Growing Macadamia Nuts in California

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I am glad to share what I know, thanks for the comment. Our lot is quite large and the back half is dedicated to food production. The plants come and go all the time and some trees have many varieties grafted on one trunk. I am not sure of the exact numbers. I have used food plants where other people would use ornamental. Sapote, Persimmon and Mac nut block the light from the post office. Walnut, avocado and Hawaiian Koa block the north wind and so on. Not a boxwood or cypress in the yard

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Thank you for the nice comment. I hope you have a big greenhouse. I have yet to see a Macadamia nut tree that has a dwarf habit. My tree has survived 25 degrees f. for short periods of time with no injury. They are subtropical plants not tropical so they take more cold than you might imagine.

[@monicaapril1006]

I am in Fremont and am SO excited to hear this. I went to my local nursery and they said they can’t grow, and I was positive we could!

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I find it sad that nursery workers would supply false information based on opinions rather than fact. The trees will grow over a wide area of California. Most of the grafted Macadamia nut trees in the state are grown by La Verne Nursery in Piru. lavernenursery.com/ Find a local nursery that does business with La Verne and have them order one. More info on Macnuts in CA can be found on the CRFG website. www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/macadamia.html

[@tstieber]

Nursery hacks annoy me so much! Not only do they grow well, they will grow in every part of the Bay Area. They're not even a borderline plant. My parents in Walnut Creek have a 20 year old tree, and I recall one winter having a cold snap into the low 20s, not too far from the record cold of 1990 although not as prolonged. Not a scratch on the trees. I would say they have equivalent hardiness to the citrus trees we grow throughout the Bay Area. In Fremont, you are practically frost-free! I've heard of mango trees growing in Fremont. And ironically, while those are more tender, they are easier to find at nurseries than macadamias

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Finding a Macadamia nut still in the shell at a supermarket is a pretty difficult thing to do. Even if you did the seed could be too old for good germination. Use fresh nuts harvested from a tree.

[@breakwaterfilm]

Great information. I'm attempting to germinate macadamia trees in the Willamette valley in Oregon. I have green house to protect the young trees during winter.

[@lindaparra6002]

Thank You for your video. The macadamia tree where I live has yellowing leaves and looks like it's having a problem. It bloomed heavily a few years ago but hasn't bloomed like that since. It has nuts continuously. The tree is planted in a courtyard surrounded by 4 apartment buildings and enjoys a nice micro-climate. I'm always having to pull out baby macadamia trees that keep sprouting up. Never thought of putting them in pots...

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Check the soil moisture under the mulch. Test for nitrogen in soil. Could be deficient.

[@aerofart]

Nice show, Bill. My next-door neighbors have a fruiting Macadamia tree - not sure which variety. So, I was in my back yard today and picked up a nut that I found laying on the ground (the birds must have carried it over). I am now attempting to germinate the seed/kernel which has had the husk removed. I'll keep you posted.

[@fryloc77]

How big is your garden and how many fruit trees do you have? I love your videos and I learn a lot each time I see a vid. Thanks for posting!

[@HuwRichards]

They are able to grow in Wales, we have a couple of trees our self. We have just planted 4 cobnuts in our orchard and have some hazelnut trees. Very tasty!

[@expatconn7242]

I’m growing one . It’s about 3 years now .. I have a long wait still. Started with trees plants way to late in life. I might not even see it produce nuts . I’m in so cal . Can you share some tips on better caring on my Mac tree. Ty

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

The less you do with macnuts in California the better off you usually are. My tree received fertilizer in the first two year but nothing after. I allowed all the leaves to pile under the tree as a mulch and did almost no pruning. The tree was watered for the first year but not after. Rain was the trees only moisture along with the mulch under the plant. Harvesting squirrels with a pellet gun was the major maintenance. People who plant trees without concern for time usually live long enough to harvest. I'm well past the usual retirement age but I keep planting trees daily. It's good exercise for the body, mind and the soul.

[@ahmeddip2886]

Wow I Love The Fragrance of Macadamia Flowers a Lot!!!

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+Ahmed Dip Mine is flowering at the moment. The whole back of our property has a jasmine like scent.

[@ahmeddip2886]

GreenGardenGuy1 Lucky you are!!! I am feeling very jealous now....I want one but donno how :(

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+Ahmed Dip You are located in the general area of the only major nursery in the state that grows Macadamia nut trees. LaVerne Nursery in Piru. They are wholesale but they can tell you what retailers in your area have the trees they grow. Contact them.

[@handsomejohnjohn]

Thank you for the video. What's the fastest way to grow the macadamia tree and produce nuts? I understand that it normally will take about 5-7 years to produce nuts but I also heard that it can start to produce nuts in 2 -3 years. What should I do to make it produce nuts in 2 -3 years? Is there a different species or need to use cuttings instead of seed or something else?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

In my experience there isn't a way to get macnuts to produce a decent crop prior to 10 years. I suppose it all depends on how you count things. My trees made nuts in 3 years but it was 10 before the crop was large enough to be worth the harvest. You need a big tree to get a big crop, it takes time to make a big tree. In California I used Beaumont, it is a hybrid tree and a little faster than the non-hybrid types. Compost, low phosphorus fertilizer, and proper irrigation are the only suggestions I have to an early harvest.

[@caseG80]

@@GreenGardenGuy1can you air layer them?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Yes@@caseG80

[@ahealthierkirk2558]

I live in southern California and just discovered a tree on the edge of property is a macadamia tree! I want to try and plant some seedlings from its nuts. How long after the nut falls do you eat it? or can you pick them off the tree when still covered in green husk?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

The nuts are harvested as they hit the ground. They will need to be cured in the shade with good air movement for a few weeks. Be sure the green husks dry rather than mold. The nuts can be eaten at this point but the meat may still be stuck to the side of the shell. Let dry a couple more weeks if this is the case.

[@coryreview]

Thanks. My dad loves nuts but has kidney issues. Luckily Mac nuts are low in phosphorus so they are ok for him!

