Almond tree planting and care in the suburbs. Almond tree in the suburbs. Three-blade almonds planting and care in the suburbs, in the urals and other regions of russia

The ancient Phoenicians were very fond of almonds and admired their extraordinary flowering. They saw in the unusually beautiful colors of the tree the image of the beautiful and young goddess Amygdala, the patroness of shy and young maidens. Since then, the Latin name of this plant has been fixed - "amygdalus". The spring flowering of this culture will forever be remembered by those who have seen this unique riot of colors at least once in their lives. Almonds are not only extremely decorative, but also a valuable nut-bearing breed.

In fact, the almond fruit is not a nut, but a stone fruit, and is a plum... It is closely related to many traditional garden trees. It is interesting that its relatives are such tree species as blackthorn, bird cherry, pear, apple, quince, mountain ash, hawthorn, and sakura.

Few people know that February 16 is World Almond Day, and this is due to the fact that almond trees bloom everywhere around this day. It is celebrated mainly in the United States, because it is in this country that more than 50% of almonds are grown on an industrial scale.

Description of the plant

Almonds are perennial, deciduous species. It occurs in the form of shrubs or small trees, with a height of two to ten meters. Representatives of this species can live up to a hundred years or more. The plant has little demand for the type of soil, it can grow well even on marginal, rocky soil. But he prefers light, fertile, calcareous soils. Poorly tolerates acidic, salty and wetlands.

The breed is very light-requiring and frost-resistant.... It grows well in the mountains at an altitude of 800 to 1600 meters above sea level. Almonds are thermophilic, but can tolerate severe frosts. The problem with its acclimatization in the northern regions is that it leaves the state of winter dormancy very early. The growing season for this plant begins in February. Therefore, many types of almonds prefer a subtropical climate.

Growing places

Its homeland is considered to be the territory from Western Asia to Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Spain and Portugal. Currently, this tree can also be found in China, America, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Crimea, Altai.

Classification and types

Common almonds

The common species is the most widespread plant that is used everywhere in fruit growing. It is the taste of sweet almonds that we are familiar with from childhood and are widespread in the food industry. The rest of the species in this family are conditionally edible, and some can even cause food poisoning.

Varieties of common almonds:

sweet;
bitter;
thin-walled.

Steppe almonds, or wild (bean)

Low shrub, up to two meters high. The crown is dense, spherical. It blooms in bright pink or white flowers. Flowers bloom a little earlier or almost simultaneously with leaves. Flowering lasts two weeks. Grows on steppe and rocky soils. The distribution area is very large. It grows both in Central Asia and on the territory of Russia. It can be introduced even to the northern regions of the Russian Federation.

Representatives of the Bobovnik subspecies are divided into two large groups:

Gessler (bright pink flowers);
White-flowered (white flowers).

The steppe species is very decorative and is widely used in ornamental gardening. Many gardeners in the northern regions grow this wonderful shrub on their backyards. The legume fruit is considered conditionally edible. But basically, this subspecies of almonds is grown for decorative purposes.

Decorative bean varieties:

White sail;
Anyuta;
Dream;
Pink flamingo;
Pink fog;
Mediator.

Georgian almonds

A distinctive feature of this species is a very limited growing area.

It grows only in the Caucasus. It grows in the form of a bush with numerous root processes. Outwardly, it resembles steppe almonds. The height of the bush reaches 1 meter. It blooms with bright pink flowers.

Ledebour

The birthplace of this plant - foothills of Altai... It has the shape of a bush. Reaches a height of one to two meters. Crown diameter up to one meter. The leaves are rather large, dark green in color. It blooms with pink flowers up to four centimeters in diameter. Fruiting reaches the age of 11 years. Blooms early, flowering duration 2-3 weeks.

Petunnikova

A small shrub, about a meter high. It grows mainly on the territory of Central Asia in the mountains of the Western Tien Shan. Blooms quite early at about three years of age. Petunnikov's almond flowers are pink, flowering begins in May and lasts two weeks. Fruiting occurs at about the age of five years. The fruits are small.

Three-lobed almond

An ornamental small tree or shrub. This plant is also called Luiseania. This type of almond can reach a height of two to five meters.

Its homeland is North China... Blooms in early May, blooms for a long time, about two weeks.

This is one of the most highly decorative almond species. During flowering, Luiseania is unmatched in its phenotype. Due to its unusually beautiful flowering, this species is rightfully considered the most decorative. Flowers in their shape can be simple and double. The color range of the three-lobed almond is also rich, it varies from light pink to crimson with a purple tint. The fruits are inedible. Like all types of almonds, it is very unpretentious to growing conditions.

This species has a lot of highly decorative varieties. The most popular varieties common in the middle lane are Plena and Kievskaya.

Luiseania Plena is a sprawling bush with pink, double flowers more than four centimeters in diameter, the flower consists of forty petals.

Luiseania Kievskaya is a bush over three meters high. The flowers can be either pink or dark pink, the diameter of the flower is about three and a half centimeters with twelve petals.

Features of landing in the Moscow region

In Moscow and the Moscow region, only two species are suitable for growing in the open field. it steppe almond, or bean, and three-lobed almond... It must be remembered that only decorative forms of this plant can be grown in this region of Russia. Common almonds, the fruits of which are eaten, are not grown in this climatic zone.

