Planting Almond Trees

Almond Trees Planting, Spacing and Number of Almond Trees per hectare and acre

Planting of young almond trees in the field can take place during winter (before blossoming).

Before planting, we have to label the tree positions in the field. In general, almond trees are planted in rectangular or hexagonal patterns. The young almond trees are normally not planted in less than 18 feet (5,5 meters) distance between them, especially when the soil is fertile enough. If they are planted in less than 18 feet distances, after a few years, the overcrowding and the mutual shadowing of trees will decrease the quantity and quality of production and will make harvesting and pruning more difficult. (However, there are innovative methods suggesting 4 X 4 feet (1,2 X 1,2 meters) distances, but with a very short life expectancy of the trees). Typical distances are 20 X 20 feet (6 X 6 meters), 23 X 23 feet (7×7 meters) and 18 X 18 feet (5,5 X 5,5 meters). 20 X 20 feet distances result in 109 trees per acre, or 270 trees per hectare, while 18 X 18 feet distances result in 134 trees per acre or 330 trees per hectare. (1 hectare = 2,47 acres = 10.000 square meters). Keep in mind that commercial almond growers plant one row of trees of the pollinating variety for every three rows of the main variety, so as to ensure cross pollination, which is necessary for the fruit set. This also facilitates the harvesting and sorting of each variety, as they collect and sort each variety of almonds by harvesting the corresponding row.

We then have to dig and open the holes. The holes have typically dimensions 1,5 X 1,5 feet (45 X 45 cm) and a depth of 2 feet (60 cm). Keep in mind that the young almond trees are often planted without the nursery’s soil ball. The seedlings are often planted at roughly the same depth, as they were planted in the nursery, and then we have to put plenty of surface soil to the base of the root system of seedlings. When adding the soil, we have to press it gently, until the complete filling of the pits, so as to avoid causing damage to the young and sensitive root system. Planting is followed by the watering of seedlings. Many almond farmers then add a small amount of manure around the seedling base. They do this in order to prevent the germination of weeds’ seeds and to maintain adequate soil moisture. In some countries, almond growers place a special weed-preventing mat around the base of the newly planted almond tree and they cover its trunk with a special white cover in order to avoid sunburn (ask a local licensed agronomist).

You can enrich this article by leaving a comment or photo of your almond orchard tree spacing, plant population and planting methods.

1.) Almond Tree Info & Uses

2.) How to grow an Almond Tree from seed

3.) Growing Almond Trees for Profit

4.) Almond Tree Climate Requirements

5.) Almond Tree Soil Requirements & Preparation

6.) Almond Tree Propagation

7.) Almond Tree Pollination

8.) Planting Almond Trees – Number of Almonds Trees per hectare and acre

9.) Almond Tree Pruning

10.) Almond Tree Water Requirements

11.) Almond Tree Fertilization

12.) Almond Tree Harvest & Yield

13.) Almond Tree Pests and Diseases

14.) Q&As Almond Tree

15.) Bulk Almonds for Sale 

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