The almond plant (Prunus dulcis) is a small tree or shrub of the Almond subgenus of the genus Plum of the Pink family. This is a very beautiful ornamental shrub that has long been loved by flower growers. An important argument in favor of growing almond shrubs can be the fact that this plant is perennial and is able to delight the owner with its beautiful flowering appearance for almost 100 years.
Description of the almond plant
The almond shrub is a valuable ornamental plant. It is popular with florists and landscape designers for a number of reasons. First, almonds are unpretentious and drought-resistant. Secondly, the shrub has a beautiful spherical crown, which always looks neat and attractive. Thirdly, it blooms profusely for 3 weeks. The flowers are very beautiful, they are pink or white with a lot of petals. Fourthly, the leaves of the steppe almond are also decorative. After flowering, dark green leathery leaves appear on it. Their edges are serrate, lanceolate. In addition, after the flowers have fallen, fruits appear in their place. They are inedible, but have a beautiful decorative appearance.
Planting almonds outdoors
Location
Like all southern plants, the leguminous plant prefers sunny places to grow. In order for the shrub to feel comfortable enough and please with its well-groomed appearance, it should be planted in a quiet, windless place. For seedlings, you need to install a support pole.
Planting almonds is best in the fall, when the leaves have already crumbled. It is possible in the spring, but always after the threat of frost has disappeared. You can land in the morning or in the evening.
For plants to be pollinated, it is necessary to grow several shrubs in the same area. It is great if there are hives nearby: steppe almonds are an excellent honey plant.
The soil
As for the soil that suits the low almonds, it is better to make it yourself. To do this, you need to take leafy earth, humus and sand in a ratio of 3: 2: 1. If the acidity of the soil is high, then it is worth adding a little lime or dolomite flour.
Then you should dig a hole and pour drainage on the bottom. Broken brick, crushed stone or medium-sized stones can be used as drainage material. The drainage should be 20-30 cm. Sand (5-10 cm) should be poured onto it, and then the prepared soil should be poured. The root collar of the seedling should be just above the soil level.
The distance between shrubs should be at least 1 meter. Bobovnik grows well and will shade nearby bushes.
Caring for almonds in the garden
Watering
The most important thing is not to flood the plant. Almonds do not like abundant watering. It is easier for him to tolerate drought than excess moisture. It is necessary to water the shrub only when the topsoil is dry 1.5-2 cm deep.You can pour 10 liters of water on an adult bush, and 3-5 liters will be enough for a young plant. Depending on the weather, watering will have to be done about once a week. Watering should be done carefully so as not to flood the root collar.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Steppe almonds respond positively to regular feeding and with all their appearance shows that they have enough nutrients. In the spring, you can add up to 10 kg of mullein and 30 g of mineral fertilizer. All this must be diluted with water, and then water the bush. In autumn, add double superphosphate (20 g per plant).
Weed control
It is worth wiping almonds carefully: loosen the soil no deeper than 5 cm so as not to damage the roots. It is best to mulch the soil around the plant with peat after planting the seedling. Then the weeds will not grow so quickly. An adult bush does not need frequent weeding, because its branches drown out the vegetation underneath.
Pruning
Pruning in autumn or spring: remove dry and diseased branches. In spring, when almonds are in bloom, branches can be cut to create wonderful bouquets. This will remove unnecessary branches.
Formative pruning is carried out after the flowers have fallen off. Almonds tolerate such intervention well and bloom even more abundantly the next year.
Steppe almond is a long-liver. It has been growing for a century. Old branches die off, and young root shoots take their place. They begin to appear in a plant from the third year of life. Such a stem lives for seven years, and then it must be removed. Leave young shoots instead. So the bush is constantly updated and looks great.
Bloom
Low almonds please flower growers with abundant and very beautiful flowering. Flowers begin to appear on the shrub even before the leaves bloom. Thus, almonds are completely covered with flowers alone, like a delicate airy cloud. Flowers can be white, pink, burgundy or purple, depending on the plant variety. Although almonds bloom for no more than three weeks, it is worth it to grow a beautiful shrub on the site.
