Hi everyone,
Having recently buried a large area of dead prickly pears - 9 hours work by the local digger - I now have to decide what to do with 250m2 of bare hillside.
I would like to extend my almonds but don't want to fork out for so many trees. And I'm quite patient, so I am thinking of growing from seed (almonds). Germination is no problem (50% in two weeks) but how to protect them from goats???
Perhaps start with a well-fenced nursery area? Or are treeguards used, or even available, in Spain?
Alec
Growing almonds from nuts
Growing almonds from nuts
Restoring an old finca near Colmenar.
Re: Growing almonds from nuts
Of course you can use tree guards but they will be very rugged and expensive if they are to protect from goats. Easier to fence off the goats (I think a cheap electric fence is the cheapest option here). The goats will eat close to everything you plant.
Re: Growing almonds from nuts
Can anyone confirm that if you grow almonds from seed they go back to being bitter-almonds? Not sure if this is an old-wives tale??
Even so they would give a splendid show of flowers over your hillside Fincaman ... but may not produce edible nuts for you?
Even so they would give a splendid show of flowers over your hillside Fincaman ... but may not produce edible nuts for you?
Re: Growing almonds from nuts
My crazy friend says "stick a feather in the ground and it will grow a hen"
Re: Growing almonds from nuts
I have picked many almonds from self-seeded almond trees and they were certainly nit bitter. Surely the bitter almond is a different variety? Or can it result from normal almond seeding?
Restoring an old finca near Colmenar.
Re: Growing almonds from nuts
I have looked this up and there are indeed two distinct varieties. Prunus amygdalus dulcis is the sweet almond, whereas prunus amygdalus amara contains prussic acid. In some countries the latter is banned, which would hardly be possible if it could occur at random from seedlings.
Anyway, back to the original question - any suggestions for protecting them, other than fencing the plot? I think I will try a brightly painted stake in each location, and have a word with both of the local goat farmers.
Can I suggest that others may like to try growing your own, maybe to fill in the odd gap. A week in the fridge is said to help germination, but I just used nuts which had been lying around over winter. It really is easy, though I think autumn sowing may be preferable, to take advantage of winter rain while they are becoming established. Crack the shells with care, of course.
Anyway, back to the original question - any suggestions for protecting them, other than fencing the plot? I think I will try a brightly painted stake in each location, and have a word with both of the local goat farmers.
Can I suggest that others may like to try growing your own, maybe to fill in the odd gap. A week in the fridge is said to help germination, but I just used nuts which had been lying around over winter. It really is easy, though I think autumn sowing may be preferable, to take advantage of winter rain while they are becoming established. Crack the shells with care, of course.
Restoring an old finca near Colmenar.
Re: Growing almonds from nuts
Sounds worthwhile to have a go - might try a few this back-end then.
Cheers
Cheers
- chrissiehope
- Andalucia Guru
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Re: Growing almonds from nuts
"back-end" = "autumn", yes ?
Alexandr for President (Squire for PM !)
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it's too dark to read (Groucho Marx)
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog it's too dark to read (Groucho Marx)
Re: Growing almonds from nuts
Sorry - yes, back-end of the year ... autumn. Legacies from growing up Up-North ...
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