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@@coryreview That is good to know. Since I do not have kidney issues I had no idea. I am wiser.

[@LaxmiA-f1s]

Hi Sri, Do you still live in Fremont. I like to visit your garden

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Nope, sold the place back in 2016 and moved to Hawaii.

[@AmerijamAcres]

Any chance those will grow in Jamaica? I'm very interested in adding them to my farm.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I don't have any good knowledge of Jamaica's climate only a general sense. The first rule of tree planting is the story is written by the people who plant the trees. A check with the local University system might give you some information but you could always be the first person to plant the tree in Jamaica. I was the first to plant Macadamia in Fremont CA. Since many of the crops grown in Jamaica are similar to crops grown in Hawaii I would say that you have a good chance. The macnut will grow in areas where coffee is grown but it will also take both colder and warmer climates than coffee. Since Jamaica is a coffee producing country, both above and below the elevation where coffee is grown the tree might grow.

[@AmerijamAcres]

I've seen many sugar cane growers in Australia have switched to growing macadamia. Since my homestead is surrounded by sugarcane growers I'm confident I'll be able to add them to my design. Just have to find a way to get them here.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Amerijam Acres Yes, I have abandon sugar lands across the street from my home in Hawaii and I have macnuts growing there. The macnuts seem to grow better in California than at the HI house but it could be a nutrient issue. California soils hold nutrients better because the rainfall is much lower. Locating the trees is a problem. I sell lots of them here in California because they are hard to find. I can't ship live plants from here because of quarantines So I am unable to help unless you want live seed to grow your own.

[@AmerijamAcres]

I'm going to do a little research and I may have to have some seeds sent to my place in the states. We'll see. I'm happy to have found you. I'll be in touch when I know more.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I find the rats easier to deal with than the squirrels. The rats are fairly easy to control with traps and baits. I run a zero tolerance policy for rodents in my landscapes and run a rat set year round. I pick the nuts down while still green and cure them in the garage. This is to keep them away from the Blue jays and Squirrels. For other rodents I use a Hav-a-hart live trap and a pellet gun. The Blue Jays I just leave alone. They have planted macnuts across my entire neighborhood by now.

[@jameskantor0459]

Thank you for the video. So do they grow well in LA and San Diego area?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Macadamia nuts will grow fine in coastal areas of California from SF Bay to San Diego. I have heard there are trees in the valley too.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

We can do very little about climate except change our location on the planet. I was born in the Midwestern USA and sometimes watched my tomatoes freeze in July. The move to California wasn't for the climate but it sure is nice. Perhaps walnuts grow well in Wales? They are a lot easier to crack than Macadamia nuts.

[@HuwRichards]

Very cool video but its ashame we don't have your climate in Wales,UK!

[@wyndiefeatherstone948]

I am in Southern California/San Fernando Valley and I wish I knew when the correct harvest time was because the squirrels will have them all eaten if I wait much longer. It is October and they are green and on the tree. They are but have not begun to open. My parents use to pick them and dry them themselves but I don't remember when. I would like to plant some for seedlings. Is there anything I can go by to know if they are viable at this time?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Commercially Mac nuts are raked from the ground as they fall not picked. I used to pick the nuts to keep them from the squirrels but it was a terrible job. Instead i just got rid of the squirrels and kept them gone. Here in Hawaii we have no squirrels so we can just pick up the falling nuts. The tree will let you know when it is ready. The nuts will begin to fall and the green husk will start to split.

[@MegaShahbana]

Please can i know weather i can germinate the plant from the seed available at the supermarkets,coz iam under the impression that those are processed ones,and not suitable for planting tq.

[@dinhton1954]

Thank you for sharing this... Are the plan all over Quary Lakes? I am really interested in checking them out since my friend is planning to plant a few of these trees.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Dinh Ton At the time this video was done we had planted 100 Macadamia nut tree is at the Quarry Lake. Since that time a helpful but careless volunteer decided the trees needed fertilizer and I understand he killed 98 of the 100 trees. There are supposed to be about 2 left growing there but I haven't had the stomach to go look at what was done. Macadamia are not common is Fremont but there are quite a few large bearing age trees in town, mostly all in private yards. A few can be seen from the street.

[@captainpjd]

+GreenGardenGuy1 do you know what kind of fertilizer he put on them that killed them or what kind of mistake was made?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+Pierre Desmet I believe it was a standard mineral salt based 15-15-15. Had he used it at a very light dose it would have been okay. He used too much and soluble phosphorous is lethal to all Proteas.

[@captainpjd]

is 5 3 0 safe do you think, I have bags of the stuff?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+Pierre Desmet Any fertilizer is safe if used as directed. The bags you have are a bit unusual because they are missing the basic nutrient, potash. We usually prefer to use a formula that contains all three major nutrients plus minors unless it is known that your soil naturally contains abundant potash. When growing the seedlings I use one tablespoon of 15-9-12 Osmocote per one gallon grower pot. When transplanting into the ground I like to use an organic Fruit & Citrus food with Mycorrhizae like Doctor Earth or G & B. I use this mostly to inoculate the proper fungi and bacteria around the tree. After the initial planting I only feed the trees again if they appear to have week growth. In California my trees grow very quickly with no fertilizer other than the leaves decomposing under the trees. In Hawaii I lose nitrogen rapidly because of high rainfall. I like to use fish waste or fish emulsion to boost the N. Any other high nitrogen fertilizer will work. The part of the formula to be careful of is the middle number, phosphorus, Macnuts are proteas and too much P is lethal to them.

