Pistachio cultivation – Complete guide

The ideal growing area for a pistachio plantation is one that is located at a latitude between 30 and 45º N, that is, the strip that includes the southern United States, the Middle East, China and the mediterranean area.

It is true that the pistachio tree is extraordinarily resistant, which tolerates extreme temperatures, whether we are talking about heat, withstanding up to 45 ºC, or cold, being able to withstand up to -7 ºC without problems, but if we want to obtain optimal production, the climate to grow pistachios must meet the following points:

• Needs to very hot during the three summer months and an environment as dry as possible so that diseases do not appear.
• Also need cold in winter so that the plant makes the vegetative rest and regrowth with force in spring.
• The proper level of rainfall is 500-600 mm per year. It is possible to grow dry, but it will give less production.
• Regarding the wind, it is not a problem, since it favors dryness and can even withstand violent winds, although the soft breezes will help the fruits to set.
• It does not matter if there are frostssince the tree resists them and, in addition, blooms late, in April or May.

When it comes to how to plant pistachios, soil preparation is simple but important. This tree prefers values ​​of Soil pH between 6.0 and 8.0. It adapts to all kinds of substrates, including very alkaline or slightly acid ones, as well as poor, calcareous or saline ones, but the ones that give the best results are sandy loam soils, deep and with good drainage.

It is worth mentioning that, although there is no custom of growing pistachio in fertile and deep soils, the truth is that this type of substrate gives excellent results with the tree, reaching yields of up to double.

Soil management for pistachio

Soil management will depend on the type of soil management applied. If the tree is to be grown as traditional dry land, the usual tillage of the soilfirst making between one and two deep passes with a subsoiler to loosen the soil and give it a better capacity to capture water, and then regularly pass the cultivator in summer to keep weeds at bay.

The pistachio too can be grown with ground coverbeing then the harvest often the most important of care.

As already mentioned, the pistachio tree needs around 500-600mm depending on its variety and although it can survive on much less and withstand droughts of up to 5 years, this will markedly affect its production.

If it is an arid area without rain and we want to keep the tree strong, it will be necessary to have endowments of irrigation of around 5000 m3 per hectare. Of course, it is much better to apply frequent watering in small quantities than the opposite, because one of the few things that the tree does not tolerate is waterlogging.

You may also be interested in knowing when to water the plants in this other post.

In the case of this plant, nitrogen is the most important element to achieve adequate development, since the lack of it causes a considerable drop in yield during the production period. A regular input of fertilizer It is between 3.5 and 5.5 kg of NPK 12-12-17 to which 2MgO are added per mature tree. This is added between the end of winter and the beginning of spring, and during the spring it is applied again NPK 15-15-15 this time in water-soluble form. If many empty nuts are given, it can imply a lack of potassium, which must be corrected with fertilizer as well.

Another alternative and ecological way to handle this by using manure, which gives great results. Between 10 and 20 tons of manure per Ha per year or biannually are usually sufficient, exceeding it is not convenient either.

if you don’t buy grafted plantswhich is the most common in the case of farms, it is best to do germinate the seeds before planting them. Follow these steps:

1. Leave the seeds for a soaking night and planting them later in a pot or hotbedbetween 2 and 5 cm deep and in a lighted place.
2. Prepare the ground for transplanting, forming mounds 5 cm high where each seedling will go. This serves to avoid waterlogging at the roots.
3. Transplant the sprouts to their final location when they are grown, always during the winter, when the plant is in vegetative rest.
4. keep the ground clean of weeds and vegetable residues of any kind.
5. Differentiate male and female trees before the first training pruning, which will take place when the trees are about two meters high. In females it is important not to cut shoots that are between one and two meters high, while in males it is not necessary.

At this point, the cutting is a good option due to the time that the pistachio takes to bear fruit.

Here we tell you more about how to germinate a seed. You can also take a look at this other article on How to plant pistachios.

The pistachio harvest is carried out between the end of August and the beginning of SeptemberAlthough this varies depending on the specific area. the tree will take between almost 3 and 7 years to give its first harvestreaching its optimum production around Eight years.

You know when is the optimum time to harvest because the shell separates a little from the skin and the fruit looks duller. Do not harvest before this moment, nor after. Also, don’t be surprised if your pistachio only bears fruit every two years, or produces a heavy crop one year and a much smaller crop the next: many varieties do this naturally.

Once harvested, fruits can be cleaned, sorted and roasted for your consumption. Refrigerated they will last up to 6 weeks, while frozen they can last up to 6 months.

To finish learning the basics about pistachio cultivation, keep in mind that it is a very strong tree that is not affected by many pests or diseases. One of the main dangers to the crop, however, are birdswhich can eat a good part of it. It is advised to drive them away with CDs or shiny items hanging from their branches. Besides, excessive humidity it can also be your enemy, rotting its roots and favoring the appearance of fungus and other conditions.