Almonds with pink flowers. How to grow decorative almonds on your site. How to propagate by growth

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

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

The branches, strewn with large double pink, purple, light red, crimson flowers, were somewhat similar to both an apricot and a plum.

A report on the plant was made by an amateur gardener from the Rivne region. Vladimir Batochenko, who at his own expense worked to create 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 bred more than 10 different varieties.

It is a pity that the planting material did not survive the long mail journey, and then I was not able to plant almonds in my garden. Although the speaker argued that the shrub is quite frost-resistant and quite suitable for Belarus.

Several years later, during field expeditions, we sometimes began to meet three-bladed almonds on garden plots, mainly in the western regions of Belarus, where the plant got, apparently from Poland, and recently twice - running wild under the fence and even ... at the dump.

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

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

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

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

This is a rather large shrub with leaves falling off 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 got its specific name due to the original wide-elliptical or three-lobed leaf shape, 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 covered with flowers. Flowering usually begins before the leaves open or at the beginning of their deployment and lasts up to two weeks.

Three-lobed almonds can be used for forcing in early spring. He reconciles with urban growing conditions.

Three-lobed almond care

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

After strong pruning, by the fall, 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 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, you can spray the shrub in the spring every two weeks with 1% Bordeaux liquid and twice during the flowering period with foundation (10 g / 10 l of water). The spread of the disease is facilitated by high air humidity and low temperatures during flowering.

The likelihood of infection with moniliosis is also reduced 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 have root collar and bark podoprevanie, which is not the case in standard specimens. As a rootstock, it is recommended to use local varieties of plums or thorny plums (there is incompatibility with cherries and almonds!).

Plant damage by pests is insignificant (at least in 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 places for it in the garden, and supplement the planting with conifers, which makes the flowers look amazing on a green background. It also looks good with early spring small-bulbous plants.

Reproduction of three-lobed almond

When propagating three-lobed almonds, it is most often used just grafting 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, almonds can be propagated by layering and root shoots.

Seeds, however, are most often difficult, since not all varieties give 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, from L. Kievskaya variety you can get full-fledged seeds, which must be stratified before sowing.

And even better - sow freshly harvested, after clearing them from the pericarp. Among the seedlings, a significant number of plants with simple and semi-double flowers are observed, which somewhat reduces the decorative effect of the shrub.

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

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

In the 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 rarely seen in our gardens, although it begins to appear both among amateurs and in urban plantings (we, for example, observed it in plantings near an administrative building in the Vitebsk region, where a significant collection of various exotic plants is collected).

The agricultural technology of low almonds is not particularly difficult. However, like the three-lobed one, it is damaged by moniliosis. It is usually propagated by root suckers, green cuttings and stratified seeds.

Other types of almonds, and there are up to 40 types of them 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 - Baldzhuan almond (Amygdalus bucharica), Georgian (A. georgica), Ledebour (A. le-debouriana) and Petunnikov (A. petunnicowii).

Among them there are also species with edible fruits.

This crop has been cultivated 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, Asia.

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

Modern varieties are adapted to the climatic characteristics of a particular region, therefore, deciding to grow this useful and beautiful tree, the most suitable variety should be selected.

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

One of the most unpretentious and winter-hardy varieties is an "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. Fruits are large, flat, wide, with a wrinkled surface, dark brown in color. It tastes sweet. The variety is suitable for growing in all regions, since it has a stable winter rest period, high yields, and its flowering occurs in mid-April. The variety is self-sterile. The "Dessert" and "Languedoc" are used as pollinators.

"Paper-shell" - 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, and sweet.

"Seaside" - has a stable rest period. It is a tree up to 3.5 m high. Its crown is fan-shaped and has a flattened top. The branches are thick, short, densely leafed. The bark of the trunk and shoots is gray-brown, of annual branches - 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. Fruits are elongated, pointed at the end, with a round base. Ripen in November. The yield of the Primorskiy variety is high.

"Dessert" - is characterized by increased resistance to frost 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 gray. 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 separating from the kernel. The kernel is oval, yellowish brown, with a thin skin, with a sweet, oily taste. The fruits ripen in September. Varieties - pollinators: "Primorsky", "Spicy". The yield is high, annual.