[@johnmanera4097]

Hi Bill, I thought I would subscribe as I am an Aussie gardener and have been following your channel for some years. I saw that you had a Beaumont hybrid macadamia nut tree in California. I have 3 macadamia trees in my home yard, 2 white flowering varieties, one A4 Australian variety, one G6 genetically bred pink flowering variety and one HAES 816 Hawaiian variety. There is a subtle difference in taste and probably rank the A4 as the worst tasting, although still good, but still regard the macadamia as one of the best nut varieties particularly when roasted. Everyone has different taste though, a few years ago I didn't like cashews that much, but now they along with fresh walnuts are my favourite nuts. The beaumont variety is not commonly grown in Australia, as you might be aware 80% of the Australian grown macadamias are Hawaiian varieties, originally developed from Australian plants. I saw that you were growing seedlings and as you said they would be genetically different from the parent and to assist in cross pollination. It's interesting because some macadamia plant breeders think that they don't need other trees for cross pollination. But one of the Australian Macadamia society horticultural science experts said the exact same thing as you because one year I got a lot (3000nuts) off my A4 macadamia tree and he said it was most likely from cross pollination. It stands to reason that the trees cross pollinate otherwise you wouldn't get the variety of leaf shapes and flower colours that I have seen in Western Australia. I grow organically because the environment needs more people to follow permaculture principles. I appreciate your views and not wanting to get political, but I think a fair number of Australians and other countries wonder about your president Trump. He is certainly different. Apologies for getting political. I am 64 and the world has changed heaps in my lifetime. Have a good day.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I believe Macadamia nuts benefit from cross pollination but most will produce alone. Yes, at 67 I was born when the vacuum tube powered our radios and the Ford car ran a flat head V 8. Some things never get old though. The need for polite and civil behavior is still important because it brings people together over differences. Tyrants use division to gain power. The Trump is using a play book that should have been burned in the streets of Berlin during the 1930's. It is a frightening development because there are many here among us that either invite this sort of thing or are too poorly educated to realize what is happening. If I wasn't terrified by what i see I would never have mentioned it on a garden channel. I run a risk in my comments. I am glad to hear that a guy from Australia has noticed the issue too. Many Americans do not seem to notice and I wish I didn't feel inclined t comment. I get beat up a lot for it and many people who like the garden stuff hate my point of view on government. Most do not realize that I have long been active politically. They only know me from the garden so my comments are a shock. Ancient Taoist proverb, Curse you, may you be born in interesting and important times. Aloha

[@divinelivity1111]

Love and Light to you brother

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Aloha

[@mikeneel6676]

i planted a macadamia nut tree about 2 years ago and it is about 12 feet tall and now several other shoots have come up around the bottom of it. I live on the Central Coast of California and it seems to be doing well. My concern is, do I need another tree to pollinate the one that I have in order for it to grow fruit?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Mike Neel I have never run across a Macadamia nut tree that is self sterile. All of the ones I've seen here in the Bay are solitary trees, usually Beaumont cultivar, and they fruit well. My tree is a solitary Beaumont and it has an excellent crop on it this year. If you have a seedling tree the genetics can be variable but they should still fruit when standing alone. A great reason to plant a second tree though is to harvest double the nuts!As far as the shoots coming up from the base, if they are below the graft line I would remove them right away. If they are not and having low branches works for you then you can leave them. I remove low limbs on my tree so I can get underneath for harvesting. 12 feet in 2 years sounds like good growth so all must be going well for the tree. Two year is very young to look for a harvest. The first crops often take 5 to 6 years. I waited 10 years for a crop worth talking about. My tree is now 17 years old and the crop increases every year. I suspect it takes 25 to 30 years to get a commercial yield here in the Bay Area. This will explain why the tree will grow here but no one raises the nuts for profit.

[@mikeneel6676]

GreenGardenGuy1 Thanks for the info. The tree is a "Cate", I agree a second tree would be good. I will have to find a Beaumont!

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Mike Neel I've never grown Cate I'd like to hear back about it's performance when it starts to bear.

[@Grando7260]

I live in the Pittsburg Antioch area and was curious where I could buy some trees?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Sean Grandin I have one gallon size potted seedlings and fresh seed for sale in Fremont, CA. Otherwise LaVerne Nursery grows 5 gallon size grafted trees and their products can be found in many of our local retail nurseries. Try ordering one from Navlet's. When I ran their Fremont store I had mac nuts in the stock.

[@kadaablog2]

I just planted my nuts in a pot, should i keep it home or I pant them in my backyard? Or wait for summer? I live in Los Angeles thx

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Now there you go. Hazelnut shrub will grow here but doesn't make good nuts because our weather is too mild. Hazelnuts crack a lot easier too.

[@knucker14]

do you think macadamia would do well in Livermore?

[@tstieber]

I'm so excited to find this video. I'm about to watch it. Hopefully, there will be suggestions on increasing yield. My parents have a 20 year old tree in Walnut Creek that performs beautifully as an ornamental, it's never suffered even a scratch during the winter in all that time, and it blooms profusely Every Spring, like hundreds and hundreds of flowers, but in the end, most of the nuts fall off and leave no more than a dozen for Harvest. I'm thinking it has to do with fluctuating temperatures and inconsistent water during the late spring and early summer, something they're not on top of. It always seems to be that transition between the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the heat that causes the fruit drop. Let me know if you have any suggestions! Maybe mulch or certain fertilizer or something?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

You say the nuts fall off. So you go past the flower stage to the nut stage but they fall before ripening? How large is the fruit that is dropping? My guess is you are being attacked by squirrels, rats or Blue Jay. All three of these would strip my tree if I didn't control them. Do you see any marks on the fallen nuts. I always kept a good mulch under my tree but I did not feed and water it it. the grow was good so I left it alone. Do not use phosphorous on Macadamia, it can kill them. I watering could be an issue. If the soil drains well the trees will take plenty of water. In Fremont the soil was dense and water was not required.

[@tstieber]

@@GreenGardenGuy1 after most of the flowers fail to pollinate, the ones that do turn into nuts often fall off when they are the size of peas, very early in the process. Maybe no more than a dozen make it to maturity. My thoughts tend to go towards the fluctuating temperatures in the Inland valleys, with sudden heat spikes and cool Downs during the late spring and early summer.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@@tstieber Your idea is possible but the description leads me to believe it is pollination. Not all Macadamia nut varieties are self fertile. Do you know the cultivar or is it a seedling? You probably need a second tree of a different variety. Beaumont is a good choice for the Bay Area.