But the legume is widely represented in this region, due to its resistance to adverse conditions. It winters well and tolerates quite severe frosts. To increase the frost resistance of a plant in the Moscow region, it is grafted onto a blackthorn stock. Although this increases the cold resistance of the plant, it is still advisable to cover the stems for the winter.

Planting these ornamental shrubs is best done with annual seedlings, in late March or early November. It is necessary to add humus, sand and lime to the soil. And also planting can be done by seeds, root layers and grafts.

Almond tree care

To protect the shoots from freezing in the cold Moscow winters, need at the beginning of August remove apical buds from the shoots. This stimulates the rapid lignification of the branches, which significantly increases the frost resistance of the plant. Caring for almonds in this region consists in loosening the soil during the growing season, applying mineral fertilizers with potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen, in the second half of November. And also the introduction of organic fertilizing, as which you can use manure. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizers can be used.

During the flowering period, the plant needs abundant watering. Even in the suburbs of Moscow, you can get a small crop of bean berries, which are most often used to obtain almond oil or as a piquant spice for many dishes.

Luiseania blooms very beautifully and magnificently, therefore, in terms of its decorative qualities, it is significantly superior to bean. By right, it can be considered the most beautifully flowering plant in Moscow and the Moscow region. With proper care in the Moscow region, Luiziania reaches a height of up to two meters. Gardeners prefer to grow double-flowered forms. Flowering begins in the first half of May. At this time, the flowering bush is very similar to the cherry blossom.

Many paintings and poems have been written about how the almond tree blooms.

Undoubtedly, almonds are a plant that deserves much more attention from gardeners in the Moscow region, as this plant is unusually decorative. And whoever saw how wonderfully almonds bloom will definitely plant this culture at home.

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

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

A decorative tree looks beautiful in a 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 proper care and conditions for development, you can grow healthy decorative almonds, which will decorate 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 the almond is that it blooms 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 a popular herb 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.

This 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 almonds (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 the shrub is highly resistant to cold weather.

This allows you to grow almonds in the suburbs.

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 an 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 the most 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 a 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 in different colors. 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 - Great 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 the almond planting pit 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 crushed stone or gravel at the bottom of the hole.

In order for the 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.

The correct planting of almonds is as follows:

In the center of the hole, a support is dug in, the height of which should be 1-1.5 m.
Next, a mound of earth is built around it.
After that, the sapling is placed in such a way that the root collar is about 3-5 cm above the ground line.
Next, the pit is covered with fertile soil, carefully tamped.
Water the pit abundantly.
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

Almond seeds are sown 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.

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 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 pruning shears, leave only petioles 1 cm long. As for the time, it is possible to inoculate during the period of sap flow. It happens in spring or August.

Grafting process:

Dust and dirt are removed from the stock and rubbed with a damp cloth.
A T-shaped incision is made slightly above the root collar. For this, there is a special budding knife.
The neatly cut bark is pushed apart.
Cut off the scion from the scion.
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 flap too long.
After that, the cut edges of the bark are pressed against the flap and fixed with adhesive tape, plaster.

With the spring grafting, after 15 days, the petiole from the bud falls off by itself. If the vaccination was in August, then the 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. As a rule, this happens in the second year of development.

Layers

For reproduction by layering, it is necessary to dig a trench. Next, mark a long stem at 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 appearance 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 approximately every 20 days. In this case, you need to focus on weather conditions.

With prolonged droughts, watering can be increased, and in a rainy period, it can be 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, it can be fertilized 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:

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.
For 2 and 3 years, 3 tiers are formed at a distance of 20-30 cm.
Shoots that are considered insignificant for the crown are pinched. You need to do this all summer.
The rest of the shoots are cut to 50 cm.
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 "a beautiful tree". And it really is. The almond blossoms are simply impressive.

At this time, a huge number of flowers are formed on a 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 a 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 suffer from 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:

Before buds appear in the spring, trees need to be treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid.
Re-processing must be done after the foliage has fallen off.
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 nucleus.

The almonds are removed only after the green outer shell darkens and becomes easily separated from the kernel.

Preparing for winter and hibernation

To protect the almonds from freezing, it must be prepared in the winter. 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 back 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 would be low almonds (steppe, bean).

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

We recommend to know:

For a long period of time, three-bladed luizeania was called three-bladed almonds. The second name was terry plum. And only then the scientists allocated this plant to the separate genus Louiseania. To this day, they continue to import this plant from nurseries located in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic. So, luizeaniya terry almonds in the Moscow region three-bladed - care, reproduction, shelter, photo - we are considering today.

Terry almonds, in the suburbs, is it necessary to shelter for the winter

You should not pay attention to the fact that the plant is of southern origin. Almonds without needing additional insulation. Its flowering begins in the first half of May, before the leaves dissolve. You can admire the beautiful flowers of pink, dark pink or crimson shades for no more than two weeks - this is exactly how much the plant blooms with miniature roses. It happens that recurrent frosts damage them, but this is not scary. Blooming almonds look good in the cut, they stand for a long time in a bouquet.

