They need a combination of summers with temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or above and non-freezing winters.
The trees also need an extended chill period to bear fruit and break their dormancy.
Pistachio trees are wind-pollinated, so breezy spring and early summer conditions are essential.
The Spruce / K. Dave
They are alternate-bearing plants, producing a heavy crop one year and a light crop the following year.
Locations with wet soil are not suitable.
At that point, the seedling should still be dormant.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Planting while in dormancy prevents transplant shock and gives the tree maximum growing time to get established.
How to Plant
Plant trees at least 20 feet apart.
Tip
Remember that gusty winds in the spring and summer are crucial for a healthy pistachio harvest.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Male trees should be planted so that prevailing winds carry pollen toward the female trees.
Typically, a male tree pollinates female trees planted within 50 feet.
Soil
The ideal soil for pistachio trees is light, sandy,loamy, and well-draining.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Do not plant the tree in wet, soggy, heavy soil.
Because of its long taproot, the tree needs to reach deep into the ground.
Water
Pistachio trees are very drought-tolerant and prefer arid landscapes.
Pistachio tree with budsTirex/ Getty Images
However, they still require plenty of water for an abundant harvest.
Water the tree deeply but infrequently, allowing the water to saturate the soil.
If you have several pistachio trees, consider anirrigation system.
Ripening pistachio nuts
Temperature and Humidity
Optimal temperatures for pistachio trees hover at around 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, pistachio trees don’t tolerate temperatures below freezing or frozen ground.
Pistachio trees thrive in heat but do poorly in hot, humid climates.
Fertilizer
Before adding fertilizer,test the soilto determine if it lacks nutrients.
Apply the fertilizer from late winter to early spring.
Once this occurs, rap the branches to dislodge the pistachios.
After harvesting, remove the epicarps within 24 hours for the best flavor and freshness.
Growing pistachio trees long-term in pots or as indoor plants is not advisable.
They should be planted in the garden to allow the tree to mature.
They have a long taproot, which could become stunted with long-term container growth.
Pruning
Pruning your pistachio tree in midsummer helps encourage it to branch and grow thicker.
You may want topruneongoing growth two or three times a year to stimulate ongoing growth.
When pruning, take care not to remove any flowers.
The small, brownish-green flowers on a pistachio tree are not showy and lack petals.
When the tree is young, identify branches that function as the main branches for the growing tree.
Choose branches spaced evenly around the trunk and remove any growing directly across each other.
All other branches should be pruned to approximately 4 to 6 inches long.
This is a complicated, tricky procedure that amateurs rarely do successfully.
To prevent this problem, plant a specimen with resistant rootstock.
All pistachios grown in the United States come from three states: California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Most of them99% of pistachiosare produced in California.
One of the perks of growing pistachios is you’re free to eat them straight from the tree.
Commercially grown pistachios are always dried or dried and roasted.
Pistachios contain protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidant compounds.
Scientists suggest they can help manage obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic conditions.
Growing Pistachios in New Mexico.
New Mexico State University.
History - Pistachio Origins.
2016;51(3):133.