[@tstieber]

@@GreenGardenGuy1 Could be. But it is definitely a Beaumont, and it's always chock full of bees when in bloom. Any suggestions of things we could try?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@@tstieber Beaumont is self fertile so I am wrong. They take about 10 years to mature. Some issue with the culture is my only idea. I had no issues with tree in Fremont or Hawaii so I am out of ideas. Really sorry I'm no help.

[@MuayThaiPai]

Would love to pick up a few from you

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I live in Hawaii these days but still sell the seed and the trees. I have a fresh crop at www.greengardenservice.net

[@karenmattke7775]

Do you need to graft the tree once it is growing from a seed?

[@peterngunjiri2453]

Yes,please let me know to graft

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

No grafting is not required. I have several good producing mac nut trees grown from seed. The only problem with seed grown trees is the genetic diversity. The trees will be similar but not exactly the same as the parent. This is fine for the gardener and the breeder but maybe not so good for the commercial farmer.

[@cincomorales]

Hi how for how much would you sell 5 little trees ?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+jessie morales Sorry Jessie, I just moved my entire operation from California to Hawaii. Everything in California was sold including the house and the Macadamia nut trees. I'll be back in business over here in the Island soon but it will take about a year to get things built up.

[@cincomorales]

+GreenGardenGuy1 hoooooo man ! ;) well any way i thank you for making the video and share your wisdom! I want to ship macadamia trees ti michocan mexico so people overthere can work on some thing else besides al the traditional plants ! I al ready telling my mom in mexico to plant olive trees , also to cultivate blue berries! Im realy exited to get a few macadamia tree in mexico

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+jessie morales Sorry I couldn't help you but I retired last month and plan to spend my time in Hawaii, it is less crowded here. Eventually I will have some Macnut seed but not for a while.

[@rosaliasanson5913]

I am interested in buying some young plants. Where can I buy some?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I moved from California to Hawaii a few years back. I still grow Macadamia nut seedlings here too but mostly for local sales. I can ship to 46 states but CA, AZ, TX & LA are prohibited.

[@0anant0]

plz check aloha tropicals -- they have them

[@myeflatley1150]

Trees I have seen in Hawaii always have had thorns on the leaf edge like holly . Is that true of all cultivars? Is it true of Beaumont?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Most of the grafted cultivars used in Hawaii on farms have smooth leaf edges. This isn't true of all types and definitely not true of the wild trees but we do breed for smooth leaves. Beaumont, which is the best tree for northern California has holly like leaf edges. It really doesn't matter because we do very little pruning on Macnut trees and the nuts are raked from the soil in Hawaii rather than picked. In California there are squirrels so picking may be required unless you are a marksman and eat squirrel stew.

[@myeflatley1150]

@@GreenGardenGuy1 Menonnites go barefoot in mild weather. Thorns of all types are frowned upon. I wonder what would be a good variety to grow in Belize.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@@myeflatley1150 I am not troubled by any particular spiritual beliefs so I suggest shoes & gloves when working around sharp plants. They help a lot.

[@rkruse571]

I would love to grow a macadamia nut tree. Are you still selling the nut seeds? thanks

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+rom kruse Yes I have a fresh crop of seeds right now. The price depends on the quantity, let me know what sort of volume you want. Contact me at [e-mail]

[@yan0925]

Do you sell your Macadamia small trees to Bay Area residence?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

When I lived in the Bay Area I did sell trees. I live in Hawaii these days and all I can ship to CA is the live seed.

[@0anant0]

plz check aloha tropicals -- they have them

[@annielou2010]

i got some seeds,i just planted them ,is it necesary to make a nick to the outer shell,so it can grow faster??

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+annielou2010 Studies done on mac nut germination indicate that cracking the seed can reduce the germination by up to 80%. The hull is too thick to be breached without damaging the embryo. The only things I have found that help are use fresh seed less than 2 months old and do not over water the seed. Too much moisture slows germination or makes the seed just rot. Good luck. Bill

[@annielou2010]

+GreenGardenGuy1 thanks for the advise!

[@annielou2010]

+GreenGardenGuy1 can you tell me what do you use to fertilize the little plants?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+annielou2010 I never fertilize until after the first transplanting. At that point i move from the mass container to standard black plastic nursery pots. I use either a table spoon of all purpose Osmocote or a tablespoon of organic citrus fertilizer. I feed the plants again on 3 month cycles.

[@annielou2010]

ok,thanks for your help again,good day!

[@lolshatter]

Bill, have you ever seen Macadamia growing close to a river or lake or any water source?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Yes, near Pahala, Hawaii there are some very large groves of commercial macadamia nuts planted along Keaiwa Gulch, Kauhuhu' Ula Gulch, & Ka' Ala' Ala Gulch. The water in these gulches comes and goes but when it flows it is a torrent. We have Macadamia nut planted at Quarry Lakes Park in Fremont, CA on a peninsula jutting into the lake.

[@bellapatel910]

Well...I had tried to grow from seed in 2011, but might be my thumb is not green for this one. Maybe I'll try again as soon as found seeds...Thank you...Happy Gardening...

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

They take awhile to mature but the tree is very easy to raise from seeds. I have grown thousands of them in this fashion. The only four tips I can offer is do not attempt to crack the seeds, it kills 80% of the. Keep the seeds quite a bit on the dry side. Too much water keeps them from germinating or spreads anthracnose to the shoots killing them. Use fresh seeds, old seed does not sprout. Seeds less than 6 month old are best. Phosphorus kills Macadamias because they are proteas. High phosphorus fertilizers or manure compost are a death sentence.

[@bellapatel910]

I remember, When you are in Fremont had called you too for the plant & i think you give me price $ 8/12 for 1 plant. But that time my son Krish & me had a plan to buy house & all, But Krish cross over in Feb-28-14, so all our plans went to drain. His father's health is not well. Will see...May be God have a diff. plan for me. Will see...Thank you for reply & Happy Gardening...