Planting rules: terry almond three-lobed

The plant has no special requirements for. But you shouldn't take risks trying to grow almonds in heavy clay areas or places where groundwater is very close to the surface. Before planting in the soil, it is recommended to bring it under digging.

The plant loves well-lit places, light partial shade is allowed. The planted almonds must be protected from the winds. On the garden bed, a twenty centimeter drainage from gravel or broken brick is obligatory arranged, a layer of sand of five centimeters is poured on top.

It is carried out at intervals from half a meter to one and a half. In this case, the root collar should be located slightly above the soil level. The mixture for planting is made up of three parts of leafy earth, two parts of humus and one part of sand. Three hundred grams of lime is added to each planting hole. Planting ends with mulching with earth or peat.

Luiseania necessary care, photo

The plant loves regular feeding. a kilo of mullein, ten grams of urea, twenty - saltpeter are added to a bucket of water. In the fall, twenty grams of double superphosphate is added to each square of the site.
Watering is recommended in moderation. On sandy areas, it can be done more often. An important condition is not to soak the root collar. It is recommended to pour from seven to ten liters of water per plant.
It is useful to loosen, weed out weeds. Almonds perfectly tolerate pruning, quickly recovering due to young growth.

Plant propagation

This happens in a seed way or. It is allowed to plant almonds on plums, thorns, and even bird cherry. Subsequently, it is necessary to cut out all wild sprouts that form below the inoculation site.

Luiseania is damaged by leafworm caterpillars. They are advised to spray with chlorophos. Plum moth is etched with karbofos, processing it several times. Aphid raids are prevented with a solution of laundry soap, infusion of tobacco, potato tops. To, it is advised to whitewash the stem with a solution of lime and clay, adding a little wood glue to it.

In case of diseases with gray rot, the damaged branches are cut off. The procedure is performed twice - after flowering or in winter. The appeared rust is treated with preparations based on colloidal or ground sulfur.

Almonds and. It helps with asthma, ulcers and pleurisy, improves vision. With its help, the stomach is treated. Great for growing. Plant almonds on the site, and you will not regret it at all.

The almond tree reaches a height of 4-6 meters, and the shrub 2-3 meters. The rhizome consists of 3-5 skeletal roots, which are able to penetrate deep into the soil, thereby protecting against drying out.

The plant is quite branchy, while it consists of two types of shoots, which include shortened generative and elongated vegetative ones.

Dark green leaves are attached to brown petioles and have a lanceolate shape with a pointed top.

An interesting feature of the almond is that it begins to bloom in March or April, much earlier than the time the leaves bloom.

The flowers of such a plant consist of 5 petals painted in white or light pink. On average, the diameter of one flower is 2.5 centimeters.

The almond fruit is a dry and velvety drupe with a leathery and fleshy green pericarp.

After drying, the pulp is very easily separated from the oval-shaped edible bone and is 2.5 - 4 centimeters long. It is characterized by the presence of a large number of furrows.

The first fruiting occurs at 4-5 years of life of the tree, but in full force it manifests itself only at 10-12 years. With good care, the shrub bears fruit for 30-50 years.

In addition to obtaining fruits, almonds are also grown for decorative purposes. The pink or white foam of the flowers of this tree not only decorate the garden in early spring, but also exude a unique aroma.

Almonds bloom in March-April with white or light pink flowers

Almonds are a plant that needs to be pollinated beforehand. There are two types of trees:

the first ones need cross-pollination, therefore, at least 3 pollinators are planted next to the fruiting almonds, the flowering time of which must coincide;
the latter are pollinated with the help of bees, so it is desirable that 2-3 hives stand next to the plant.

Initially, it was believed that almonds can only be grown in the southern regions, but with the development of scientific technology, breeders have developed varieties that, with proper shelter, can survive even the most severe winter.

Varieties

Sweet varieties of almonds are grown in the culture, the following types are especially popular:

Jubilee - the variety blooms rather late, has good drought resistance. The skin is of medium thickness and the kernel is sweet, firm and dry;
Ayudagsky - this variety is late-ripening and early-ripening, the first fruiting occurs already at the 3rd year of the tree's life. Fruits, covered with a soft shell, are a dense, slightly flattened oval core of light brown color;
Sevastopol - such an almond boasts excellent resistance to heat and drought, in addition, it brings a huge amount of harvest. The shell of the fruit is soft, and the kernels themselves are dense, sweet, colored in white;
Mangul - This late-ripening variety is not afraid of drought. Hard and dense kernels with increased oiliness are covered with a soft shell. A distinctive feature will be good immunity to most diseases and pests;
Dessert - such a self-fertile almond is well suited for growing in central Russia, because it is not afraid of recurrent frosts and frostbite of flower buds. The shell is soft and rough. The oval kernels are very sweet and oily. Primorsky or Spicy almonds are usually used as pollinators for this variety.

Rules for planting an almond tree in open ground

It is best to grow almonds from annual seedlings that are placed outdoors in early March or late November.

As a place for planting plants, they choose a sunny area, protected from drafts and gusty winds, and almonds can also grow well in partial shade.

Trees planted in the fall are believed to thrive better than those transferred to open ground in the spring.