To the most frost-resistant species almonds are pedunculated almonds. It has small fruits of good taste and high productivity. This type of almond is widespread in Russia. It is a low-growing, branchy shrub with shortened shoots, reaching up to 2 m in height. It has wedge-shaped leaves of medium size. Fruits are pointed above, slightly pubescent, contain a stone with a rough surface.

Southern varieties are intended for cultivation 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 the age of 3. Fruits are orange or light brown, small, round, pubescent. Begins fruiting 5 years after planting. The tree is thermophilic. In winter, the ends of annual shoots often freeze slightly.

"Yalta" - medium-sized tree up to 4 m high. Gives annual, bountiful 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 flowering variety. Flower buds are sensitive to low temperatures.

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

"Rims" - medium to vigorous tree. Brings regular, good harvests... Fruits are oval or round, weighing 3 g. Shell is dense, rusty-brown. The kernel is large, brown, oily, with high taste. The seeds of this variety ripen in mid to late October.

Californian almonds - nut crop

Californian almonds are widespread in California, where they are the most popular nut crop. In total, there are 25 varieties of it, each of which has its own distinctive features. Some of them are described below.

"Nonpareil" - early ripening period. Nuts are light yellow in color, with a smooth surface. The shell is soft, dark brown, easily detached from the kernel.

"Carmel" - ripens a month later than the Nonpareil variety. Nuts are medium in size, narrow, smooth, with a soft, whole shell.

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

"Padre" - average ripening period. The nuts are short, wide, dark brown, with a wrinkled surface. The shell is hard, no seam opening.

"Mission" - late ripening. The nuts are wide, short, wrinkled, with a strong aroma. The shell is hard, smooth, no seam opening.

"Monterey" - late ripening. Nuts are large, long, narrow, with a surface mottled with deep wrinkles. The shell is hard, smooth, with a small opening of the seam.

"Sonora" - average ripening period. Nuts are large, long, smooth. The shell is paper, with a bumpy surface and good seam opening.

Common almonds - shrub up to 6 meters in height

Common almonds are shrubs up to 6 m in height. The bark of the trunk and skeletal branches is gray-brown, the bark of young shoots is red-brown. Leaves are oval, lanceolate, narrow, with a pointed tip, alternate, serrate-toothed along the edge. Attached to a long stem. On short branches, they are formed in bunches. The flowers are large, grow singly, develop on last year's shoots, the petals are light pink, the calyx and peduncle are pubescent. Flowers bloom before leaves. Blossoming of common almonds in warm regions occurs in late February - early March.

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

This view almonds are very popular among gardeners for decorativeness and high taste of fruits. During the flowering period it looks very impressive, resembles a huge ball, strewn with pink flowers.

In Russia, this crop is grown in the Crimea, the Caucasus and the 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.

Almond pink and three-leafed and his photo

Pink almond (photo above) - a spreading shrub up to 5 m high. In another way, it is called three-bladed almond or three-bladed almond. The homeland of this culture is North China. The crown is wide, vertical, about 2 m wide. Shoots are dark brown. Leaves broadly elliptical, alternate, sharp, three-lobed, dark green above, gray below, 6 cm long. Distinctive feature This type of almond has deep pink, double, rose-like flowers that form in pairs along the entire length of the shoot, which gives the tree an unusual, attractive appearance during the flowering period. Flowering begins in May, lasts 14-20 days. 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. An open, sunny place, protected from wind and drafts, is suitable for growing this plant. Pink almonds tolerate frost well, but flower buds can sometimes be damaged. In order for the tree to overwinter successfully, 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. A spectacular shrub can be planted singly and in group plantings. During the flowering period, it looks harmonious against the background. Flowering branches are cut for a long time.

Stunted steppe shrub wild almond

Wild or steppe almonds grow wild in the steppe zone and the European part of Russia, as well as in Central Asia. Often settles along ravines and ravines. It is a low-growing shrub 1-1.5 m high. It has a dense, spherical crown with straight branches. Leaves linear-lanceolate, smooth, serrated along the edge, dark green above, lighter below. The flowers are small, pink, and bloom simultaneously with the leaves. Abundant flowering occurs in May. Lasts 2-3 weeks.

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

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

Almonds are a bright and unusual plant, quite adapted for growing in climatic conditions Northwest. I would especially like to highlight two of its types - ledebour almond and low almond or bean.

