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When I was young , my mother had a huge macadamia nut tree . Every year , it produced more macadamia nuts than we could handle , even though we did n’t do anything to keep it growing well .
It hulk over the home , and pile up the C of nuts it produced is one of my fondest puerility retention .
Years later , I have my own homestead , and one of the first trees I planted was a macadamia nut tree . I knew that it would grow to a wonderful sizing and provide my fry with healthy nuts for a lifetime .
What are Macadamia Nuts?
macadamia tree are an evergreen plant tree that has foliage that resembles holly bequeath . The tree produces high yields of wonderful , fleshy nuts .
in the beginning from Australia , macadamia tree tree have been planted worldwide , include in Africa , Latin America , Asia , and in the United States in California and Florida . Commercial production of macadamia is locate in Hawaii , where the environs is stark .
macadamia tree nut tree are ego - pollinating , though growing more than one will give you a bigger harvest . you may also increase your harvest time by encouraging pollinator to gossip your garden .
A goodish tree with a fellow traveler can produce up to 50 pounds of nuts per year .
Some kind are also ego harvesting which mean that the kooky light to the primer coat when they ’re ripe . Others involve to be pull from the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree when they ’re ready .
Before you plump a tree ( or two ) in the earth , be aware that many of them grow quite expectant . macadamia tree can reach to about 40 feet tall .
Varieties of Macadamia
There are two main species of macadamia , with a issue of varieties of each . The mintage are :
M. tetraphyllacan handle slimly cooler temperatures , whileM. integrefoliais more suited to a tropical environment .
Varieties that work well in plate gardens and orchards are :
Cate
M. tetraphylla‘Cate ’ is a freeze - hardy salmagundi that originated in California . This one raise cursorily and larger than other potpourri .
Beaumont
This is one of the safe macadamia nut varieties for growing the nursing home garden . A hybrid ofM. tetraphyllaandM. integrefolia , Beaumont has an unsloped growth habit rather of a spreading one , so it does n’t take up a gross ton of way .
The nut are average to large and the fruiting time of year is long , which means you ’ll have lots of opportunity to pluck these tasty nuts .
Vista
‘ Vista ’ is a California hybrid . It ’s medium - sized with a pyramid development habit . The best affair about ‘ Vista ’ is that the nuts have thin enough shells to collapse with a standard nut - cracker .
Dorado
M.integrefolia‘Dorado ’ has an vertical habit and is insensate resistant . It produce a high yield of nuts and start produce young , when it ’s just five years one-time .
Other good varieties for the dwelling house orchard are ‘ James , ’ ‘ Waimanalo , ’ and ‘ Keaau . ’
How to Plant Macadamia
Macadamias grow in zones 9 to 11 . They prefer full Lord’s Day but will tolerate a little tincture , though your crop might be smaller .
They favour an median daylight temperature of around 77ºF. In areas prone to frost , temperature around 21ºF and lower will likely kill or severely damage the tree .
target for a stain pH of 5.5 to 6.5 . Macadamias like slightly acid soil but are middling tolerant of slightly unlike filth make - up .
The territory should be fertile , so ensure there is a wad of well - rotted manure and compost fag in before plant . You need the stain to be loamy and well - draining .
The best results come from grafted trees you buy from a nursery , but you may take cut , propagate by aviation layerings , or even try growing macadamia tree nut from ejaculate .
Planting Seed
you’re able to institute macadamia nuts , but the solvent may be unpredictable . It will likely take up to ten years before you see any nuts forming – if they do at all . deliberate it more of a fun project for the fam rather than a way to pop out an orchard .
imbue the whole testis in the racing shell in water overnight . Plant the orchis with the bud end sticking up in a source starting mix . Cover and water well . Keep the dirt moist and in a tender spot with indirect sunshine .
Once the seed germinates , keep warm and water well until the seedling is with child enough to handle . At this point , replant in a grown flock or the footing .
Be patient . macadamia tree nut may take an prolonged catamenia of prison term to spud and start growing .
Planting Saplings
engraft a grafted form will give you the best results and the swift harvest .
get the picture a hollow twice the size of the origin lump lower the plant in place . Fill in around it with good quality dirt . Tamp down well .
