How to Grow Almond
Almond At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Nut
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -15°C
Plant Family
Rosaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Plant a young grafted tree while it is still dormant (no leaves yet), about 3 weeks before your last spring frost. Choose a self-fertile variety if you only have room for one tree, since most others need a second variety nearby to make nuts. Give it 6 m of room, full sun and soil that drains fast, set it at the same depth it grew in the nursery, and water it every week through its first summer.
Almonds only handle winter cold down to about -15°C (5°F), so they suit just the mildest parts of Canada. They flower very early, often before the last frost, so plant yours in your warmest, most sheltered spot, such as in front of a sunny wall, and expect the first nuts in about 3 years.
When To Start
Almond needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Almond?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Almond Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Almond Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant your bare-root almond in a warm, sheltered spot
3 weeks before your last frost
Cover almond blossoms on frosty nights
2 weeks before your last frost· every year· optional
Pick almonds once the hulls dry and split open
180 days after your last frost· every year
Water your new almond plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Checking in on your almond tree! Water deeply once a week while it settles in, so the roots reach down.
About 30 days after you plant it
Your almond tree has had a few months to settle. A layer of mulch over the roots, kept off the trunk, holds moisture in.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Almond's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
600 cm
Plant Spacing
800 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Plant your almond in full sun, at least 8 hours a day, in the warmest spot you have.
- 2Give it soil that drains fast, with a little compost mixed in at planting, because soggy roots kill almond trees.
- 3Water deeply every week or two for the first few years, then only in long dry spells.
- 4Spread a layer of compost around the tree each spring, keeping it a hand's width away from the trunk.
- 5On frosty spring nights while it is in flower, throw an old sheet or row cover over the tree to save the blossoms.
- 6If spring leaves pucker and turn red, that is peach leaf curl: pick off the worst leaves, rake up fallen ones, and keep rain off the tree in late winter with a small roof or tarp to help prevent it.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
500 cm
Mature Height
450 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Pick in late summer/autumn when the fuzzy hulls split open and dry
How to Harvest
- 1Almonds are ready in late summer or fall, when the green hulls dry, split open and show the shell inside.
- 2Spread a sheet under the tree and shake the branches or tap them with a pole to bring the nuts down.
- 3Peel off the hulls the same day.
- 4Spread the nuts, still in their shells, in one layer in a dry, airy spot for 1 to 2 weeks, until the kernel snaps instead of bending.
- 5Store them in their shells somewhere cool and dry, or in the freezer to keep them longer.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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