The 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 decorative and food) are known.

Leaves are simple, alternate, on shortened shoots close together in a bunch. Flowers are solitary, on short pedicels or sessile. The petals are pink or white, blooming before the leaves appear or at the same time.

Plants bloom from late April to mid-May, depending on the time of snow melting and the establishment of heat. Flowering lasts up to 5 weeks in some species. 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 for its beautiful shiny lanceolate leaves.

Almonds are not very picky about soils and additional watering, although they are responsive to various agricultural techniques - weeding, the introduction of mineral and organic fertilizers (with an excess of nitrogen, it freezes strongly), reacts 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 shelter them for the winter.

It is best to grow almonds from seeds collected in the fall and sown before winter, or by root suckers (easily separating in spring or early autumn), cuttings are possible. The division of the bush and the transplant can be easily tolerated only in early spring, before the buds awaken, or in early autumn, but not later than mid-October.

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

Shrub up to 1-2 m tall, giving abundant root growth up to 2-5 m in height. Leaves are lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, reaching a length of up to 7 cm. Often it freezes heavily in winters with little snow, but is restored due to the active growth of root shoots. Suffers from recurrent frost 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 the bush can give underground shoots up to 1 m.

Low almond, steppe or legume. Shrub with protruding branches and red-gray bark, from 0.5-0.8, rarely up to 1.3-1.5 m in height. Leaves are lanceolate or oval, collected in bunches. The flowers are large, single, their petals are bright pink or pink, with a delicate delicate aroma. Abundant flowering, up to 2 weeks, beginning in late April or early May. Fruits are dense and hard tomentose, ovoid. The bones are compressed from the sides. Blooms at the same time as the leaves open. Propagates well by seeds.

Almonds are trees or shrubs. They refer it to the Plum and Pink family.

Many people mistakenly think that almonds are nuts. However, it belongs to crops with stone fruit.

Decorative tree looks nice on summer cottage, which is why many gardeners acquire this amazing plant.

In early spring or late autumn, almonds are planted. Outdoor care for an ornamental plant is not difficult, but it has some features.

Providing the plant with the right care and conditions for development, you can grow a healthy decorative almond, which will be the decoration of the site for several years.

The almond shrub can 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.

A shrub or tree has dark green pointed 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 in color, the fruit is a drupe.

Common almonds are grown for fruit.

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

Sweet almonds are popular among gardeners.

This plant is not ornamental, but it is often grown on an industrial scale to obtain medicinal fruits with high nutritional value.

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

You can also find almonds planted as hedges.

it amazing plant pleases the eye with its numerous flowers of white, crane, pink or purple color. Ornamental 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 a gray bark. The shrub has narrow leathery leaves.

On the seamy 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 forest edges or slopes.

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

This allows you to grow almonds in the Moscow region.

The plant externally is a shrub about 1 m high with longer leaves and larger flowers, in contrast to steppe almonds, although they are very similar in appearance.

Terry

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

This species has beautiful double flowers, delicate pink color.

Ledebour

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

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

Ledebour almonds bloom somewhat earlier than other species and varieties.

For 1.5-2 weeks you can enjoy beautiful flowering.

At this time, delightful pink flowers are formed on the shrub.

Petunnikova

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

A shrub with straight or spread out branches, it grows up to 1 m in height.

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

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 on stems in pairs.

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

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

• Tanyusha - differs in twisted leaves and double flowers;
• Svitlana is a beautiful variety with delicate light flowers, created by Ukrainian breeders;
• Ruslana is a hybrid with flesh-colored flowers that eventually change color to white;
• Chinese woman - a variety with delicate light pink flowers;
• Hybrid # 3 - Gorgeous during flowering, which is similar to cherry blossom.

Dessert almonds

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

When and Where to Plant Almonds

For the best results in growing 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 with a diameter of 50-70 cm and a depth of 60-70 cm;
• for group planting, leave a distance of 3-4 m between individual seedlings, while leaving 5-6 m between rows;
• pour rubble 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 the 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 is not at hand, the flour can be replaced with lime.

Correct fit almond looks like this:

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

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.

Almond propagation

When propagating almonds, you need to know some features.

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

Growing almonds from seeds

Sowing almond seeds is done in spring or autumn. When sowing in 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.