[@bobwhitelock4033]

Can you grow the dry nuts?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+Bob Whitelock Fresh nuts in the shell germinate about 85% Nuts that are less than 6 months from harvest grow very well about 75% germination. After a year the germination drops below 10%. I assume this is what you meant by dry nuts? Nuts that have been removed from the shell or have the shell mechanically cracked germinate 0%.

[@bobwhitelock4033]

+GreenGardenGuy1 thank you

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

If they are fresh and still in the shell then yes. Most of the time the nuts in shell are old unless you get them locally during harvest. I usually find the seeds are good stored dry for about 6 months.

[@1wolfgirl300]

Where did you get your tree from? I live in the bay area too and was looking to get one

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

1wolfgirl300 About 16 years ago I was the manager of a major nursery in the Bay Area called Navlet's and I ordered the tree from LaVerne Nursery down in Piru, CA. They still grow the trees and you can get one but not direct because LaVerne is a wholesale grower. You will need to speak with your local nurseries and find out who does business with LaVerne, they can get you a tree. If that doesn't work out call LaVerne and find out who they ship to in your area. If that doesn't work try contacting Mike at Menlo Growers in Gilroy. He orders from LaVerne and distributes his citrus plus their trees all across the bay Area. If that is a dude I have one gallon size seedlings from my tree. www.lavernenursery.com/ menlogrowers.com/

[@1wolfgirl300]

I'll see if I can contact them, I'm going to try to grow a few from seed and maybe get a grafted one from them. Thank you so much! Happy growing!

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

1wolfgirl300 I assume you must have access to fresh seed then. If not I have a current crop on my tree.

[@1wolfgirl300]

GreenGardenGuy1 Yes I have a friend in san diego sending me some seeds from their tree. Hopefully their variety will be decent for growing around here. Any tips for the seedlings? or even the mature tree?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

1wolfgirl300 For the mature tree the best advice I have is leave them alone. Other than keep the rodents from robbing my crop I do almost nothing to mine and it seems to enjoy life. Since they are Proteas be very cautious about phosphorus fertilizers. Protea can glut on phosphorus and die. Use fresh seed and remover the outer husk. Do not attempt to crack the shell, you will damage more embryos than you will save. I usually use a 2 or 3 gallon nursery pot filled 3/4 with a well drained seed starting mix. I scatter as many nuts as will fit over the surface then cover the nuts with another layer of seed mix. I put them on the heater mat in my greenhouse and wait until they germinate. At that point I knock them all out of the container and transplant to individual one gallon pots. Don't over water. Wet soil will delay germination and even kill the seed. If you don't have a growing space then just putting them under a tree in the yard will work but screen the pot so the rodents don't rob you blind.

[@jeanagoben504]

I want to gush a little first before my Q. I have watched several of your videos and I have adopted you as my fruit guru, your really great. Ok I live in the US Virgin Islands and I've never eaten a macadamia nut but I would like to grow one. It's subtropical here and I would like your advice on a type to grow. I'm a big fan of all nuts except pecans so I'm certain it will be a good choice of tree for me to add to me someday (hopefully soon) food forest. I have a half dozen different kind of trees started and a few more seeds on their way. Thanks to you for helping me to decide on a few of them like abiu, really excited seeing how much you enjoyed them. Also can I order seeds from you?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Glad I could help out and thanks for watching. Funny you should ask. Just this week I opened a web store for seed sales. It is on my www.greengardenservice.net website under the button on the left for Sales Page. Currently I only have a limited amount of seed there but the listing is growing daily. I have 6 new entries to post as soon as I get the time. As for Macadamia nuts seeds i do sell them but the crop is currently sold out and won't be available again until October. If you check back then i will have some for sale. Aloha, Bill

[@bryanzamudio8859]

Can i grow one of these trees in the California high desert? (palmdale California)

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Since my total California experience with this tree is in the Bay Area I am not really qualified to speak on high desert culture. Your local climate is USDA zone 8B. I would guess the weather is both too hot and too cold for the plant. The trees take a certain amount of drought but generally require moisture. Desert Culture would be difficult. Consider Pistachio and Pecan instead.

[@captainpjd]

II have a Mac nut tree in Southern California that is 5 years old and have never had any nuts on it. I think it was grown from seed. I have just tried for my first time grafting. Of the 2 I have done one looks good. Have you heard of grafting mac nut trees? and can some seeds be GMO that will not bare nuts?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+Pierre Desmet Yes, all of the named Macadamia nut cultivars are reproduced by grafting to seedling root stocks. I interest is genetic diversity rather than uniformity so I always produce my trees from seeds but farmers and corporations like uniformity so they graft to standardize and to speed fruiting. I have several friends here in Fremont, CA that have done a bit of grafting on these trees. Until you mentioned it I had never heard of anyone bothering to genetically engineer the Macadamia nut tree. I did a pretty good search from several angles and can find no information that this has ever happened. If you are aware of genetically engineered trees I would appreciate a point in the right direction to locate information. What you describe would be a "terminator gene". This is a gene most likely to be inserted into annual crops like grains and legumes where the farmers have a history of saving seeds for the next crop. It would be kind of a waste on a macnut because the farmers sell the seeds and usually only use them for root stock if they keep them.

[@captainpjd]

thanks, good info.

[@captainpjd]

My tree finally bloomed! yippy

[@oscarcaballero7988]

Do you have any trees for sale

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Yes I do but since this video I have moved to Hawaii. The trees are in the nursery here in Puna and can not be legally shipped to CA.

[@mark9ze]

Best information so far..................am going to try growing my own at $20.00 @ lbs. it might be worth the effort.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

mark9ze Even if they were $2 per pound they are so good and so easy to grow they would still be worth the effort.

