Warm Climate Nuts

WARM CLIMATE NUTS ONLINE COURSE 

• Learn to grow nuts from Warmer temperate to tropic regions
• Start, manage or work on a nut farm
• Work in a business that services nut farms (eg -supplying equipment, contracting services, marketing etc)

For most people, a nut is a type of food and a delightful food at that! Strictly speaking, not all nuts are edible; but this course is only concerned with edible nuts and in particular, the ones that are grown more extensively around the world in warm climates.
The tropical nut trees are dependent on your locality and conditions can vary quite considerably even in tropical areas, for example certain tropical areas may experience frosts. However there are so many varieties worth trying that it is worth learning about them all!

There are eight lessons including a special project in this course. This course is designed as a detailed look at identification and culture of nuts in warmer climates. Emphasis is placed on the species that are of horticultural value

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction
   • What is a Nut
   • Review of the system of plant identification
   • Main family groups of nuts
   • Family Juglandaceae
   • Family Corylaceae
   • Family Characteristics
   • Family Fagaceae
   • Family Proteaceae
   • Family Burseraceae
   • Family Lecthidaceae
   • Family Sterculiaceae
   • Family Anacardiaceae
   • Family Rosaceae
   • Family Leguminosae
   • Family Asteraceae
   • Family Cucurbitaceae
   • Family Palmaceae
   • Family Pinaceae
   • Information contacts (i.e. nurseries, seed, clubs etc.)
   • Potential for Nut Growing
2. Nut Plant Culture
   • Terminology
   • Soil and Nutrition Management
   • Planting,water management, plant health, pruning, etc.
3. Propagation of Nut Plants
   • Seed
   • Cuttings
   • Propagating Media
   • Hardening off Young plants
   • Layering
   • Budding and grafting
4. The Macadamia
   • Magadamia growing in Australia & elsewhere
   • Cultivars
   • Macadamia recipes
5. The Pecan
   • Nutritional components of the nut
   • Culture
   • Climate
   • Propagation
   • Cultivars
   • Problems
   • Uses
6. Other Varieties which Grow in Warm Climates
   • Pistacio
   • Cashew
   • Peanut
   • Almond
   • Baobab (Andersonia)
   • Brazil Nut
   • Coconut
   • Guarana
   • Cola
   • Sunflower
   • Cocao
   • Coffee
   • Sesame Seed
   • Others are reviewd briefly, including: Pili Nut, Acacia, Hausa Ground Nut etc
7. Selecting a site and planting a plot.
   • Site Selection and management
   • Site characteristics
   • Climate
   • Biological characteristics
   • Water
   • Other factors
   • Using weedicides with nut plantings
8. Growing, harvesting and using nuts.
   • Harvest and storage of nuts
   • Sorting, Cleaning, Drying
   • Uses for nuts -food, crafts, timber etc

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

COURSE AIMS

This course is for the curious grower who wants to learn more about types of warm climate nuts. In the lessons you will identify different nut crop varieties.

• Learn about the classification of nuts
• Learn to access sources of organisations specific to nut production
• Learn about the cultural requirements of tropical nuts, as most of the varieties we look at are for the tropics or warm climates.
• Discover the characterisitics of soils. Understand plant nutrition,
  plant health, watering techniques,environmental protection for your crops,
  pest and disease management
• Techniques for pruning and maintenance
• Learn how to successfully propagate nut trees; propagation from nut seeds and cuttings
  grafting, layering,establishing rootstocks
• Macadamia nut trees are looked at in detail
• Pecan nut trees are looked at in detail.
• Other varieities of nuts such as Pistachio, Cashew
  Almond, Brazil and other varieties you never knew exsisted, are looked at
• Establishment and horticultural management of tropical nut trees is looked at.
• Learn about site selection for successful cultivation, planting techniques and
  factors affecting the selection of a site.
• Then when you have all these factors taken into consideration, the harvesting and storage of nuts is reviewed.

