Badam caltivation

Question

Badam caltivation

Lekha · Accepted Answer

Hello, here is the detailed information of Badam cultivation.

1. Agri-climatic conditions for Almonds
Slightly hot summer is suitable for almond cultivation, generally between 30C to 35C. Blossoms can survive in cold temperatures between -2.2C and -3.3C for a shorter period. But if this temperature lasts longer, the blossoms can get damaged easily.

2. Soil Requirements for Almonds
The ideal soil PH for almond cultivation is between 7.0 to 8.5 in India. Almonds trees cannot sustain in poorly drained soils. The soil has to be deep, loamy and drought-tolerant. 
The soil should be supplemented with proper farm yard manure and frequent irrigation.

3. Planting of Almonds
Grafted or budded almond plants should be planted in a square pattern at a distance of 6m X 6m. 
Each row should be dug up to a volume of 3ft X 3ft X 3ft around the months of September and October. However, the almonds plants should be planted during the month of Feb to March. The almond plants should be planted between February to March in the centre of the dug pit.
And to ensure the almond trees grow straight and can survive strong gush of winds, desired bamboo support can be given.

4. Mixed Cropping with Almonds
Farmers can use interspaces for mixed cropping but only when almond orchards are at their pre-bearing stage. The following crops can be sowed to double income opportunities:
Pulses
Pea
Carrot
Saffron
Mustard
Knoll Khol
Mustard

5. Manure and Fertilizer in Almonds Cultivation
Almonds require a good schedule of fertilisers. During winter, from Dec to Jan, it is important to apply farm yard manure of about 20-25 kg/tree. However, the application should depend on soil tests and leaves nutrients.

Here’s the recommended dosage:
Urea should be applied in 2-3 doses.
The first half dose of urea should be given along with full DAP and full MOP at fortnight when blooming is on the verge.
However, the second split should be given in 1/4th quantity after 3 weeks when the fruit is all there.
And the third dose, again 1/4th, should be given by May – June.
A foliar spray of urea in about a 1.3 to 2% ratio can be applied to enhance fruiting buds and overall growth next season.

6. Irrigation for Almond Trees
Flowering stages (Feb to March) are crucial and prone to water shortages. Thus, enough water should supplant them. To ensure high-quality nuts, the blossoms should be watered at timely intervals.

The drip irrigation method can be highly suitable for irrigating the almond field. This will not just help with timely irrigation but will also help with efficient water management.

7. Almond harvesting process
Almonds trees become fruit-bearing within three years after transplantation. And once the tree is 6-7 years old, the tree starts yielding high-quality nuts. And after 8 months of flowering, the almonds can be harvested.

To identify whether the fruit is ready to harvest, make sure the pods are green to yellow. Poles could be used to harvest almond nuts. And further, the nuts should be either sun-dried or manually dried through dry air until the moisture content reaches 5-7%.

8. Post-harvest management in almond cultivation
Once the almonds harvested, they require hulling to prevent any fungal diseases. And to ensure their moisture content reduced to 5-7%, nuts should be sun-dried or dried through manual hot air passing. Polytunnels with a fan can be used for manual drying procedures. Further, the almonds need to be shelled and dehulled.

Almond Farming Yield Per Acre in India
Per acre, 1400 to 2600 pounds of almonds can be produced with the right farming equipment, methods and agri-resources.