[@mark9ze]

GreenGardenGuy1 A few months back I ordered a case of 24 boxes of Hawaiian Host chocolate covered Macs. So good, they only lasted about three weeks. When I have been to Honolulu each morning I would walk to an ABC store and pick up a box and have them eaten before breakfast. Took the advice from the video and am planting Beaumont seeds from California close to some unknown seeds from Maui. I am in Minnesota, so they will be container grown. I have grown Plumeria here from seed and have gotten one to bloom in the equivalent 8 months (2 summers 4 months each) Not bad considering they claim to take 3 years seed to bloom in the tropics.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

mark9ze I've never grown Plumeria from seeds always from cuttings. From a cutting it can take years to bloom. I have several I planted in the yard near Hilo that are still waiting to bloom after 7 years. Mac nut trees are a whole different thin in Minnesota though. You can keep plumeria to less than 6 feet. No such luck with macnuts. They like to be 30 feet. Longs drugs in Hilo has the Hawaiian Host Chocolate covered macnuts for $2.59 per box this week. I can't do chocolate for breakfast but I admit to eating an entire box last night.

[@gretscher]

I live in the suburbs of LA in So Cal. I have a Mac Tree. Had one for years. I never really harvested the crop but recently want to BUT the issue here is that if you wait for them to fall on the ground indicating they are ripe the squirrels rob me of them. If I pick them off the tree before the husk cracks then they will not be ripe. So leave them on and wait to fall to be ripe and they are stolen by squirrels. Pick them off before the squirrels eat them then they won't be ripe. What to do?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

gretscher You have a real problem there. Anyone growing nuts on the Mainland will have issues with squirrels. Hawaii has it easy because they have no squirrels. I once had to pull my nuts down from my California tree one at a time because of the squirrels. There is a point just before the husk splits that the nut can be hand harvest but that is a lot of work. I found it was easier just to get rid of the squirrels since I like the taste of macnuts a lot more than I like squirrels stew. If you can't bring yourself to trap or use a pellet gun on the varmints consider isolating the tree to exclude them. If the tree doesn't have another tree or a fence near by that squirrels can jump from they have to climb trunk. In this case you can put a squirrel guard on the trunk. If this isn't possible then consider mounting a motion detector lawn sprinkler in the tree like the Scare Crow. These may give you some peace from squirrels. In the long run the only good solution is go hunting and limit their numbers. Adult squirrels train their children to use your tree as food and they do the same for the next generation. In time you can have hundreds feeding your tree if they are allowed to populate without control. Good luck. This is a hard one for me to solve for you because the only really good solution is to remove the pests. Bill

[@gretscher]

Thanks Bill for the input. I have a few pellet guns. I kinda have a hard time pulling the trigger on those things because I know they are just doing what they need to do to eat. I might try to use Moth Balls. I hear that those Moth Balls really keep squirrels away so I hope that works. I don't mind hand picking but if they are not cracking in the husk, I won't know at what point just before that happens I can pick them. Man you should see all the broken shells on the ground around the tree. Weird enough only this or last year squirrels have shown up, before that we never had them around here. I think word is getting around in the squirrel community that I got tasty mac nuts for them. Thanks.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

gretscher I am afraid the home remedies like moth balls are not effective on squirrels. They are far too mobile for that sort of approach. I have one client with a tree that requires the squirrels to enter the yard on his fence top. He uses piles of dry animal repellents all along the fence top. Since the only way to his tree is along the fence it works for him. Hanging a bag of mothballs in the tree will probably not give you much relief and will just make your yard stink like an aged aunts closet. I get more than half of the squirrels with a Hav-A-Hart live trap. I use the double door type and place it on the block wall running along the back of my yard. The squirrels think it is a covered bridge and run right through it. They don't check out of Bill's Motel. The "they have to eat" thing is probably your greatest obstacle. Dead squirrels eat no nuts is my motto. If I was any other animal on earth and squirrels were stealing my nuts it would pay the price. Just because I am human doesn't mean I should put up with thieves in the neighborhood. Fluffy tails or ski masks thieves are thieves in my book. Good luck to you. If you actually do get good control with moth balls I would like to hear about it.

[@gretscher]

I agree but I am not out there most the time as I am not home a lot and only see them now and then when I am home. Not sure if I'd be around enough to shoot them. Thanks for the suggestions!

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

gretscher Consider the trap suggestion. I am a busy man too and have no time for sitting around waiting for varmints. I check on my trap once or twice a day. When the furry horde is present I usually get at least on every day while I am busy working with clients.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

In the better micro climates of Livermore the Madacamia might be grown. It would be more successful closer to the Bay because Livermore can get pretty cold in the winter. I had no guarantee it would grow in Fremont until I planted one here. I knew of one in Berkeley before I planted but their weather has more ocean influence. With intelligent placement it has a chance but you will never know until you try.

[@tstieber]

Perhaps Livermore is colder than Walnut Creek, but I think they are pretty similar, and the tree my parents planted more than 20 years ago has never had a scratch even in the coldest freezes. I had always read that they were Hardy to 25 degrees, but one winter got colder than that, and still not even the new growth was the slightest bit nipped. I think they are much more hardy than believed, and I would definitely try them in Livermore.

[@drpk6514]

In Western Australia where Macadamia is from produce nuts in 4th year.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

My tree produced nuts in 4 years too but it wasn't at the level that I consider a crop. In California it is about 10 years to the point the trees become productive enough that harvesting is commercially viable. I did not mean to imply the tree do not make nuts in youth, they do.

[@y.wirasmoyo]

can they grow in south east asia?