This is an extract from the course notes:

WHAT IS A NUT?
Botanists define a nut as follows:
"A dry, indehiscent, one seeded fruit, somewhat similar to an achene, but the product of more than one carpel, and usually larger with a hard woody wall"
(Reference: A Dictionary of Biology by Abercrombie et al, published by Penguin).

If you do not quite understand this description:

Indehiscent simply means that the fruit does not break open readily and release the seed
(Note: Legumes such as wattles or peas in contrast are dehiscent fruits -they dry, and then drop seeds while the dry fruits are still attached to the plant).

An Achene is a simple, thin walled fruit and contains only one seed. A strawberry in fact is a large number of individual tiny achenes which cover a fleshy receptacle (Note. The fleshy receptacle is what we eat as a strawberry; while the fruits and seeds are tiny gritty bits covering the surface).

Many types of plants have nuts as fruits; some are grown commercially as edible food products, and others are not.

Nuts are produced by the following trees; Quercus (oaks), Pecan, Filbert, Hickory, Macadamia,
Hazelnut and others.

Commercial Growers and Home Gardeners may be less rigid in the way they define a nut. Generally nuts are edible fruits or parts of fruits which are hard, relatively dry (unlike fleshy fruits), and are able to be roasted for eating, or in many cases, may be eaten fresh.

In some cases, the roasting may destroy undesirable chemicals in the nut, or may enhance the flavour.

In the strict botanical sense, a peanut would not be a nut, because there can be more than one seed inside a fruit; however peanuts are perhaps the most widely grown commercial nut in the world.

Nuts above all have a distinct advantage over other fruits in their keeping quality. Being a dry product, they are less susceptible to spoilage, and will generally store well without any sophisticated or expensive storage treatments. This characteristic alone extends their marketing life, and can eliminate many problems associated with other types of crops.
(Note: They may need protection from pests though (eg. rodents and other vermin).

There are many nuts which are grown and eaten in one region, but not commonly heard of in other parts of the world. This is particularly the case in many tropical areas, where nuts which are eaten by local people may offer significant potential for future commercial cropping.

Nut trees are considered to be a medium to long term investment.

If grown commercially, most nuts (except peanuts, which crop in six months) take five or more years to bear and up to fifteen years to mature.

If you are considering a nut tree in your home garden, make sure you have plenty of space. Often you may need at least two trees of different varieties to ensure adequate pollination and hence nut set.

In all cases well drained, fertile soil is important; and irrigation desirable for tree maturity and early bearing. In dry summer climates watering is essential.

Generally speaking healthy nut trees are not susceptible to many pests and diseases. However our famous cockatoos and parrots are very partial to ripe nuts.

Nowadays we use grafted nut trees for vigour and disease resistance.

Often there are several different varieties for each type of nut. These have been developed for particular climates and times of ripening. Nut varieties are classified as early, mid season or late maturing.

A local nursery should advise you on the selection of varieties to suit your needs and situation.

A young nut tree develops a strong root system if the planting area is kept weed free. When established a grass and clover cover can be maintained (mown) around and between trees.

Regular fertilizing during the growing season encourages strong growth, pest and disease resistance and high yields of plump nuts. Nitrogen is a most important nutrient for nuts but don't forget Phosphorus and Potassium.

Nut trees are generally pruned and trained to develop a strong central trunk with five to six main branches. Prune in early winter after leaves drop.

Nuts are harvested in autumn, usually after falling to the ground, although they can be picked from the tree as they ripen. When kept in dry, cool conditions, nuts will keep for many months.

The Table below shows the growing conditions and cultivation practices necessary for successful production of  some nuts in Australia.

TABLE  QUICK GUIDE TO CHOOSING ANDGROWING NUTTREES

Some of our Horticulture Tutors

Maggi Brown Cert.Ed.(Environment)
Maggi is regarded as an expert in Organic Growing throughout the UK, having worked for two decades as Education Officer at the world renowned Henry Doubleday Research Association (now Garden Organic). She has been active in education, environmental management and horticulture across the UK for more them three decades.

