Sweet Almond Success in Kentucky?

Anyone else have success with growing sweet almonds opposed to bitter almonds in Kentucky/the south? I’m in 6b south eastern Kentucky trialing all-in-1. I can already see that it will need an anti fungal spray with our humidity. Any other sweet almond cultivars that you all would recommend?

2 Likes

Have you looked in to Javids Iranian almond? Mr Cliff England in KY has a good report on it as well as someone in central IL.
Englands description:
Javid’s Iranian Almond - Very high disease resistance, cold hardy and blooms late to avoid spring frost. Self-fertile too. The shell is thick but the nut itself is easy to crack and the flavor is out of this world. It tastes like amaretto and at Christmas time like chocolate covered cherry goodness that has you coming back for more till they are all gone. We are serious when we say you have to have some self-control not to eat this crop of nuts in just a few days. It has a flavor that will keep you waiting year after year. Grafted onto Nemaguard root stock. Imported from Iran over 15 years ago, like many things, it just gets better with age. It comes from the High Mountain range of Northern Iran. This is one of our best.

7 Likes

Yes! Thank you for recommending. It’s one I definitely want to try when it’s available! :smiley:

1 Like

Its the only one im growing so far and might be our best option anyway. I am interested in the ukrainian selections offered by one green world etc those sound promising perhaps. I think i can spare scionwood come feb if youd like to trade.

1 Like

Absolutely! Just pm me a list of things you would be interested in trading for or I can send you a list of what I have. Thanks so much :blush:

1 Like

I have a couple of the Ukranian varieties, but they have not fruited yet. With the amount of rot I get there is not high hopes though. They do not take long to fruit, so why not try it.

2 Likes

Right? Worth a shot at least! Fingers crossed you have success :blush:

1 Like

From a discussion on this FB page, I understand Javid’s Iranian almonds are a little bitter. Does that put them in the “sweet almond” category? Also, they don’t look like almonds to me, rather wild peaches/apricots… I know some apricot and peaches kernels are kind of safe to eat… But how much of these almonds would be safe? Redirecting...

1 Like

Where did you read “a little bitter”?
I see on your link that Darren says he suspects hybrid, but that it “doesnt have many peach characteristics like Halls Hardy.” Maybe it might be a high quality hybrid rather than pure almond? I dont know.


But to your question on flavor and danger, I am hoping for my first crop this summer. But I cant comment on flavor yet, hopefully this summer.
But on danger, with any seeds that you are concerned has some cyanide, if you have a concern of cyanide like peach almond or apricot or apple seeds and red beans etc all you have to do is dehydrate/roast toast/pasteurize them to the right temp that breaks down the cyanide. Regular almonds in the store are usually pasteurized or roasted which at the right temp destroys the cyanide like with all bean crops(raw red beans will kill you). They do that with soy beans to feed to cattle they must be roasted to the right temp.
So anyway yeah toasting should make you feel safe on any marginal situation.
I need to study up on what that temp is. I know pasteurization of milk is 160F do any of yall know what the temp is for breaking down cyanide? Something to investigate. :slight_smile:

3 Likes

By the way, a small level of cyanide actually has good at least one good property that I understand the K17 is joined to the cyanide and both are killed when heated.
So I eat some apple and pear seeds every time I eat a apple/pear.(to get some k17.)
I imagine on a raw sweet almond/sweet pit apricot you would have to eat a lot raw to have any dangers since even raw apple seed it takes probably quite a number for any ill effects. I have eaten 10± apple seed a day many times.
I have read that regular apricot seed is 5 times as potent as sweet pit. So maybe if you are going to eat more than say one bitter pit or 5 to 10 sweet pit apricot seed daily its best to roast/dehydrate them to the right temp i guess.
All mature beans are very potent, you must heat beans to eat bowls of them…

3 Likes

Thanks for all the infos! Here is where I read “a little bitter”: image

1 Like

Oh ok yeah i think he is speaking of the green fruit. Not the almond.
Some people eat or make preserves with the green fruit.

4 Likes

Oh! I don’t know why I didn’t get that! I’m distracted. Thanks again!

2 Likes

Sure thing! Yeah we are all learning. I cant wait to try them all :slight_smile:

2 Likes

I like you, am in central south KY in 6b zone, and would like to grow almonds for bee feeding and for the nuts. I live at the top of the ridge so we get some crazy strong winds in summer and fall so far, however, I am not sure how spring weather is here in the concern of losing blooms, thus fruit in spring, as I have not been here in springtime yet to know. Hopefully, a self-pollinating tree that is hardy here and I see the England Tree co might be the best to advise on varieties. I planned to wait till spring as I had to remove maples from my yard now. Any luck out with almonds in South Central KY, out there readers??
Thanks so much for any info. Marianne