Among the most popular nuts are the delicious pistachios. These are widely consumed as they are, in various culinary recipes or as ice cream. The cultivation of these vegetables has been increasing in recent years, which is not surprising, since it is very profitable due to the few requirements they have. For this same reason you may find it interesting to find out how to grow pistachios, if you like them, of course.
These delicious dried fruits are actually the seed of a plant belonging to the genus Pistacia. It is a very long-lived vegetable, being able to live for more than two centuries, and whose origin is the Asian continent. It usually measures between four and ten meters high, while its width is generally around eleven meters. It should be noted that Pistachios are very rich in nutrients. In addition, thanks to their high level of lutein and polyphenols, they are great antioxidants. So let's see how to grow pistachios.
How and when to plant pistachios?
Before explaining how to grow pistachios, we must first know when is the best time to plant them. The ideal period to carry out this task is in autumn or spring. Although it is true that we can plant these vegetables with seeds, it is best to acquire young plants, between one and two years old, to grow them.
It should be noted that the pistachio plant adapts very well and is very rustic. Even so, prefers warm, sandy loam soils with good drainage. As for the pH of the soil, the ideal is that its value is between six and eight. Despite tolerating low temperatures very well, it does not tolerate frosts well in spring. The latter can affect its flowering and fruiting.
When preparing the land for planting this vegetable, the first thing we must do is open a hole of a depth of between forty and fifty centimeters, and cover it later with manure. When we go to introduce the plant, we must be very careful not to damage the roots.
Once we have planted the plants, it is time to fertilize them. This is normally done in the spring. Nitrogen-based material is generally applied in April. On the other hand, in May it is more advisable to administer complete ternary fertilizer. In addition, it is highly advisable to apply between 300 and 400 tons of manure for each hectare of land. Potassium phosphate and superphosphate 19 should also be added, in amounts adapted to the type of soil. Nevertheless, for small plots and for more private use, using animal manure for fertilization is sufficient.
How to grow pistachios: Care
Once we have carried out the first step of growing pistachios, it is time to maintain it so that it ends up giving us these delicious nuts. This vegetable resists very well to high temperatures and can survive up to five years of drought. Contrary to most plants that we usually grow at home, it tolerates considerably better the very abundant and infrequent irrigations than constant and small risks. To avoid waterlogging, it is best to carry out a localized irrigation. In summer it will be enough to water this vegetable approximately every ten days.
Apart from irrigation, it is also important perform a pruning, but light, since this vegetable takes a long time to heal cuts. It is best to use special gardening shears to prune the branches making a clean cut. This cut should always be close to the base of the branch. In addition, we must be careful not to accidentally cut off the suckers of the plant that are about fourteen centimeters above the ground, although it depends a bit on the genus of the pistachio tree. In the case of a female, we must leave intact all the shoots that are between one and two meters high. On the other hand, if it is a male tree, we can prune it as soon as it has reached two meters.
In addition, it is very important to cut the lateral branches that are in the stem, and eliminate all those that are sick or old. We must carry out this cleaning once a year, if possible in October.
How long does it take for a pistachio tree to grow?
Now that we know how to grow pistachios, let's see when we can harvest the first fruits. Generally, this vegetable flowers between the months of April and May. As for the harvest, this can be carried out from the end of August to October, depending on the area in which we are. It is not very difficult to grow this plant, but it does require some patience, since it is late. Once the tree is planted, It usually takes between five and six years to bear the first fruits, which are usually few. After fifteen years is when its full production phase begins.
In general, the first harvest is usually carried out between thirty months and seven years of age. But how do we know when we can harvest the fruits? The ideal time for harvesting is when the pistachios become opaque in color, while the shell begins to separate a little from the skin. Namely: When the shell begins to open, the fruits are ripe. Some varieties of pistachios only bear fruit every two years, or may bear a very large crop one year and a very poor one the next.
Once we have acquired the fruits, we must clean them, classify them and roast them to be able to consume them later. When it comes to preserving pistachios, protecting them in plastic bags They can last up to six weeks with refrigeration. And if we freeze them, we can extend their duration up to six months.
As you can see, growing pistachios is not complicated at all. If we like these nuts and have the space to plant a tree, why not? So we can enjoy these delicious delicacies from our own harvest and prepare different dishes and sweets with them.