Almonds need sufficient watering during flowering. If the plant dries up, it will end flowering prematurely.
Preparing for winter
To help the plant through the winter, it is necessary to pinch the tops of the shoots in the summer. This process is called pinching. The branches stop growing and their lignification begins. In this state, it is easier for them to endure severe frosts without freezing. It is advisable to cover young bushes with straw, foliage or spruce branches. But even if several shoots freeze, the almonds will quickly recover in the spring.
Diseases and pests
Low almonds can suffer from such pests: aphids, spider mites or almond seed eaters.
To keep aphids out of the bushes, you can plant marigolds nearby. If this trick does not help, you will have to treat the plant with chemicals.
As for other pests, preventive spraying with Bordeaux liquid should be carried out.
Almond propagation
Seed propagation
Almond seeds are found in its fruits. You can plant almonds both in spring and autumn. But, before spring planting, it is necessary to stratify the seeds.
The seed is placed in a hole 10 cm deep. The distance between the rows should be at least 50 cm, and between the seeds - 10 cm. Care for the seedlings is simple: watering, weeding and loosening the soil. When young plants reach half a meter, all branches must be cut into one ring. After this procedure, you can transplant the plants to a permanent place.
Pitted almonds need to be grafted with a varietal plant.
Propagation by cuttings
Reproduction by cuttings is a rather long process. In mid-June, cuttings should be cut to 20 cm. They should be semi-lignified and with at least two nodes. Then the cuttings are put in a growth stimulator for a day. The soil for rooting cuttings consists of sand and peat (1: 2).The roots will appear in about two to three weeks. If everything is done correctly, then almost all cuttings will take root. Then they are transplanted to the garden bed. Once the plants have sprouted branches, you can plant them in a permanent place.
Reproduction by shoots
If the bushes are cut regularly, young growth will begin to grow. It can be dug out in the second year, when the roots appear. Further, the care of the plant is the same as for a young annual seedling.
Reproduction by layering
Low almonds have sufficiently flexible branches that can be bent to the ground and secured with metal staples. From above it is necessary to sprinkle the shoot with earth. Layers are watered with water, loosened around the soil and remove weeds. After a year, young plants with a root system can be planted in a permanent place of growth.
Types and varieties of almonds
Common almonds - is grown for its nutritional and medicinal value. Nuts of this type of plant are tasty and healthy. Common almond varieties are grown commercially and in private gardens.
Low almond - is the most popular type among florists. It reaches a height of no more than 1.5 meters. The following varieties of this species are well known:
- White sail - almond with white flowers;
- Anyuta - bright pink flowers;
- Dream - pink flowers;
- Pink flamingos are pink terry flower stalks.
Georgian almonds - grows under natural conditions on forest edges, slopes and in hollows. It reaches 1 meter in height. In appearance, Georgian almond resembles a bean, but has larger leaves and pink flowers. Currently, breeders are working on the breeding of decorative varieties of Georgian almonds.
Ledebour almond - grows in Altai. It is so widespread that it forms thickets. A well-known variety of this species is Feyer Hill. It has red-pink flowers and large dark green leaves.
Almond Petunnikov - grows in Central Asia. It has beautiful light yellow shoots. There are not many flowers on it and they are located singly. The flowers are pale pink.
Three-lobed almond - much higher than bean. It reaches 3 meters in height. The almond got its name due to the shape of the leaves: they are three-lobed with villi on the underside of the leaf. This species has two decorative forms:
- Captivity - pink flowers that begin to bloom only after the leaves appear;
- Kievskaya - pink double flowers.
The shrub looks very decorative, as the leaves appear after the flowers.
In addition to the two forms, there are many varieties and hybrids of the three-lobed almond. They differ in color, flowering time and appearance. The following varieties are popular:
- Svitlana - has light colors;
- Ruslana - soft cream flowers;
- Chinese woman - light pink flowers;
- Tanyusha - double flowers;
- Snow Kimura - double flowers of pale pink color and other no less beautiful varieties.