Before planting a plant, you need to prepare a hole. In the fall, two weeks before planting, pits are dug, the diameter and depth of which will be 50-70 centimeters.

If almonds are planted in groups, then the distance between individual trees should be 3-4 meters, and between rows 5-6 meters.

Best to grow almonds from annual seedlings, plant in March or November

A drainage layer consisting of crushed stone or gravel is laid at the bottom of each pit. Then a fertile soil is placed in them, consisting of the following elements:

1 part sand;
2 parts of humus;
3 pieces of leafy land;
5-6 kilograms of rotted manure or humus;
500 grams of superphosphate;
in the presence of acidic soil, 200-300 grams of dolomite flour or lime is additionally introduced into it.

After the pit is infused enough, you can start planting a tree:

initially, a support with a height of 1-1.5 meters is dug in the center of the pit;
then a hill of earth is built around it;
the seedling is placed on a mound in such a way that the root collar is 3-5 centimeters above the ground;
at the next stage, the pit is covered with fertile soil, tamped and carefully watered;
as soon as the water is completely absorbed, the seedling is tied to a support and the soil is mulched with a 3-5 cm layer of peat or dry leaves.

When carrying out spring planting, the pit is also prepared in the autumn.

How to plant almonds correctly:

Almond care

Almond care consists of several standard procedures that must be followed when growing almost all fruit trees.

For the best fruiting, almonds need regular watering. Young plants are watered every 2 weeks, and adults 1 every 20-25 days.

Loosening the trunk circle has a beneficial effect on the growth of the tree. The first time such work is carried out at the end of March to a depth of 10-12 centimeters.

Then, during the entire growing season, another 3-4 loosening is carried out, but already to a depth of 6-8 centimeters. It is also necessary to remove weeds in a timely manner.

Almonds are very responsive to fertilizing. Starting from the 2nd year of life in late April-early May, 20 grams of ammonium nitrate or urea diluted in water are introduced into the trunk circle of each tree.

In autumn, the following mixture is introduced into the near-trunk circle for digging:

1 kilogram of manure;
20 grams of potassium sulfide;
40 grams of superphosphate.

For the first 5-7 years of the life of trees in the aisles, it is recommended to grow green manure.

In Siberia, legumes, steppe, low or Russian almonds can be grown without shelter. In the central strip, three-lobed almonds grow well.

Caring for almonds consists in regular watering, loosening the trunk circle, feeding

Pruning

In early spring, before bud break, all frozen, broken, diseased or deforming branches must be removed.

After the end of flowering, you can proceed to formative pruning, during which 3 tiers of skeletal branches are removed:

in the first year, three branches are chosen, located 15-20 centimeters from each other and shortened to a length equal to 15 centimeters;
the next 2-3 years, 3 tiers are formed on the central conductor, located at a distance of 20-30 centimeters;
shoots that are insignificant for the formation of the crown are pinched several times over the summer;
the rest are cut to 50-60 centimeters;
at the end of the work, the central conductor is shortened so that the distance between it and the upper tier is 55-60 centimeters.

In the fall, after the leaves fall off, sanitary and anti-aging pruning is carried out. That is, they remove all dry, diseased, broken, growing in the wrong direction and thickening the crown of the branches.

It is worth remembering that when cutting thick branches, the cut site must be processed with garden varnish.

Almonds are pruned in the spring, after flowering ends and in the fall, after the leaves fall

Diseases and pests

Most often, the following types of diseases are found on almonds:

Cercosporosis - initially brown spots with a diameter of 2-4 millimeters appear on the leaves, on which you can see a gray bloom. Then the center of the leaf dries up and falls off.
Scab is a fungal disease that affects the leaves, flowers, and shoots of a tree.
Rust - red spots appear on the upper side of the leaf, and brown pads appear on the inner side. Over time, the leaves dry and fall off.
Hole spot - the disease affects all parts of the tree. It can be found on the leaves, because characteristic spots of red shades with a dark border around the edges appear on them.
Gray rot - brown spots and gray fluffy bloom appear on the shoots.

To get rid of diseases, it is necessary to remove and burn the damaged parts of the plants and carry out the treatment with fugnicides according to the instructions. The most popular drugs are Horus, Topaz, Champion and Oxyhom.

Among the pests on almonds, you can find insects such as seed eaters, aphids, leaf rollers or spider mites.

Aphids on the leaves of an almond tree

As a pest control, trees must be treated with insecticides, which include Actellik, Fufanon, Tagore.

Biotlin or Antitlin are used against aphids. You can get rid of a spider mite with the help of Apollo, Agravertin or Fitoverm preparations.

As you know, it is much better to prevent the occurrence of any trouble than to cure it, therefore, preventive measures will be extremely effective:

in early spring, before the formation of buds, the tree and the soil around it are treated with 1 percent solution of Brodsky's liquid;
after the end of the leaf fall, the treatment should be repeated;
the best preventive measure will be adherence to cultivation agrotechnics. This includes proper watering, weed removal, and sanitary pruning.

The almonds are removed only after the green outer shell darkens and becomes easily separated from the kernel.

