by seeds, grafting, root offspring, layering. It deserves wide application in green building as a beautiful and early flowering shrub for group and single plantings. It reaches the best development with sufficient moisture on rich soils. In culture since 1683. Steppe almonds are grown in the middle lane to St. Petersburg, where it blooms profusely and bears fruit well, as well as in the steppe and forest-steppe parts of Siberia. I. V. Michurin created a valuable winter-hardy nut-bearing variety of steppe almonds " Mediator". It has two interesting forms: white-flowered(f. albiflora) - with white flowers; Gessler(f. Gessleriana) - smaller than typical in size, but with larger (up to 2.5 cm in diameter), bright pink flowers. photo left Olga Bondareva Photo right Vasily Tarutin

Common almond- Prunus communis (L.), Prunus amygdalus (Batsch.), Amygdalus dulcis (Mill.), Amygdalus communis (L.) It occurs naturally in the Caucasus, Western Kopetdag, Western Tien Shan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Asia Minor. Lives 100 years. Grows as a bush or tree with reddish twigs. It reaches a height of 3 - 8 m, similar to a cherry. Leaves growing after flowering are oblong. The flowers consist of a goblet-like calyx and a pink or red corolla. The fruits are drupes 3-3.5 cm long, oblong, greenish or brownish-gray with a velvety omission. The pericarp is thin, dryish, leathery, with a pleasant sour taste. Its surface is smooth or wrinkled. The first fruits appear at 3-4 years of age, and fruiting continues for 30-50 years. It is not frost-resistant enough, the temperature minimum is -15 ... -20 ° С. Varieties: var. amara- see photo on the left, contains amygdalin glycoside, benzaldehyde and highly toxic hydrogen cyanide. Therefore, it is not recommended to consume bitter almonds. For a child, the lethal dose is 10 tonsils, for an adult - 50. var. dulcis- see photo on the right, with sweet seed and low content of amygdalin. Its spice is much weaker. var. dulcis for. fragilis- with fruits that have a thin and fragile shell and sweet seeds.

Almond Petunnikova- Amygdaluspetunnikowii Lithuania. Endem of Central Asia (Western Tien Shan). It grows on gravel and rocky slopes of mountains, sometimes forming pure thickets. Restorative and destructive xeromesophyte, microtherm, mesotroph, entomophile, dominant (rarely) and codominant of shrub thickets and assectator of the shrub layer of juniper forests. Protected in nature reserves. In culture, it is found in the botanical gardens of Central Asia and Western Siberia, as well as in Moscow, Kyiv, Yalta, Voronezh. Shrub up to 1 m tall, with splayed or erect branches, with numerous short branches. The shoots are bare, light fawn, the bark of the branches is gray - brown. The leaves are linear or linear-lanceolate, 3x1 cm, with a pointed apex and a wedge-shaped base, obtusely or acutely serrated along the edge, glabrous. Flowers solitary, pink; fruits are densely tomentose-pubescent, reddish, irregularly ovoid. In GBS since 1954, 1 sample (1 copy) was grown from seeds obtained from Alma-Ata. At 21 years old, height 1.5 m, crown diameter 110 cm. Plant grows from 29.IV ± 9 to 1.X ± 13 for 154 days. The growth rate is average. Blooms regularly from 20.V ± 11 for 12 days. Fruiting is weak, the fruits ripen in late August-early September. Seed germination is low. 56% of cuttings take root when treated with a 0.005% IMC solution for 16 hours. Quite winter-hardy, drought-resistant. Decorative at the time of flowering and fruiting, can be successfully used up to the forest zone.

Location: sunny places or light shade. The landing site should be protected from drafts and strong winds.

The soil: soil mixtures consist of leafy soil, humus, sand (3:2:1) with the addition of lime or dolomite flour 0.2 - 0.3 kg per planting pit. Optimum acidity 7.7.

Landing: the distance between plants is 0.5 - 1.5 m. The root neck (or grafting site) is slightly above the soil level. Drainage of crushed stone or broken bricks up to 20 cm and 5 - 7 cm of coarse sand on top.

Steppe almonds in the flower garden
Photo Kursakova Marina

Care: almonds are very responsive to regular feeding. In the spring they bring in: 1 kg of mullein, 10 g of urea, 20 g of ammonium nitrate, which are diluted in 10 liters of water .. In the fall they give double superphosphate and potassium sulfate, 20 g each per 1 sq. m. On loams, watering is moderate, and on sandy soils in spring - plentiful. The main thing is not to soak the root neck! With a lack of moisture, the flowering time is sharply reduced, with abundance and stagnant water, the root neck rots! Irrigation rate with slight drying of the top layer of soil by 1 - 1.5 cm 7 - 10 liters per plant. Shallow (5 - 7 cm) loosening is recommended when weeding. After planting, the near-trunk circle is mulched with earth or peat up to 8 cm thick. Plants tolerate shearing and pruning well (cutting flowering branches into bouquets is practiced). Mandatory pruning of dry and diseased shoots. In severe winters, flower buds and ends of shoots freeze near almonds. If there is a lot of snow, then the root collar may also rot. Sometimes tweezing of the juicy ends of the shoots is done to weaken their growth and allow them to become woody, ending their growth in a timely manner. This - The best way preparing plants for winter!

Protection against pests and diseases: leaflet. Spraying is recommended before bud break with nitrafen 2.5% concentration; for caterpillars - chlorophos, concentration 0.15 - 0.3%. Plum moth. Two- or three-time spraying with an interval of 12-14 days with karbofos 0.1%, Rogor 0.2% mixed with chlorophos or separately. Aphids. Early spring spraying with DNOC, concentration 0.5 - 1% or nitrafen 3% concentration. You can use a solution of laundry soap (200 - 300 g per 10 liters of water) or an infusion of tobacco, yarrow, potato tops, etc. Plum bark beetle. It is recommended to whitewash the trunk with a lime-clay mortar with the addition of carpentry glue or bustilate. Gray rot. It is necessary to cut damaged branches in winter and after flowering to prevent the formation of gray sporulation pads. Monilial burn. Spraying with Bordeaux liquid with an interval of 15 - 20 days. Rust. Spraying or dusting with cineb (20 - 30 g / sq. M) or sulfur preparations (colloidal or ground) is effective.

Amygdalus nana
Photo Kravchenko Kirill

Reproduction: Varietal almonds are propagated by grafting on plums, sloes, cherry plums, other almonds, bird cherry. Species almonds can be propagated by seeds. Sowing is carried out in autumn or spring after stratification at a temperature of 2 - 5 ° C for four months. Annual seedlings grow quickly and reach a height of 30 cm. The transplant is well tolerated, bear fruit in the 3rd year of life. To obtain a compact crown of a plant in early age form by removing faded, dry and weakly growing shoots. With vegetative propagation, almonds are bred with green and root cuttings, offspring and layering.

Usage: gardeners should take into account that almonds are highly decorative shrubs of the spring flowering period. They are very beautiful in single and group planting, they are used to decorate rocky hills and edges. Plants that have a highly developed shoot are suitable for fixing slopes. Spectacular almonds, planted in 3 - 5 pieces, on the lawn, against the backdrop of conifers, as well as in standard culture.