[@cerverg]

They can but it should be not a swampy area. They do not like their roots too wet cause they rot

[@hereistay88]

Hello! I have some questions and I hope you can give me a reply! I live in center Italy, at about 200m altitude, with a Humid Subtropical Climate (Cfa) according to koppen&geiger and a 9a USDA. I know that macadamia is cultivated, not commercially, in southern Italy, where there is a little bit hot summer and a dry climate compared to mine. I have a medium-textured soil with a 7ph or a little bit lower and we cultivate, commercially, grapes, olives, peaches, apricots, kiwi etc. About 700ml of rain per year. I read that there are some cultivars of macadamia resistant to -4°C while I have a minimum during winter of -2°C, -3°C and sometimes, but rarely, we can have lower temperatures, but not lower than -7°C, that I know! Anyway, here we grow citrus, not commercially, they make acceptable fruits (sure, not good as southern citrus), but when there are that rare freeze they could die! So, I think that a frost resistent macadamia cultivar could make fruit in my place, but they would have the same problem of citrus! Anyway I read that there are frost resistant cultivars, just like Macadamia Beaumont. Please can you tell me a good cultivar for my purpose? Thanks, Mirko

[@billmerrill7871]

-7 C is really pushing the edge of what these trees can take. I mention in many of my videos that the books on where plants will grow are written by the people who take the chance and plant them. No one can tell you for sure about how well the trees will grow unless you know some one in the area that grows them. As a general rule the Macadamia Nut will grow where lemons and limes both grow. If Limes will not grow but lemons do them there is still a chance in sheltered locations. If the only lemon that will grow is the Meyer Lemon then it is probably too cold for Macadamia. I have no trouble with the macadamia in my area but we only get weather cold enough to damage citrus about every 100 years. Beaumont is a good choice, this is the tree I use. Other possible varieties might be Burdick and Cate. The greatest problem with searching varieties is locating some one that grows them. Most types other than Beaumont are very hard to find in California. There are many varieties that are grown in Hawaii but most of them don't do well in California. I am always recommending that if you plant a named type and it produces for you to plant the seeds from the tree. Planting seedlings in your own area will be the only way that new tree types will emerge over time. Bill

[@hereistay88]

Thank you Bill! I don't really know if Lime grows here but I know that more than one cultivar of Lemons grows! The real problem for me is where to buy grafted Beumont (or other cultivars you say)! In Italy it's difficult!

[@billmerrill7871]

hereistay88 Finding macadamia nut anywhere in the USA other than in Hawaii isn't easy either. I sell lots of seeds and seedling trees every year because I seem to be one of the few people who has them. If, as you say, they have Macadamia nut trees in the southern part of Italy then some one must be grafting the trees. I would start a dialog with people who grow them. I would also check with plant nurseries. Eventually you are bound to find a lead to follow. In California we have one large scale grower producing the plants. www.lavernenursery.com/ Plants are all about peoples beliefs. Here in California most people refuse to believe they can grow this nut so the market for trees is very small.

[@hereistay88]

Yes, I think the same, if you don't try or anyone tried before, none can say if a plant can grow in your place! Do you think that the plant would survive to an international shipping? In southern Italy there are plants of macadama but according to me someone introduced some plants and than started to graft on rootstock from seeds!

[@hereistay88]

To make an example, there is a father of a friend of mine who planted some Acca Sellowiana, called Feijoa and they make fruit and grew very good! It is a tropical plant from Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay and Argentina!

[@hmorales117]

Do you sell and ship macadamia trees?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Right now I am out of stock on Macadamia trees. The nut harvest is coming so I will plant more soon. I can only ship to 46 states. CA, AZ, TX & LA are prohibited. Since there is a lot of hassle with inspections and such I have a minimum order of $100 to the 46 legal states.

[@MsTokies]

could this be grown in sacramento?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

The books on where plants will grow are written by the brave gardeners who take the chance. According to The Sunset Western Garden Book the Macadamia nut tree will grow in Sunset zones 9, 16, 17, 19 through 24. This kind of leaves me out because I live in zone 15. My tree does fine and has been there for 17 years now. This means Sunset is wrong about the tree, probably because no one ever planted a Macadamia in zone 15 and reported their findings. Sacramento has a zone 9 just to the east. If you live in that area then the book says it will work. If you don't then plant one and find out, that's what I do. You might try checking with your local chapter of California Rare Fruit Growers. These folks like to experiment and there must be a few of them who have worked with Macadamia nut in your area.

[@MsTokies]

GreenGardenGuy1 thank you. im trying to figure out groups of things i can grow together. on the warm side of my house

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

MsTokies There is plenty of discussion about macadamia nuts in the Central Valley on Cloud Forest Café. www.cloudforest.com/cafe/gardening/macadamias-the-central-valley-t1065.html I see blogging by people in Modesto that claim to grow the trees.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

h82bu223 The idea that Australia is hot and dry is a generalization. Macadamia nuts are native to Queensland Australia on the northern coast where they experience monsoon weather similar to Papua New Guinea. This climatic adaptation is the reason they grow so well in Hawaii with 90 to 120 inches of rain per year. My tree in Fremont seems to be more drought tolerant than the text books claim so I believe California growers have a lot to add to the information about these trees. The greatest problem MsTokies will face in Sacramento is winter time cold. The trees are not particularly frost tolerant. This information will be written by the folks that plant the trees in the interior valley. It never gets cold enough in Fremont to put them to the test.

[@MsTokies]

GreenGardenGuy1 the frost does do me in. cos some years it's not that bad and other years it's almost hail/ snow.it's weird

[@nts323]

Do you sell cuttings

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I have moved to Hawaii and can not ship cuttings to CA. I do sell seeds from my website when in season. They will be posted in fall. www.greengardenservice.net

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Plant them outside unless you have a green house. In doors isn't a good spot for raising tree seeds.

[@mwengeisaac9181]

Comment germain les macademia au congo

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Aloha

[@benfaulk8597]

Can I buy some trees from you?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I still grow and sell Macadamia nut trees but I live in Hawaii these days and the types I grow are not suited to CA conditions. The tree from the Fremont CA video was a Beaumont. The grower was La Verne Nursery in Piru. They are now, Everde Growers. I would start there or make contact with California Rare Fruit Growers. crfg.org/homepage/chapters/

[@MrsDomyan]

great video!

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

For some reason Google held your comment for 7 years. I just got a dump of old comments this morning.

[@mwengeisaac9181]

La germination des graines de macademia

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Plantez les graines dans le sol, arrosez légèrement et attendez. ne cassez pas les graines.