The use of a flowering tree in landscape design

Almonds have a very beautiful and unusual flowering, for which they are very often planted for decorative purposes. Early flowers can only decorate a waking garden and create a spring mood.

In addition, a well-formed crown will help to use such trees to create an alley or simply as shade for resting places.

The almond tree is an amazing flowering plant that, in modern conditions, can be grown anywhere in the country. If all the recommendations are followed correctly, you can get very tasty bone fruits.

Almond is a shrub or tree. Such a plant belongs to the subgenus of almonds of the genus plum of the pink family. It is very often mistaken for a nut, although it is actually a stone fruit. Almonds grew in Central Asia and the Mediterranean for several centuries BC. Today it can be found in California, Czech Republic, China, Slovakia, as well as South Moravia. This light-loving plant is highly drought tolerant. Under natural conditions, such a culture prefers to grow in small groups (several pieces of bushes or trees) at an altitude of 800-1600 meters above sea level. In Russia, common almonds are grown in the southern zone of the European part. In the middle latitudes, steppe almonds, or bean, or low almonds, or tender plums are cultivated. This type of such a plant has not only valuable fruits, but also very beautiful leaves and flowers. At the same time, the three-lobed almond is considered the most decorative species in such a culture; it is usually cultivated as an ornamental plant. Below it will be described in detail how to plant and grow an ornamental almond shrub.

Features of decorative almonds

Almonds, which are an ornamental shrub, can grow in height from 250 to 300 centimeters. There is nothing difficult in growing such a shrub; even a novice gardener can cope with this. It is one of the most valuable ornamental crops. There are varieties that grow on a trunk, outwardly this shrub is similar to an almond tree, it has leathery lanceolate leaf plates of a dark green color with a serrated edge, a compact crown has a spherical shape. The flowering of decorative almonds can only be seen 4 or 5 years after it is planted in the garden. Double or simple very showy flowers with many stamens and petals can be painted white or pink. Flowering, as a rule, lasts about 20 days, while the bush seems to be shrouded in flowers, like an air cloud. It is enough to see such a shrub in bloom once to remember this wonderful sight for a lifetime. Leaf blades tend to grow back after flowering ends. Ornamental almonds cannot have fruits, but they are just as incredibly beautiful. The fruit is a three-lobed suede pericarp, which has a rounded shape, inside it has a bone that is very easy to separate.

This plant is very closely related to such fruit crops as: cherry, bird cherry, cherry plum, nectarine, sakura, plum, sweet cherry, apricot, peach and blackthorn. And it is also related to the apple tree, dog rose, hawthorn, mountain ash, pear, quince, rose and chokeberry.

Ornamental almonds are not picky about growing conditions, are highly resistant to drought and are considered a very valuable honey plant. If the shrub is well looked after, then it can live for 100 years or even more. Ornamental almonds differ from ordinary almonds (cultivated in most cases only for the sake of fruits) in that they have a very high frost resistance and grow well in mid-latitudes. That is why almonds are no longer a rarity in Siberia.

Planting almonds

What time to plant almonds

It is recommended to plant decorative almonds in the autumn after the leaf fall is over. It can also be carried out at the beginning of spring, after the night frosts have passed and warm weather has been established. It should be borne in mind that the autumn planting for such a plant is more preferable.

Saline or acidic soil is not suitable for cultivating this shrub, a suitable soil pH should be between 4.5 and 7.5. You should also choose an area where the groundwater is not close to the soil surface. For growing this shrub, it is recommended to choose a site with light sandy loam or loamy soil saturated with nutrients. At the same time, in clayey heavy soil, almonds will quickly die. This shrub needs a lot of sunlight and air, therefore it is recommended to plant it in the south side of the garden plot. The place where the plant will be planted can be illuminated by the sun all day, or it will be covered by the shade from nearby trees for no more than three hours.

How to plant

Ornamental almonds need cross-pollination, therefore it is recommended to plant several bushes of this beautiful plant at once. Mostly bees are involved in pollination of almonds, in this regard, it will be simply excellent if a small apiary is located not very far from these shrubs.

From the area where the almonds will be planted, it is necessary to remove all plants that can cast a relatively large shadow. At the same time, it is not necessary to remove stones, because in natural conditions this shrub prefers to grow on rocky slopes. The depth of the landing hole should be at least 30 centimeters. In this case, the distance between the specimens should be from 3 to 5 meters, and the row spacing should be about 5 meters. Make a drainage layer at the bottom of the planting hole, for this it is recommended to use crushed stone or broken brick, and a layer of sand is laid on top of it. Then, in the middle of the bottom of the pit, you need to drive a long pole, which will support the seedling, while it is necessary that it rise above the surface of the site by at least 50 centimeters.

Directly planting a bush should be done very early in the morning or after 4 pm. Before proceeding with the planting of annual seedlings, their root system must be immersed for a while in a clay talker. Then they are lowered into the planting holes and covered with a soil mixture consisting of an upper nutrient layer of soil, sand and humus, while the root neck of the plant must necessarily rise above the surface of the site by a couple of centimeters. In the event that the soil is acidic, it will need to be mixed with a small amount of dolomite flour or lime. Upon completion of planting, the soil will need to be tamped well, and the plants should be watered (for 1 bush from 10 to 15 liters of water). After the liquid is completely absorbed, and the earth settles at the same time, it will be necessary to tie the bush to the previously installed support, and also cover the near-trunk circle with a layer of mulch (peat or dry earth). It is necessary to make sure that the root collar, which after watering should be flush with the surface of the site, is free of mulch.

