How to grow Almond in Australia
Almond (Prunus dulcis) is a close relative of the peach, grown for its nuts. It suits a Mediterranean climate with cold winters and a hot, dry summer, so it does best around Adelaide, Perth, western Sydney and the drier inland. Frost on the early blossom, birds and pollination are the three things to plan for.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Almond in Australia
At a glance
When to plant by region
| Region | When to plant | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | Not suited | Not reliable in SEQ. Too little winter chill, and spring storms spoil the blossom. |
| Northern Rivers NSW | Not suited | Not reliable. Too little winter chill, and wet springs spoil the blossom. Almonds want a cold winter and a dry spring. |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | June to August | Western Sydney only. Humid coastal springs spoil the blossom and bring fungal disease. Plant bare root Jun to Aug in the driest, sunniest spot. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | June to August | |
| Adelaide & SA | June to August | |
| Perth & WA | June to August | |
| Tasmania | Not suited | Not reliable. Blossom opens in late winter and is lost to frost and rain, so nuts rarely set. |
| Canberra & ACT | June to August | Plant bare root Jun to Aug. Almonds flower in August, so frost often takes the blossom in cold pockets; choose a late flowering variety and a sheltered slope. |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not viable. Almonds need winter chill and a dry spring. The tropics offer neither. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not viable. Almonds need winter chill and a dry spring. Darwin has neither. |
Where to plant
Almonds need cold winters, hot summers and little rain from February to April while the nuts mature. They are among the first fruit trees to flower, often in August, so the blossom is easily lost to a late frost. Plant in the warmest, most sheltered spot you have, out of frost pockets, in full sun.
The soil must be deep and well drained. Almonds are very prone to waterlogging, and the root rots that follow usually kill the tree. Wet, humid springs also spoil the blossom and bring fungal disease, which is why coastal Queensland, the Northern Rivers and humid coastal Sydney are not reliable.
- Adelaide, Perth and the drier inland: the best fit, with the Mediterranean climate almonds come from.
- Western Sydney and Canberra: possible in a warm, sheltered spot; in Canberra frost often takes the August blossom in cold pockets.
- Hobart, South East Queensland, the Northern Rivers and the tropics: not reliable or not viable, for lack of a dry spring, enough chill, or both.
Choosing a variety
- Cross pollinating varieties give the heaviest crops, so plant two varieties that flower at the same time if you have room. Ne Plus Ultra and IXL are older home garden varieties.
- For a single tree, choose a self pollinating variety. All In One and the one sold as Self Pollinating are both papershell types whose shells crack open with your fingers.
- Buy grafted, named trees. A tree grown from a seed, or one where the rootstock has taken over, can produce bitter almonds.
How to plant
- Plant bare root trees in winter while they are dormant.
- Dig a hole wider than the roots, spread them out, and keep the graft union above the soil.
- Water in well and mulch, keeping the mulch a little away from the trunk.
- If two trees are needed for pollination, plant them within easy reach of bees, close enough that the canopies are near each other.
- Prune to an open shape in the first few years, and keep the tree low enough to net.
Watering and feeding
Almonds are fairly drought tolerant once established, but they crop well only with regular water through dry spells. The most sensitive times are flowering, fruit set and the first months of nut growth, from late winter into spring, and then while the kernels fill in early summer. Water stress then means nut drop and small kernels. Water deeply and less often rather than a little every day, and never leave the soil soggy.
Feed lightly with a balanced fertiliser or compost in late winter as growth starts.
Pruning and care through the year
- Prune every year after harvest or in winter, keeping an open centre and a height you can net. Unpruned trees reach about 8 m.
- Net against cockatoos and other parrots, which strip the nuts. The trees have many small spurs that snag nets, so stretch the net over a frame rather than draping it on the branches.
- Protect the blossom from late frost where you can, for example by planting on the warm, north side of evergreen shelter.
Harvesting
The green hulls begin to split from about January and open further over the next few weeks. Harvest from February to April once most hulls have split and the nuts come away easily. Shake or knock them down onto a tarp, peel off the hulls and dry the nuts in the shell in a warm, airy place out of the sun for a week or two.
Dry nuts in the shell keep for months in a cool, dry spot. Rain at harvest stains the shells and makes the nuts hard to dry, which is why dry summers suit almonds.
Using it
- Eat sweet almonds raw or roasted, grind them into almond meal, or use them in milk and baking.
- Taste a nut from a new tree first. A strongly bitter almond comes from a bitter type or seedling and should not be eaten, as bitter almonds contain a compound that releases cyanide.
Pests and diseases
Birds take more home almonds than any insect does. Shot hole and brown rot are worst after wet springs.
Pests to watch for
- Birds Cockatoos and parrots tearing open green hulls and dropping half-eaten nuts. Net the tree on a frame.
- Aphids Curled new leaves with clusters of small insects on spring growth.
Diseases to watch for
- Shot hole Small purple-edged spots on leaves that drop out to leave holes, worst in wet springs. A copper spray at leaf fall is the usual home garden control.
- Brown rot Blossom and young shoots turn brown and wither in wet weather during flowering.
- Rust Small yellow spots on the upper leaf with rusty powder underneath in late summer.
Common questions
Do you need two almond trees to get nuts?
Most almond varieties need a second variety that flowers at the same time, and bees to carry the pollen. If you only have room for one tree, choose a self pollinating variety such as All In One. Cross pollinated trees still give the heaviest crops.
How long does an almond tree take to produce nuts?
A grafted tree usually gives a small first crop in about its third year, with crops building over the following years.
Can I grow almonds in Brisbane or on the coast?
Not reliably. Almonds need a cold winter and a dry spring. In South East Queensland, the Northern Rivers and humid coastal areas, spring rain and storms spoil the blossom and bring fungal disease, and the tropics are not suitable at all.
When are almonds ready to pick?
From February to April, once the green hulls have split open and the nuts inside are dry and come away easily. Knock them onto a tarp, remove the hulls and dry the nuts in the shell for a week or two.
Why are my home-grown almonds bitter?
The tree is probably a seedling, or the rootstock has grown up and taken over from the grafted variety. Bitter almonds contain a compound that releases cyanide, so do not eat nuts that taste strongly bitter. Buy named, grafted trees and remove shoots that grow from below the graft.
How do I stop birds eating my almonds?
Net the tree before the hulls start to split. Keep the tree pruned to a height you can cover, and stretch the net over a frame of polypipe or stakes, because the many small spurs on almond branches snag nets laid straight on the tree.
Sources we checked: Queensland DAF: QMDB crop summary, almond; Agriculture Victoria: Managing almond trees with less water in the Mallee; ABC Organic Gardener: Going Nuts for Almonds; Select Harvests: The almond tree's annual cycle; New Mexico State University Extension: bitter almonds.