[@jhonsonmaison4582]

Thank you for your video. I am interested to grow this in Thailand, can you send me some seeds to try here? I believe II also can have a macadamia tree at my backyard. if you can help, please tell so I give my address. Thanks

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I sell seeds for macadamia nuts on my website. Please note there is an additional shipping charge for international orders. www.greengardenservice.net

[@vanbrant6374]

Mr Bill! I would love ❤️ to have 2 of air lay macadamia from your trees, would you help me? Thanks 🙏. Vân ( pronound Vaughn )

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Sorry, no. I sold the home and the trees last May and moved to Hawaii. I still have Macadamia nut trees here but they are the Hawaiian varieties and not really suitable for California. My tree was originally grown by LaVerne in Piru, CA. They are a wholesale grower but contact with them could tell you where in your area they may have shipped Macadamia nut trees. The other option is to go to your favorite local nursery that does business with LaVerne and ask them to order one for you. I can ship fresh seed to the Mainland when the next crop comes in if you are interested. www.lavernenursery.com/

[@Victronix911]

How are you liking Hawaii?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

It's great, best move yet. The weather is wonderful, it is more peaceful and less crowded than California and my garden grows well here. Bill

[@JohnDoe-qz6fg]

I want to do this so baddd

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

In that case I am sure you will. Thanks for watching. Bill

[@system2thinker659]

I love it! The mind-boggling thing is, you are sitting there eating a macadamia nut grown on your own property from your own tree and there will still be people that say you can't, haha. Lesson learned, never listen to the naysayers.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I frequently succeed in my efforts earth because I seldom listen to the opinions of others. Most people operate from belief systems rather than reality. Not worth wasting time by paying attention to them. Aloha

[@onlythewise1]

my neighbor squirrel keeps planting my neighbors macadamia nuts and they grow up in all places when it rains .

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+onlythewise1 I don't get any squirrels planting because the greedy little rodents just eat every nut they can find but I do get dozens of sprouted macadamia nut trees planted by the Blue Jays. They are much better at planting than the squirrels are. I am happy with the situation because I just dig them up, put them in pots and sell everyone of them for $10 each. I never have enough to go around.

[@onlythewise1]

GreenGardenGuy1 cool, no blue jays here , the squirrel digs them up later and eat them some grow . cool ,blue jays quit living out here in California to many people . I'm waiting for a tree growing for five years hasn't produced any nuts, and your video helped me understand were they came from and the flowers . thanks

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+onlythewise1 You're welcome. Glad to be a help with trees. We are pretty crowded in Fremont too but we have a lot of nut trees around town. Where there's nuts there's Jays. They are the primary vector of Oaks in California. They will plant the nuts in my nursery pots and when I pull them out the Jay will sit on a branch two feet from my face and wait for me to drop it so they can get dinner the easy way. Nice to hear you are growing Mac nuts. They will grow over a large portion of California. Once people catch on to the idea there will probably be more planted. The squirrels will love them. Bill

[@onlythewise1]

GreenGardenGuy1 wow, wish we had blue jays back here agin I remember some ten years go as a child , haven't seen one for five years in calif.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

+onlythewise1 Here in Fremont CA we have both the Stellar Jay at the edges of town and the more common Scrub Jay all over in town. What part of CA do you live in that the Jays have disappeared? Perhaps they logged all the Oaks in your area?

[@franzb69]

macadmia leaves remind me of chestnut leaves

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

In a way. But on Chestnut it is the nut pods that are dangerous. With Macnuts it is the leaf margin. Leaves you bloody if you don't wear gloves.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Enjoy the nuts but like you found out, macnuts make terrible house plants!

[@harryhathaway1086]

Man if I had money. I have 10 Parrots I love to death and IF I had the money I'd build a large home with a Aviary. It would have tall ceilings with the roof being all clear glass.I'd plant a macadamian tree inside with a few other tropical fruit/nut trees. I LIVE FOR MY FEATHERED FRIENDS.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

If that is actually your dream then I would go for it. The longer we sit on dreams the more distant and unreal they become.

[@SoCalGardenerGreg]

now that's wisdom! I dreamed about macadamia trees about fifteen years ago when my house was on the verge of foreclosure. I did it anyway! The house was saved with many nut trees. I would recommend anyone contemplating this to start with a POUND of fresh seed even if you only want a few plants I never grafted the rootstock seedlings.I let them grow out. Most died /dwindled along the way I worked with the most promising ones. Now fifteen years later I've got two great specimen producing trees and about a dozen starting to flower.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Excellent to hear this report. I have 15 macadamia nut trees at the new house in Hawaii. They are ten years old from Keau'u seed. They have started to produce last year and the nuts were excellent.

[@phitran717]

I thought mac nut from Hawaii with season flavors were good buy oh wow how fresh mac nuts taste way better plain

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I agree, a fresh Mac nut is a wonderful thing.

[@phitran717]

Just wondering how long will my 5 gallon mac nut tree is going to produce nuts?

[@Sscottayboyeful]

Do you sell cuttings?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Yes but it depends on where you live. I sold the California property some years back. Currently I live in Hawaii and grow Macadamia nuts but I am only legally allowed to ship to 46 states. CA, AZ, TX, & LA are prohibited.

[@Sscottayboyeful]

@@GreenGardenGuy1 oh no. I'm in California.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@@Sscottayboyeful No, sorry, California is too restrictive, can't go there. I can ship live seed but no trees.

[@Sscottayboyeful]

Are live seeds easy to start?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@@Sscottayboyeful I guess that depends on your confidence with growing plants. Seeds know exactly what they are doing but gardeners often spoil this by not providing the right conditions. Macadamia nut seed is likely not for the novice. Poor drainage kills it, over watering kills it and it takes up to 6 months to germinate. If your in California check with La Verne Nursery in Piru. They are wholesale but they grow macadamia nut trees and can tell you who in your area they ship to. lavernenursery.com/