Care features

Planting and growing almonds is easy enough and will not pose any particular problems for the gardener. You need to take care of it in the same way as for the rest of the ornamental shrubs, namely: water, weed, cut, loosen the soil, feed, treat diseases and harmful insects on time.

Water the almonds so that the surface of the trunk circle never dries out. However, it should be borne in mind that stagnant water in the soil can cause rot formation on the root collar of the shrub. Watering is carried out approximately 1 time in 7 days, while the soil should dry out a couple of centimeters in depth. 10 liters of water are poured under 1 bush. Experienced gardeners recommend, after each watering, to loosen the soil surface around adult bushes from 8 to 10 centimeters in depth, and around young ones - from 5 to 7 centimeters. Weeding should also be done during loosening.

In order for the plant to grow and develop normally, it needs feeding. In spring, it is recommended to sprinkle the trunk circle with mulch, but instead of peat, take mullein or manure. A short time later, under each shrub, it will be necessary to pour out a nutrient solution consisting of 10 liters of water, 20 grams of ammonium nitrate and 10 grams of urea. In autumn, for each square meter of the site, it will be necessary to add 20 grams of double superphosphate and the same amount of potassium sulfate.

Almond pruning

Ornamental shrub almonds need timely pruning. Spring pruning should be carried out before sap flow begins, while all injured, frost-bitten, dried, thickening crown and disease-damaged branches and shoots should be removed. It happens that one of the branches interferes with the normal growth of the other, they are called competing. In this case, the strongest and most well-located branch is chosen, and the second is cut off. After the almonds have bloomed, formative pruning is performed. Cutting does not harm this plant, on the contrary, if you cut off the faded stems in a timely manner, then next year the almonds will bloom even more magnificently.

After the bush turns 7 years old, it will be necessary to remove those branches that have become very old. They can be replaced by root suckers, which grow after the bush turns 3 years old.

How almonds bloom

There are sources that claim that the name almond comes from the word amygdalos, which is translated from ancient Greek as "beautiful tree". Many consider this version to be true, since blooming almonds look just bewitchingly beautiful. There are so many flowers that they stick around the whole plant. Their color can be red, pink, white or purple. Those who love painting have probably seen the painting "Blooming Almond Branches" by Vincent van Gogh.

If the region has a rather warm and mild climate, then almonds begin to bloom in the last days of January, and ends in March. In middle latitudes, flowering begins in the last days of April or the first days of May and lasts for about half a month. At this time, the shrub must receive the required amount of water, otherwise the flowering will not be so long.

Diseases and pests

Almonds are susceptible to diseases such as: moniliosis, scab, clotterosporia, gray rot and rust. And from pests, aphids, almond seed-eaters, spider mites and leaf rollers can settle on it. Fungal diseases can be dealt with with fungicides, for example: Skorom, Cuproxat, Topaz, Fundazol. They get rid of pests with the help of insecticides: Calypso, Zolon, Actellik or Fufanon. And if a spider mite has settled on a bush, then it should be treated with Akarin, Kleschevite or Agravertin.

However, it should be remembered that if you take care of this ornamental shrub correctly, then you will very rarely have problems with it.

Wintering

Preparing for winter

For wintering, this shrub must begin to prepare in the summer. So, for this, the tops of the stems are pricked, due to which they lignify much faster, and the almonds do not freeze in winter. Young seedlings must be covered in autumn with dried foliage, straw or lutrasil, to a height of 15 centimeters from the ground surface. It is necessary to ensure that the root collar, which is under a layer of snow, does not begin to rot. Adult specimens do not need shelter for the winter. If part of the stems freezes, then the shrub in the spring is restored in a short time.

Wintering in the suburbs and Moscow

In Moscow and the Moscow region, it is recommended to grow such types of almonds as: low (steppe), Georgian, three-lobed and Ledebour almonds. These shrubs may suffer a little during the wintering period from severe frost, but they recover very quickly and bloom incredibly abundantly. You need to plant and care for almonds in the same way as they do in the middle lane (described above).

Almond propagation

Varietal almonds can only be propagated by layering, grafting and shoots, and species almonds can also be propagated by seeds. Some gardeners grow rootstocks on their own, and then they are grafted with varietal cuttings.

Growing almonds from seeds

Seeds are sown in open ground, and this can be done in spring or autumn. It should be noted that before you start sowing in the spring, the seeds should be prepared, for this they are placed in the refrigerator on a vegetable shelf for four months. Make grooves in the soil, the depth of which should be from 8 to 10 centimeters, while keeping a distance of 10 to 12 centimeters between the seeds. The gap between the grooves should be 50 centimeters. The almond seedlings that appear need care, which consists in timely watering, weeding and loosening the soil surface. In summer, when the seedling reaches half a meter in height, and the thickness of its stem is 10 mm, all its branches that grow up to 10 centimeters from the root collar must be cut into a ring. Then the plants are transplanted to a permanent place. As soon as they get sick, it will be possible to start grafting varietal cuttings on them.