The ideal conditions for this are the vegetable shelf in the refrigerator. It is necessary to withstand the seeds in this way for at least 4 months.

In the soil, beards are made with a depth of 7-10 cm.

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

In this case, the distance between the furrows is left 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 of 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 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 grafting

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 well-developed stems with eyes.

It is necessary to remove all the leaves with the pruning shears, leave only the petioles 1 cm long. As for the time, you can inoculate during the period of sap flow. It happens in spring or August.

Grafting process:

1. Dust and dirt are removed from the stock 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. The neatly cut bark is pushed apart.
4. Cut off the scion from the scion.
5. Next, the flap is placed in the incision in such a way that it completely enters there. That is why it is better not to make the shield too long.
6. After that, with the incised edges of the bark, the flap is pressed and fixed with adhesive tape, plaster.

When spring grafting after 15 days, the petiole falls off from the kidney itself. If the vaccination was in August, then the scotch tape or plaster is left until next fall.

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 nodes, the length of the petioles varying from 15 to 20 cm. The 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 growth

To increase the amount of root growth, it is necessary to do strong pruning.

In order for the offspring to take root well, it must have a developed root system. This usually happens in the second year of development.

Layers

For reproduction by layering, it is necessary to dig a trench. Next, mark a long stem on the bottom, fix it with pins.

Sprinkle the top with earth. Throughout the entire period when the roots will develop, it is necessary to regularly water the trench. Rooting lasts for 1 year.

Features of outdoor care

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

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

Preventive measures to prevent the occurrence of diseases and pests are considered important points in tree care.

Top dressing and watering

Adult plants are watered much less frequently. Each tree can be watered roughly every 20 days. In this case, you need to focus on weather conditions.

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

Loosening the soil around the tree is also an important point. It is necessary for the active development of the plant.

Note! Almonds are very fond of feeding. It is necessary to apply fertilizer from the second year of growth of the seedling. In spring, you can fertilize with ammonium nitrate or urea. In the fall, dig up superphosphate, potassium sulphide and rotted manure near the trunk.

Almond pruning

Almond pruning should be done before the buds begin to bloom. At this time, remove all dried, deformed and frozen branches.

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 should 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 that are considered insignificant for the crown are pinched. You need to do this all summer.
4. The rest of the shoots are cut to 50 cm.
5. Finally, 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.

Rejuvenating 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 cutting thick branches, the cut site must be processed with garden varnish.

How almonds bloom

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

At this time, a huge number of flowers are formed on the tree or shrub, which simply "stick around" the entire plant. The color of the flowers is white, pink, purple or red.

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

For this amazing species, almonds are often planted for decorative 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 the red spots on the leaves, which dry up and fall off 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 up.

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

It is better to treat plants with fungicides. To do this, you need to choose dry, calm, cloudy weather. The best drugs according to the reviews of experienced gardeners are:

• Topaz;
• Champion;
• Oxyhom.

Most often, almonds are affected by aphids, leaf rollers or spider mites. To get rid of uninvited guests will help drugs: Tagor, Fufanon or Fitoverm.

Experienced gardeners recommend paying special attention 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 buds appear in the spring, trees need to be treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.
2. Re-processing must be done after the foliage has fallen off.
3. Proper care is most important in growing any plant. That is why you need to regularly water, loosen the soil, get rid of weeds, and prune on time.

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

The almonds are removed only after the green outer shell darkens and becomes easily separated 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, adult plants tolerate cold well and do not require shelter. If, nevertheless, the branches are frozen, there is nothing wrong with that.

In the spring, the plant will quickly recover and get 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 low almonds (steppe, bean) will become.

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

We recommend to know: Name: named "amygdala" named almonds in the 1st century AD. Columella. There are about 40 species native to the countries of Eurasia and North America.

Description: deciduous shrubs, sometimes small trees with alternate, simple, lanceolate leaves, serrate along the edge; with abundant and very beautiful, large, single, pink or white flowers; fruits - rounded drupes with a dry, pubescent, elliptical pericarp and an easily detachable bone with a perforated or furrowed surface. Bloom for 3-5 years.

They are not very demanding on soil, are salt- and drought-resistant, respond well to soil liming, are light-requiring, and easily tolerate urban conditions. Growing fast.

