Almond Harvesting: [Harvest, Collection and Drying]

Do you have an almond plantation and do not know what is the right time to harvest the fruits?

It doesn’t happen only to you. The reality is that many may feel indecisive when it comes to defining the right time for this task.

Knowing the processes is essential, from when you plant the seed until the exact moment of harvesting arrives.

And here we are going to leave you everything you need so that this final phase of collection is calm and without risks. Shall we continue?

When is the almond harvest done?

The almond harvest is normally carried out at the end of summer, between August and September.The variability at the exact moment will be determined by the type of almond tree in question and the periods it has covered around flowering and fruit production.

There are almond trees that generate an early production of flowers and in which the harvest is late (although it seems illogical). While in cases where flowering is late, the harvest is usually earlier.

Almond tree – Pot 26cm. – Height approx. 1’20m. – Live plant – (Shipments only to the Peninsula)

But the best thing to do to act in complete safety is to wait for the plant itself to give you the signs that it is ready to be harvested.

How are almonds harvested?

There are different methods to harvest the almonds when they are ready, among them:

Manual

It is the simplest way to do it and consists of collecting the almonds without the help of machinery.

The process begins by placing a kind of canvas on the ground (which will be where the almonds will fall) and then gradually detaching them with the help of a stick or by vibrating the tree.

Thanks to the fact that they fall on the canvas, you just have to pick it up with all the production on top, preventing them from filling with soil.

Mechanic

In this, machinery is used that helps to carry out almost the same previous process but in a minimum period of time. Thus, the vibrations are transmitted to the tree by means of a vibrator and the almonds are usually collected in an umbrella that is placed upside down.

It is also possible to use automatic riding systems that work on low-lying almond trees, wrapping them to make them vibrate at the same time that they collect the fruits.

How to identify almonds that are ready to harvest?

The almonds that we consume (and that you will harvest) develop inside a pod that contains the fruit and that does not allow us to see the interior. However, as the inner fruit ripens and the shell dries, this pod opens up, revealing the inner contents.

The exact moment to harvest the almonds will be determined by the fact that the shell is very hard and the pod is completely open.

As they are easily accessible, you will be able to take one and check that it is at the exact point to carry out the complete collection just for extra security, but when you open the pod it is already the natural signal.

It is best to remove them before they fall to the ground on their own. In reality, it will not damage its structure due to the hardness of the shell, but it is better to avoid the risk of stepping on them, for example.

How to make almond drying?

After picking, it is beneficial to place the almonds in a dry space, where they are well spread out to allow them to finish the drying process.

Sometimes they can retain a minimal amount of moisture where they were in contact with the fruit casing. Once this step is completed, they can be stored in bags or containers as the case may be.

How long should almonds dry?

Almonds have the peculiarity of going through the drying process naturally. That is, while they are still attached to the almond tree.

The average time that this process lasts is 4 or 5 weeks, depending on the type of tree and almond in question. This is a process that usually occurs on the hottest days of summer.

Almonds are one of those fruits that have high nutritional value and that almost everyone loves. In addition, its planting and harvesting is not very complex, so if you learn to respect its times, collecting almonds will be a piece of cake.