Almond grafting

Rootstocks of any of the species of this plant are suitable for grafting, but it is recommended to take those of them that are highly frost-resistant. Almonds grow well on rootstocks of cherry plum, bird cherry, blackthorn or plum. A suitable graft must be straight, have well-developed stems with eyes that must be fully formed. All foliage should be removed from the cutting with a pruner, only short centimeter-long petioles should be left.

This shrub can be propagated by grafting only at a time when sap flow is observed, namely: in spring or in August. The rootstock, which should grow in open ground, should be gently wiped with a damp cloth, thereby removing dust and dirt from it. Then, slightly above the root collar, a T-shaped incision must be made using an eyepiece knife. And then gently turn the incised bark to the sides. A scute should be cut off from the scion, which is a strip of bark with a bud and a thin layer of wood. It should be noted that the flap should fit entirely into the T-cut you made earlier, so you do not need to make it too long. When the flap is inserted, press the edges of the bark that were previously unfolded. To fix the shield, you can use an eyepiece tape, tape or a plaster, while it is enough to make just a few turns around the stem. At the same time, remember that the kidney with the remainder of the petiole should not be closed.

If the vaccination was carried out in the spring, then after half a month the petiole from the kidney, which should still be green, should fall off by itself, while the eyepiece tape should be slightly loosened. In the event that the grafting was carried out in August, then the tape should not be removed until the next autumn period, while in late autumn the grafted seedling must be spud with soil (the grafting site must be covered with earth). With the onset of the spring period, it is necessary to remove the soil so that the root collar is free, and the fixing tape is also removed.

Cuttings

Planting material for cuttings should be prepared from mid to late June. For this, semi-lignified apical cuttings are cut, on which there should be 2 nodes, their length varies from 15 to 20 centimeters. Then the cuttings must be immersed in a growth stimulating agent for 16 hours. They should be rooted in a cold greenhouse. For planting, a soil mixture consisting of peat and sand (2: 1) is used. Cuttings will take root completely after 20-30 days. According to statistics, 85-100 percent of cuttings take root. When roots appear, the cuttings will need to be transplanted into a training bed for growing.

How to propagate by growth

In order to provoke active growth of the growth around the shrub, a strong pruning should be done. The separated offspring must have a fully formed root system, and this will only happen in the second year. The offspring transplanted to a permanent place must be looked after in the same way as a one-year-old seedling.

How to propagate by layering

It is necessary to bend flexible stems to the soil surface, fix them with metal studs, and then sprinkle with earth. During that time, while the root system is forming at the cuttings, they should be provided with timely watering, weeding and loosening of the soil surface. It will be possible to separate the layers and put it in a permanent place only after 12 months. During this time, the root system should be fully formed.

Types and varieties of almonds with photos

Common almonds

This species is grown as a fruit plant. It is divided into sweet almonds, which are cultivated by many gardeners and does not contain any harmful substances in their fruits, as well as wild almonds (bitter) - in its cores there is hydrocyanic acid. A large number of sweet almond varieties are very popular among gardeners and are also grown on an industrial scale. This type of almond is not decorative, but its fruit has a high medicinal and nutritional value.

Low almond, or steppe, or bean

The height of this deciduous shrub can be up to 150 centimeters. Its lush crown has a spherical shape, the bark on upright branches is gray-reddish. The length of leathery narrow lanceolate leaf plates is about 6 centimeters. Their front surface is dark green, and the back is pale green. Single flowers have a deep pink color. It blooms for 1–1.5 weeks. The fruit of such a shrub can be eaten. This type is very popular among gardeners in the middle lane. This species has 2 forms, namely: white-flowered and Gessler. Gessler's almond is smaller than the original species, but its deep pink flowers are somewhat larger. In the middle lane, the following varieties are most popular:

White sail. White flowers of a centimeter diameter densely cover the branches of the plant.
Anyuta. The deep pink flowers have a diameter of about 2.5 centimeters.
Dream. The diameter of the light pink flowers is about 2.5 centimeters.
Pink flamingo. The diameter of the double pink flowers reaches 1 centimeter.
Pink fog. Quite large deep pink flowers have a diameter of about 2.5 centimeters.
Mediator. This variety was created by Michurin. In height, such a tree reaches, as a rule, 200 centimeters, its large flowers are light pink in color. The plant is highly frost-resistant.

Georgian almonds

This Caucasian endem prefers to grow on forest edges, elephants, and also in hollows. The bush reaches a height of about 100 centimeters, outwardly it bears great resemblance to low almonds, but its leaf plates are not so small and reach about 8 centimeters in length, and the bristly rich pink flowers are larger. This species is especially often used by breeders in their work, and it can also be grown in the conditions of the Moscow region, since it is quite frost-resistant.

Almond Ledebour

In natural conditions, it can be found in the foothills of Altai, while this species can form dense thickets. Large leaf plates are dark green in color. Flowering begins earlier than in other species and lasts 15–20 days. The flowers are pink. The most famous variety is Fire Hill, its pink-red flowers can reach 30 mm in diameter.