Testing the 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 growing A. nana L , (\u003d A. campestris Besser) (up to 1766-2005; 1900-1939 - potted arb.). Two forms of A. nana have been tested over a century: f. alba S. K. Schneid. (1864-1865, 1873-1879, 1887, 1950-1963) and f. fl. pleno (1863-1867). In the XIX century. the first attempts were made to grow 3 more species in the open field; in the future, these attempts were repeated several times: A. pedunculata Pall , (before 1852- ?, 1863-1865, 1963- ?, 1992-?), A. georgica Dosf. (1861-1862, 1870-1879; 1980-2005), A. communis L ... (1879, 1908-1917, 1923- ?, 1950-2005; 1873-pottery arb.). 8 new species were first tested in the 50-60s. XX 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 scientific. 129), A. petunnikowii Litv. (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 they were planted in open ground 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), A. bucharica was first introduced into the culture by the Garden, but probably into a closed ground or potted arboretum (according to Raeder - 1902).

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

Georgian almonds - Amygdalus georgica Desf. \u003dPrunus tenella Batsch Endem of the Caucasus. It grows on mountain slopes, in hollows and along forest edges. Photophilous entomophile, mesophyte, microtherm, mesotroph. Cultivated in botanical gardens mainly in southern Europe. Shrub up to 1 m tall, similar in appearance to low almonds, 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, bears fruit from seven to nine years. Shoots completely woody for winter and easily tolerate frosts. Very promising species 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. The plant grows from 29.IV ± 8 to 11.X ± 5 for 165 days. The growth rate is average. It blooms from 3 years old, from 17.V ± 7 to 27.V ± 9 for 10 days. Fruiting from 7-9 years, the fruits ripen 9.IX ± 15. Seed germination is low. 40% of cuttings are rooted when treated with 0.01% IMC solution for 16 hours. Less frost-hardy, but in the conditions of Moscow and St. Petersburg is quite stable, blooms and bears fruit. Can be used along with low almonds.

Ledebour almond- 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. Restative, ir-ruptive, 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. Blooms earlier than many almonds, flowering duration in spring 2-3 weeks. Full grain of seeds 96 - 100%. Bears fruit since 11 years. Popular foreign variety "Fire Hill" - flowers are pink-red, 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 the reproduction of GBS. At 32, height 1.9 m, crown diameter 170 cm. Plant grows within 156 days from 28.IV ± 8 to 1.X ± 5. Average growth rate. It blooms from 3 years old, from 13.V ± 5 to 22.V ± 7 for 9 days. Fruiting from 11 years, fruits ripen 5.IX ± 12. Seed germination is average. 57% of cuttings are rooted when treated with a 0.005% solution of IMC for 16 hours.

Low almonds or steppe (bean) - Amygdalus nana L. \u003d Prunus nana Stokes. Grows in Central and South-Eastern Europe, Western Siberia, Central Asia. It grows in the zone of forb-meadow steppes, in hollows, along ravines, gullies. Restative, irruptive, photophilous mesophyte, entomophilus, 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 28 sample copies. Grown from seeds obtained from Novosibirsk and a reproduction of GBS. At 20 years old, height 1.6 m, crown diameter 180 cm. The plant grows from 30.IV ± 7 to 28.IX ± 12 for 151 days. The growth rate is average. It blooms from 3 years old, from 14.V ± 6 to 24.V ± 6 for 9 days. Fruiting from 5 years old, fruits ripen on 22.VIII ± 18. Seed germination is average. The cuttings are poorly rooted. Exceptionally light-loving, drought-resistant, winter-hardy, not very soil-demanding, tolerates smoke, shearing well, gives numerous root suckers. Propagated by seeds, grafting, root suckers, layering. Deserves wide application in green building as a beautiful and early flowering shrub for group and single plantings. Achieves the best development with sufficient moisture in 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 walnut 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 almonds - Prunus communis (L.), Prunus amygdalus (Batsch.), Amygdalus dulcis (Mill.), Amygdalus communis (L.) It occurs naturally in the Caucasus, in the Western Kopetdag, Western Tien Shan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Asia Minor. Lives for 100 years. It grows as a bush or tree with reddish twigs. It reaches a height of 3 - 8 m, similar to a sweet cherry. Leaves growing after flowering are oblong. The flowers are composed of a cublet-shaped syphilic calyx and a pink or red corolla. Fruits are drupes 3-3.5 cm long, oblong, greenish or brownish-gray with velvety drooping. 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. Not frost-resistant enough, temperature minimum -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 negligible amygdalin content. Its spice is much weaker. var. dulcis for. fragilis - with fruits that have a thin and fragile shell and sweet seeds.

