DormancyAlmond trees are dormant over the colder winter period, around May to July in Australia. |
Hull SplitThe hardened hulls usually start to split over summer, around January and February. Over the next month the splits widen and open further. The almond shell is now visible through the split in the husk, and the nut itself begins to dry out. Eventually, the nut separates from its stem and the hull opens completely. |
BlossomBlossom usually occurs in late July to early August. At the start of blossom in almond orchards, you will often see alternate rows in bloom. This is because almonds are not self pollinating, so there are always 2-3 varieties interplanted in an orchard. Bees are used to cross-pollinate the blossoms. |
HarvestHarvest occurs between February and April, when the kernel is at an acceptable moisture level. Mechanical harvesting requires that orchard floors be clear of large weeds and swept of all foreign material. Shakers are used to vibrate the tree trunk, so that the husks, shells and nuts inside fall to the orchard floor. After drying, they are swept into rows and picked up ready for storage. |
Maturing NutsDuring September and October, blossom petals fall and leaves begin to form on the trees. The fuzzy greyish-green fruit starts to form, and grows rapidly over spring. The hulls which cover the growing nuts continue to mature and harden. |
ProcessingThe first step in processing almonds is to remove the hull and shell of the almond. This is know as either hulling and shelling, or cracking. |
