How pistachios grow: growing a tree at home

Pistachio tree - a long-lived plant, decoration of a personal plot. How do pistachios grow in Russia, how to cultivate them and where can they be found? Southern trees have perfectly taken root on the Black Sea coast, in the regions of the mountains of the Caucasus and Crimea. A deciduous tree with high decorative data brings delicious nuts as fruits, which can be both eaten fresh and made into oil used in cooking and cosmetology.

General description and characteristics

The historical homeland of southern trees is Afghanistan and the territory of modern Iran.Pistachio trees are common in southern Europe, where they are very much appreciated for the beneficial properties of the fruit. Pistachio trees are considered symbols of we alth and longevity. The plant can live up to a thousand years. In height, pistachio can reach 6-8 meters. Under favorable conditions, 26 kilograms of nuts per year can be harvested from one plant. Belongs to the Sumac family.

Pistachios grow in tropical and subtropical climates. Perfectly adapted to growing in desert zones, they have a two-level root system: the main root goes deep underground and nourishes the plant with moisture, the surface part of the root system covers a radius of 25 meters around the trunk. Thus, the trees grow at a considerable distance from each other, the contact of the crowns is highly undesirable.

Outwardly, pistachio thickets resemble a shrub forest, in the conditions of life in the desert, plants consist of several trunks.

Pistachio blossoms begin in spring, the inflorescences consist of two types of flowers: male and female. The crown of the tree is dense, spreading, low planted. The fruits ripen in the form of hard-shelled nuts.

Where and how do pistachios grow in Russia

In our country, pistachio trees have been cultivated successfully since the 18th century. The plants were brought to the Crimea, where they took root perfectly. Now the southern guests are distributed throughout the Black Sea coast and in the Caucasus Mountains.

Pistachio forest is a woodland. Due to the peculiarities of the root system and the structure of the crown, plants grow at a considerable distance from each other. Pistachios have high decorative characteristics, for which gardeners are so fond of. They are trying to grow the curiosity in regions with a temperate climate.

Can I grow my own pistachio tree

Having data on the technology of growing southern trees in Russia, you can grow pistachios at home or in your backyard. The southern regions of the country are preferred.Trees make high demands on the length of daylight hours, illumination and ambient temperature. Cannot stand severe cold winters, frosts and sudden temperature changes.

Decorative option can be grown at home, on the windowsill. As a rule, such plants are obtained from seeds, although pistachios are easily propagated from cuttings.

How to grow a pistachio tree at home

To get a southern tree sprout at home, you need:

• Select ripe nuts and soak them in warm water with their shells (fruits from the grocery store will not work).
• You can add 1 drop of iodine or brilliant green to the water.
• After 10 days, plant the swollen seed in a pot with sandy soil and drainage.
• Cover the container with a glass jar or film cover.
• You need to moisten the ground regularly, avoiding overdrying of the soil.

Young sprouts are very delicate, fragile. They need to be transplanted to a permanent place very carefully and protected with additional shelters from the sun and wind at first. It is difficult to determine the gender of such seedlings.

He althy strong seedlings can be purchased from botanical gardens and speci alty stores, or you can try to root a sprig from a mature plant.

Preparation of containers and soil

A mini home-grown version of the pistachio tree is planted in deep pots. The presence of drainage in the form of small pebbles at the bottom is mandatory. The soil should be sandy with the addition of a complex of mineral fertilizers. The soil and containers must be disinfected by treating them with a solution of potassium permanganate or scalding with boiling water. It is important to choose the warmest and most well-lit place, it is necessary to maintain high humidity.

How to choose and where to buy

Botanical gardens offer for sale seedlings of pistachio trees of various varieties. Plants have already grown stronger and are ready to land on a permanent place. When choosing planting material, you should pay attention to:

• On the color of the leaves: they should be a rich green color, without spots and signs of disease.
• The trunk should be strong, without growths and cracks.
• The pot must have the name of the plant variety and region of growth.

He althy seedlings bought from reliable trusted stores are easy to establish and require less care than seedlings grown from the fruit at home.

Planting and sprouting nuts

Getting a sprout from a fruit is not so difficult, it is important to plant it correctly. The roots of pistachios go deep down at the same time and cover a large radius of the root circle, so the container should be both deep and wide, respectively.When planting a plant, this must be taken into account.

Drainage must be laid necessarily, the plant is genetically designed to extract moisture from the depths of the soil.

Further care

Heat and light are important parameters for the life of pistachios. In summer, a pistachio pot can be placed on a veranda or balcony. There should be no drafts. In winter, the warmest room is selected for the plant, pistachio has poor frost resistance.

Pistachios need to be regularly looked after and ensure that the tree is not waterlogged by excessive watering.

Irrigation

Sandy soil with drainage is ideal for pistachios. Watering should not be frequent, otherwise the tree will get sick, the roots will begin to rot. When caring for a southern curiosity, it must be remembered that the birthplace of a tree is a desert. Once every six months, a pistachio tree can have a “shower” or wipe the leaves with a cloth moistened with warm water.

Feeding

A lover of drought and heat does not need much feeding. It is enough to slightly loosen the soil under the plant and water it with a liquid complex of mineral-organic fertilizers 1-2 times a year.

To refresh the color of the leaves and give tone to the stems, the southerner is sprayed with an aqueous solution of brilliant green at the rate of 2 drops of the product per 1 liter of water. This technique is a preventive measure against diseases.

Diseases and pests

Pistachio trees have strong immunity and, with proper care, practically do not get sick. A factor that can cause fungal diseases is excessive watering, which primarily affects the root system of the plant.

Home-grown pistachios are susceptible to insect pests such as scale insects. In this case, it is advisable to use insecticides: Iskra, Aktar. When controlling pests, it is recommended to remove 2-3 centimeters of surface soil.

From fungal diseases, spraying with fungicides is used and wood ash is sprinkled on the trunk circle.

Features of harvesting and storing pistachios

Fruits from pistachio trees are harvested in autumn. Nuts are covered with a dense shell - a shell. This protective coating ensures long-term storage of the harvested crop.

How to preserve the harvest, the nuances and rules of storage:

• At home, dried nuts should be stored in sterilized containers with a lid in a dry room at a temperature of +18 ^С.
• When laying the crop for storage, spoiled nuts are removed.
• Fruits can be frozen and stored in the refrigerator, in this case they are peeled.
• Pistachios that have become moldy during storage should not be eaten.
• You can increase the shelf life of shelled nuts with s alt.

Fruits without a protective shell are stored for 2-3 months, in the shell the shelf life increases to one year. It is important to prevent light and humidity from entering the rooms and containers where the nuts are.

Decorative features of wood

Pistachio plantations are used for decorative purposes and as decoration for urban landscapes. Thanks to the original sprawling crown and curved trunk, the tree will become the highlight of a dacha or garden plot.

Florists use the branches and flowers of plants to create bouquets and flower arrangements. The fruits ripen in the form of peculiar clusters, look unusual and immediately attract attention. Chinese pistachio is excellent for ornamental cultivation in Russia.

Growing a pistachio tree is labor intensive. But the result will pleasantly surprise you. A beautiful outlandish tree will delight the eye of a happy gardener every day and will become an adornment of the surrounding landscape.A harvest of delicious valuable nuts will be a pleasant reward for the work done.

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