Do you enjoy munching on mixed nuts in cashew cans? If you reside in a subtropical or tropical climate, growing cashew trees at home is totally feasible; you may have your own ready supply.
While growing nut trees at home is not as difficult as growing fruit trees, it is something that most people do not consider. To grow cashews successfully, you’ll need the correct environment and know-how.
Are you looking forward to digging in? Let’s get going right away.
Get to Know Cashew Trees
Cashew trees originate from the Caribbean Islands and Brazil, although they are now found all over the tropics. Africa, India, and Southeast Asia are the most common places to find them.
Cashew trees have evergreen, oval, leathery leaves that grow up to 40 feet tall. The trees’ gorgeous pink flowers make them attractive as well as nutritious.
When hunting for nuts on the tree, it’s simple to be deceived by the tree’s cashew apples, which are oval-shaped. Cashew apples are edible and shouldn’t be confused with a bell pepper; they’re yellow, orange, or red in color. These aren’t actual apples, but rather the fruit’s enlarged stem.
The cashews are found at the end of the fruit, which is where the nuts are attached.
If you live in a subtropical or tropical environment, growing cashew trees is ideal for beginners. Make sure to add compost to the hole where you plant the trees, and water and fertilize them on a regular basis.
Growing Cashew Trees
Growing cashew trees isn’t tough if you have the correct environment and growing conditions. These trees must be in a subtropical or tropical environment since they grow in USDA zones 10-11.
Sadly, since cashews need to be cultivated in the ground and won’t survive harsh temperatures, people living outside of those zones can’t cultivate them. These trees thrive in climates with an average temperature of around 80°F, but they can tolerate temperatures as high as 105°F if they are given enough sunlight.
Now, let’s see what it takes to grow cashew nut trees.
When to Plant Cashews
Any time is a good time to sow cashew seeds, but fall and winter are the optimal seasons. Saplings may be nurtured in the spring under a canopy until they are ready to be planted.
Where to Plant Cashew Trees
To grow, cashew trees need at least six hours of direct sunlight. Make sure that each day of the year is required by the location you choose. The trees will grow slowly and never produce fruits if you plant them in an environment with shade.
Never plant these trees in clay-rich soil because the roots will become waterlogged, which will ultimately kill the trees. Make sure the area has well-draining soil.
Remember that these trees may grow up to 40 feet tall and need 30 feet between each tree when choosing a site.
Preparing the Soil for Cashew Trees
The pH range of 5 to 6.5 is ideal for cashew trees, which prefer sandy laterite soil. To provide the nutrients needed to grow, make sure you apply compost in the hole before planting the tree. Compost also helps the soil drain properly.
How to Grow Cashew Trees from Seeds
You’ll need to discover an adult, unshelled nut (or seed) if you want to grow cashew trees from seeds. Also, trees grown from seed don’t develop into the species they’re supposed to. For up to four months, cashew seeds are viable. You’ll need to sun dry it for three days and soak it in water all night after you’ve collected it.
Because they germinate quicker and easier, sow fresh cashew seeds. Wait for the seed to germinate in a seed starter mixture. It takes up to three weeks for cashew seeds to sprout.
Make sure the container isn’t in full sunlight and keep the seeds in a warm area with some indirect light. To make sure the soil isn’t drying out, check on it frequently.
Growing Cashew Trees From Potted Plants
The next best option is to find a grafted tree or seedling at a local garden nursery if you don’t feel comfortable starting your nut tree from seeds. For rookies who have never planted from trees before, this approach is recommended.
Planting Cashew Trees
You must dig a hole twice as big as the root ball whether you’re cultivating cashew trees from seeds or a potted grafted tree. Place the roots of the cashew tree on top of the pile and gently lower it into the hole, putting them at the bottom.
Press down firmly on the rest of the soil to fill in the hole. Spread mulch around the base of the tree, water the ground deeply to help the roots establish, and water as needed.
Caring for Cashew Trees
Caring for your young tree takes time once your trees have been planted. As the tree grows older, you’ll need to water and fertilize less often, but in the beginning, you’ll want to remember to do so on a regular basis.
Watering Your Cashew Tree
Cashew trees are drought tolerant once they have been established, but the more water they get, the greater amount of fruit and nuts it bears. Water your trees every week throughout the summer, and make sure to water thoroughly; watering only once or twice is sufficient.