Yvonne Sharpe RHS Cert.Hort, Dip.Hort, M.Hort, Cert.Ed., Dip.Mgt.
Over 30 years of experience in horticulture, education and management, Yvonne hastravelled widely within and beyond Europe, and has worked in many areas of horticulture from garden centres to horticultural therapy. She has served on industry committees and been actively involved with amateur garden clubs for decades. Yvonne is also a member of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG).

John L. Mason Dip.Hort.Sc., Sup'n Cert., FIOH, FPLA, FAIH, MACHPER, MASA
Mr Mason has had over 40 years experience in the fields of Horticulture, Business, Education and Journalism. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. He has held positions ranging from Nurseryman and Landscape Designer to Director of Parks and Recreation (City of Essendon) and magazine editor.
John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over forty books and of over two thousand magazine articles. Even today, John has written a number of best selling reference texts used by horticultural courses at universities and colleges internationally. His publishers include Simon and Shuster, and Landlinks Press (CSIRO Publishing

Dr. Lynette Morgan B. Hort. Tech., Ph.D. in Horticultural Science   Dr Morgan has a broad expertise in horticulture and crop production, and a keen appreciation of the global scene. She travels widely as a partner in Suntec Horticultural Consultants, and has clients in central America, the USA, Caribbean, South East Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

Gavin Cole B.Sc., Psych.Cert., Cert.Garden Design, MACA
Gavin has over 20 years of industry experience in  Landscaping, Publishing, Business and Psychology. He was operations manager for a highly reputable British Landscape firm (The Chelsea Gardener) before starting up his own firm. He has exhibited at Chelsea Flower Show, and designed gardens across England and Australia.  He spent the best part of three years working in our Gold Coast office, partly as a writer for Your Backyard (gardening magazine), and partly as a tutor in both psychology and horticulture.

Martin Powdrill, Bsc (Hons) Applied Science (Resources Option), MSc Computer Studies, Permaculture Design Certificate. Martin’s goal as a catalyst for sustainable change brings together his strengths and experience in his environmental, project management, and business backgrounds. For 25 years, Martin has been involved in Telecommunications, IT, Organisational Development, and Energy Conservation & Efficiency, prior to setting up his own Permaculture consulting business. He wishes to make a real difference to people and the planet, by actively bringing new perspectives to current challenges and exciting opportunities. To realise this, he enables diverse groups of people to flourish and release their untapped potential, by re-igniting their passion and creativity. Additionally, Martin volunteers with many local environmental and community groups, and facilitates discussions on climate change, peak oil, and transition towns. Martin has an allotment, and is currently enrolled in the Scottish Mountain Bike Leader Award programme.

Rosemary Davies Dip Hort Sc.    Rosemary trained in Horticultural Applied Science at Burnley, a campus of Melbourne University. Initially she worked with Department of Agriculture Victoria as an extension officer (Garden Advisory Service), taught horticulture students, worked on radio with ABC radio (clocking up over 24 years as a presenter of garden talkback programs, initially the only woman presenter on gardening in Victoria) and she simultaneously developed a career as a writer. She is author of several booka and hundreds of articles.

Diana Cole B.A. (Hons), Higher Dip. (Garden Design), RHS Advanced Cert. Horticulture, Cert Admin.Mgt., Dip. Inst. Personnel Management In addition to her RHS horticulture, garden design, City & Guild construction, NPTC pesticide/legislation and business/management qualifications, Diana has a variety of skills drawn from setting up Arbella Gardens, a landscape gardening business. She also has administrative, management and training delivery experience drawn from her employment in other organisations such as the NHS and other educational institutions such as schools & universities. She has augmented her training expertise having gained the Preparing to Teach in the Life Long Learning Sector qualification. She also has experience gained through working as a volunteer in a number of different roles including amenity style gardening in parks and practical conservation work. Diana is also a member of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners Limited (NSALG).