Stake the tree diagram in the first year to protect it from substantial lead . Protect from deer if you have trouble with them in your country .
If you plant more than one macadamia tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , plant them about 20 feet apart . If you plant in rows , keep the rows up to 36 infantry apart .
Caring for Macadamia
macadamia tree trees do better if you give them some protection from the wind , particularly when they ’re young . They also involve a lot of H2O when they ’re young . If your plant does n’t get enough water , it will get or die .
In the first year , macadamia trees require the most amount of water . Give the basis a good soaking once a week . Provide more if the soil dry out too promptly .
you could contract tearing as the tree age , but it ’s still decease to need at least two in of water per week . A mature tree diagram can use up near 100 gallons of water per hebdomad in extreme heat .
Mulch around the macadamia tree tree to deoxidize the dirt dry out for at least the first four age . After this , reduce mulching to avoid superfluous nitrogen in the soil .
Fertilize in spring with a fertilizer gamy in nitrogen and potassium . Avoid high levels of P . If you are mulching , avoid fertilizer with high levels of nitrogen as well .
Pruning Macadamia
Pruning may be necessary , but be leery when working with macadamia . If you prune off too much leafage , it often lead in overly vigorous regrowth and a loss of nuts forming .
Prune any diseased or damaged branch , and any branches extending out too far .
For grass control and access to gather nut , crop three foot up the tree trunk from the earth .
While the macadamia is new , you’re able to prune to mould . Once the loss leader shoot is about 32 column inch , dress it at the top to promote branching out .
Companion Planting for Growing Macadamia
endeavor to define associate planting with macadamia because they have very delicate root .
constitute crop with shallow root like :
Althoughcomfreyisn’t shoal - settle down ( it has a tap root word ) , it seems to be all right . One of my macadamia tree trees is surrounded by comfrey and is doing okay . I cut the comfrey back each year to make comfrey tea and mulch .
Common Problems and Solutions for Growing Macadamia
Most modern diversity of macadamia are comparatively disease and pest - insubordinate , but there are some issues you may face when growing macadamia junky .
Anthracnose
This fungal disease is often present in high humidity areas and when tree diagram are stressed due to lack of water .
interpret our elaborated clause on how toidentify and treat anthracnose .
Husk Spot
With shuck spot , the lesions set out out modest and yellow before flourish . They ’re often overlay in white spore .
This fungous disease will regard your harvestable yield . Use a broad - spectrum fungicide to control .
Rats and Mice
With tasty , oily testicle littering the ground , rats and other nut - have it off creatures will move in .
move out all testis regularly and do n’t allow the nuts you wo n’t use to be allow for rotting on the primer coat .
Macadamia Nut Borer
These small insects bore into the husks of the nuts . Once they have entered , pesticides have minimal effects . The nuts will drop from the tree prematurely .
Apply pesticides the moment you see the first of the nuts on the soil affected by the borer . You should see a hole with junk surrounding the edge . There could also be scale - like eggs on the outside of the husk .
other treatment is key .
Harvest and Using Macadamia Nuts
If you ’ve planted a grafted tree , you should get a good sizing harvest in about three years . By year seven , you will be getting bountiful takings .
roll up the nuts as they return or ripen anytime between late saltation and fall . The nuts will still be encase in their husk that has slowly split loose as the screwball inside ripens .
You know they ’re ripe when the husk turn brown , shrink , and rent . The nuts should also feel dry and not tacky .
The sweetheart of macadamia is most come down as they ripen . They wo n’t all ripen at the same meter .
Each time you foot up the nuts , remove the husk straightaway . Place the ballock ( still in its voiceless plate ) on a wire rack to dry for a workweek or so .
Removing the macadamia nut from the shell
Macadamias are extremely severe and if you bash at them with a hammer , you are likely going to smash the egg inside .
you’re able to buy aspecialty macadamia nutcrackerthat slow wind insistency or practice a clean vice .
There are a number of clever method you’re able to search to move out macadamia tree nuts , but any way you take will be time - consuming . The end result is worth it though .
corrode them straight by , use them in baking , store in glass jars or frost . Your harvest will be abundant for old age to derive .
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