Almond Petunnikov

This species is endemic to Central Asia. The height of this shrub reaches 100 centimeters, the branches are spread out or erect, covered with brown-gray bark. Shoots are pale yellow. Lanceolate or linear leaf plates have a pointed top and a blunt-serrated edge. Single pink flowers.

Three-lobed almond

This shrub has a spreading crown, and in height it can reach 300 centimeters. Three-bladed sheet plates with a coarse toothed edge have a very fuzzy back surface during opening. In diameter, the flowers reach 1.5 centimeters, on the stems they are located in pairs, can be painted in different colors. There are 2 decorative shapes:

Captivity. The diameter of the double pink flowers is from 3 to 4 centimeters. Flowering begins after leaf plates appear, which reduces the decorative effect of the plant itself.
Kievskaya. In height, the bush can reach 350 centimeters, the flowering is very lush. The double pink flowers range in diameter from 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters. The leaves appear later than the opening of the flowers, due to which the plant has high decorative qualities.

This species has a large number of hybrids and varieties that differ not only in color and size of flowers, but also in the period of flowering, for example:

Svitlana. This variety was created by breeders from Ukraine. The flowers are very light.
Tanyusha. The diameter of the double flowers is from 25 to 35 mm, the petals are swirling.
Snows of Uimura. Terry large enough flowers have a light pink color, which, after the plant begins to fade, changes to cream.
In memory of Makhmet. The color of the double flowers is flesh-pink.
Chinese. The flowers are simple, pale pink.
Ruslana. This variety is hybrid. The color of simple flowers is flesh, and when the plant begins to fade, it changes to almost white.
Hybrid No. 3. Large double light pink flowers are placed on long peduncles. The flowering of this plant is similar to sakura.

How almonds are grown

Growing almonds in a summer cottage allows not only to decorate the backyard territory, but also to collect useful fruits in the future. Almonds grow as a shrub or tree with reddish branches. The height of trees can reach 7 meters, which must be taken into account in the process of choosing its location.

Planting and caring for almonds

For planting almonds in the Moscow region, sandy loam or loamy soil is best. On chernozem and excessively clayey soil, this crop grows rather poorly and gives a small yield. Almonds are planted in a sunny area or in partial shade. The landing site must be protected from strong gusts of wind.

Watering

Watering will depend on the composition of the soil where the crop is located. By and large, almonds are drought tolerant and can be planted in areas where groundwater is far from the surface.

However, it should be noted that almonds are also good for watering. Therefore, when planting on sandy soil, the tree will require careful watering. And on loamy and clay soil, watering should be moderate. If the plant receives insufficient moisture, then the flowering time decreases, and with abundant watering, the root system begins to rot.

Lure

The tree spends a lot of energy on the growth and formation of fruits. Therefore, in the spring, almonds are fed with superphosphate, saltpeter, humus and other additives. Immediately after planting near the tree, mulching is carried out with peat, but this must be done very carefully, without filling the root system. The soil must be loose all the time, it is necessary to monitor and remove weeds in a timely manner.

One of the mandatory procedures is pruning. In the spring, dead, painful and dry branches are cut off. At the beginning of autumn, the apical buds are cut off. So the shoots will not freeze in winter. In winter, the bush is covered with lukrasil.

Reproduction

During cultivation, almonds can be propagated by seed or vegetative propagation. The majority of almond varieties are propagated using seeds. They are sown in the spring, but must be stratified before sowing. It lasts for 3-4 months with a temperature of + 1-4 ° C. When the seedlings grow up to 35 cm, they are transferred to a previously prepared place. After 2 years, the tree gives the first inflorescences.

In the process of propagation by the vegetative method, offshoots and layering, green and root cuttings are used. Green cuttings are cut from the upper branches and impregnated with a growth activator. This takes 15 hours. After the cutting is rooted, for which they equip a cold greenhouse. For planting cuttings, a soil is prepared from sand and peat (equal shares). After 4 weeks, the cuttings will be ready for transplanting to the desired location.

Diseases and pests: ways to control

Since almonds are a flowering crop, they are often eaten by aphids. From the invasion of the pest, the growth of the bush is inhibited, leaves and buds are damaged. And the released adhesive contributes to the formation of mold. In the fight against this scourge, the method of spraying the plant with pesticides is used.

During the flowering of the tree, there is a huge risk of being hit by caterpillars. In a short time, the caterpillar is capable of destroying almost all foliage. To combat it, an insecticidal soap is used.

Other pests are bark beetle, moth, leafworm. Almonds are susceptible to diseases such as rust, monilial burn, and black mold.

The positive properties of almonds

Almonds have long been used as a medicinal tree. It contains many substances that help strengthen bones. The seeds contain oil, sugar, various minerals and proteins. This nut is used for poor digestion, liver diseases.

Thanks to almonds, the brain is strengthened, cuts heal, and vision is sharpened. The nut has pronounced strengthening and anti-inflammatory qualities. It cleanses the intestines and stomach.

Butter is produced from the nut by pressing sweet and sour almonds. This product perfectly strengthens nails and body hair. Almond oil has excellent nourishing and emollient properties. Also, the positive qualities of this nut are used for sprains, herpes, burns and skin injuries.