Almond Petunnikov - Amygdaluspetunnikowii Litw. Endem of Central Asia (Western Tien Shan). It grows on gravelly and rocky mountain slopes, sometimes forming clean thickets. Restative and irruptive xeromesophyte, microtherm, mesotroph, entomophilus, dominant (rarely) and codominant of shrub thickets and an assembler of the juniper shrub layer. Protected in reserves. In culture, it is found in botanical gardens in Central Asia and Western Siberia, as well as in Moscow, Kiev, Yalta, Voronezh. Shrub up to 1 m tall, with spread-out or erect branches, with numerous shortened branches. Shoots glabrous, light fawn, bark of branches is gray - brown. Leaves are linear or linear-lanceolate, 3x1 cm, with a pointed apex and a wedge-shaped base, obtuse or sharp-serrate along the edge, glabrous. The flowers are single, pink; the fruits are densely hairy-pubescent, reddish, irregularly ovoid. In GBS since 1954, 1 sample (1 copy) was grown from seeds obtained from Alma-Ata. At 21, height 1.5 m, crown diameter 110 cm. The plant grows from 29.IV ± 9 to 1.X ± 13 for 154 days. The growth rate is average. Blooms regularly at 20.V ± 11 for 12 days. Low fruiting; fruits ripen in late August and early September. Seed germination is low. 56% of cuttings are rooted when treated with a 0.005% IMC solution for 16 hours. Winter-hardy enough, drought-resistant. Decorative at the time of flowering and fruiting, it can be successfully used up to the forest zone.

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

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

Landing: the distance between plants is 0.5 - 1.5 m. The root collar (or grafting site) is just above the soil level. Drainage from rubble or broken brick up to 20 cm and 5 - 7 cm of coarse sand from above.

Steppe almonds in a flower garden
Photo of Kursakova Marina

Care: almonds are very responsive to regular feeding. In the spring, add: 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 the spring - abundant. The main thing is not to soak the root collar! With a lack of moisture, the flowering time is sharply reduced, with an abundance and stagnation of water - the root collar rots! Irrigation rate with a slight drying of the topsoil for 1 - 1.5 cm 7 - 10 liters per plant. Shallow (5 - 7 cm) loosening is recommended when weeding. After planting, the trunk circle is mulched with earth or peat in a layer of up to 8 cm. Plants tolerate cutting and pruning well (cutting flowering branches into bouquets is practiced). Pruning of dry and diseased shoots is mandatory. In harsh winters, flower buds and ends of shoots freeze under almonds. If there is a lot of snow, then damping of the root collar is also possible. Sometimes they pince the succulent ends of the shoots in order to weaken their growth and give the opportunity to woody, completing the growth in time. It - the best way preparing plants for winter!

Protection against pests and diseases: leaf roll. It is recommended to sprinkle 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 malofos 0.1%, rohor 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 l of water) or infusion of tobacco, yarrow, potato tops, etc. Sapwood bark beetle. It is recommended to whitewash the trunk with a lime-clay mortar with the addition of wood glue or bustilate. Gray rot. Cutting of damaged branches in winter and after flowering is necessary to prevent the formation of gray sporulation pads. Monilial burn. Spraying with Bordeaux liquid at intervals of 15 - 20 days. Rust. Spraying or dusting with zineb (20-30 g / sq. M) or sulfur preparations (colloidal or ground) is effective.

Amygdalus nana
Photo of Kirill Kravchenko

Reproduction: varietal almonds are propagated by grafting on plums, blackthorns, 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, fruiting at the 3rd year of life. To obtain a compact plant crown in early age form, removing faded, dry and poorly growing shoots. For vegetative propagation, almonds are bred with green and root cuttings, offspring and layering.

Using: 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 with highly developed growth are suitable for anchoring slopes. Spectacular almonds, planted in 3 - 5 pieces, on the lawn, against the background of conifers, as well as in the standard culture.