Reduce or stop watering when the weather turns chilly. Overwatering your trees may kill them, which is the last thing you want to do. During watering, water deeply and allow the earth to dry out.
Fertilizing Cashew Trees
Regular fertilizer applications help cashew trees produce more fruits; this increases their yield.
Use a gradual-release NPK fertilizer according to the instructions on the packet’s reverse. Every two months throughout the growing season, apply fertilizer to the tree’s base. Each year, you’ll also have to spread compost around your tree’s area.
Pruning The Cashew Tree
When you cultivate any fruit or nut tree, pruning is a must. To eliminate weak, dead, and entangled branches, regular pruning is required. Remove branches that have been infested with insects or diseases.
To encourage improved development, you should also prune crowded branches. Look for crossed branches; when crossed branches rub, the risk of damage increases. Diseases are more likely to occur on a damaged branch.
Don’t Forget to Mulch
A new layer of mulch should be applied around the roots of your tree every year. Mulching weeds prevents them from developing and keeps the soil moist. Since it washes away or decompounds into the soil, you’ll need to apply more mulch each year.
Common Pests and Diseases
Cashew trees have minimal to no insect or disease problems in general. As a result, it’s a simple nut tree to maintain for novices. While uncommon, if you grow these trees, you may encounter a few pests.
Cashew Weevil
The larvae are legless grubs that are white, and the adult cashew weevils are huge and gray-brown with a knobby look. On the trunks of the trees, they lead to a sticky, insect-excrementing substance that kills the tree.
Any larvae or pupae that may be discovered on or around the tree should be destroyed, so remove the bark from the contaminated area. It will take several months to eliminate all of them. Unfortunately, severely infested trees must be chopped down and destroyed.
Coconut Bug
The coconut bug is another insect that may attack your cashew tree. The adults are red-brown, while the nymphs range in color from red to green. On the fruits, they result in necrotic lesions that develop into hard lumps and Kernel spotting.
Conserving the natural predators of the coconut bug in your garden, which will help you naturally control pest numbers, is the most effective way to manage them. Coconut bug natural predators include Weaver ants and fire ants. If the infestation is severe, you may resort to insecticides.
Helopeltis Bugs
Helopeltis bugs are completely unknown to you, I assume. There are people who feel the same way as you do. These insects have slender bodies, long legs, and antennae and are sometimes referred to as mosquito bugs. Surprisingly, the antennae are two times as long as the body. The males are brown, while the females are red. They resemble a huge mosquito in appearance.
The fruits of Helopeltis may fall off the plant because of deformities in the leaves with angular lesions on the veins. You should constantly check for indications of these pests because they might cause severe damage.
Introduce natural predators to take care of the populations, such as wasp and green tree ants, to combat theem. If the infestation gets too severe, you may also use chemical pesticides.
Harvesting Cashews
Note if the cashew nut shells are gray when the cashew apples on the trees start to turn pink or red. Harvesting the nuts should be done at this point. It might take three to five years for the tree to produce its first fruits if you grow it from seeds.
Cashew apples are edible, so don’t throw them away, despite what you may think. You may eat them fresh or prepare cashew apple juice.
Cashews may be stored in a cool, dark location for up to two years after being removed from their shells.
Cashew shells contain caustic oil that will burn your skin, so don’t break the shells before roasting. When working with gloves, wear them and use caution.
Processing Cashews
Shells cannot be opened and the nuts inside devoured like with other nuts. The shell is filled with a caustic liquid that will cause severe burns on your skin. Without burning your skin or getting it in your eyes, you must remove the nuts from the shells.
When processing cashews, safety glasses and mittens are required. When processing homegrown cashews, you have a few options once you’ve got your protective clothing.
1. Freeze the Shells
Freezing the shells and separating the shell from the nut before it thaws out is one of the simplest ways to process cashews. Just to be safe, you’ll need to don gloves and glasses. You can eat the nuts raw after the shells and nuts have been separated, but make sure to remove any liquid before doing so.
2. Roast the Cashews
Roasting the cashews is the second option. Before you begin, you’ll need a mask, long gloves, and sleeves that cover your arm.
Put the nuts into the hot vegetable oil for two minutes at 410°F. They’ll become brittle if you let them cook for more than two minutes.
Take the nuts from the shell after that by dumping them into a bucket of water. Dig in after they’ve dried on a towel.