Growing Macadamia nuts in Northern California

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I do okay with a single Beaumont tree but yields of fruit and nuts are always improved by cross pollination. You do not need a second tree but having more than one variety is helpful.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Manure has been used with fruit and nut trees for a long time. It works pretty well as a fertilizer. I prefer it on the surface rather than dug in put it is often incorporated with the earth too. The problem with Macadamia nuts is they are Proteas. Proteas will glut on phosphorous and get sick or die if the dose is too large or too soluble. Manure usually contains a fair dose of soluble phosphorus. I seldom use manure on plants other than corn but I have seen macnuts damaged by it.

[@growingyourgreens]

wow! excellent video. Thank You. You have inspired me.

[@aerofart]

Hey Bill, about a month ago I plucked a seedling which I thought was some sort of Oak from under my pine tree. Just learned its a Mac! Have it all potted up and it's been doing well for about 6 weeks now.

[@MrDrLarch]

Actually I did a bit more searching after posting my first post. Read there are Macadamia's in the central valley that do relatively good. A grower said most important thing is to protect the trunk because it will split if the freeze is too hard.My neighbor has a lemon. Didn't protect it this year and the top leader died, but that's it. I'd prefer to find a nursery close by, but would like to know where in Fremont you're located. Your website seems to be down for me.

[@KawaiiKemonomimi]

That's very cool. I live in North Cal and have a seedling so this is comforting. I'm also amusing myself with papaya, guava and other seeds.

[@shaunrudolph3135]

You're inspiring! I have been looking for 5 years at Beaumont and FINALLY just ordered one. I like your policy...they don't grow here only because people don't try. I'm going to try!

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Beaumont is a good choice for the Mainland. Plants tend to have more psychological planting limitations on zone than climatic. Belief is a very powerful concept. Since I believe in almost nothing planting Macnuts in the Bay Area was a sure bet. Where are you going to try and grow the tree?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@babycurry2008 No sand. The seed mix is 1/3 each mill peat moss, perlite and vermiculite. The soil in the ground is native silt loam pH 7 with a bit of wood compost added. Be careful with phosphorus, mac nuts are proteas and can't handle much of it. Washington State doesn't appear to have any climate zones that might support mac nuts but experimentation is how we expand our knowledge.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Yes you can. Please contact me through the live link to my website at the end of the text below the video.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

There is a live link to my website right under the video caption. Send me an email from there and we can talk about seeds. I am in Hawaii at the moment but I will be back in California by the end of the week. When I left I had a fine crop but you never know what the rodents did in my absence. The barrel will be nice for the mature trees but I wouldn't sprout the seeds in them. I use forestry tubes or at the largest 4" pots. The seeds are very susceptible to over watering.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@tomanyasses Where do you live? Laverne Nursery in CA grows Mac nut trees. Otherwise I have seedling trees and fresh seed available.

[@liocean9636]

I’m in Atlanta Ga. We have hot summers and early springs ( zones 8a)! I want to grow a few trees on our land.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Fremont, CA is 9B and 10A. Zone 8 A is considerably colder. The trees are rated 9 to 11

[@grinch96ek]

Yes sir, just let me know what you would like for some seeds. It's worth a try, I already got some barrel pots to get them started.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Here in the Bay Area of CA we have tempertures below freezing every year. They don't last long though. A few hours before dawn is typical. A normal year we may see this 10 to 12 days in Dec and Jan. The key to climate can be judged by other common plants. I believe Mac nuts will grow most places where citrus like lemons, limes and sweet oranges are common. If you raise nice navel orange you can probably grow Mac nuts. Bill

[@theeartofseduction]

I am eating these right now, AND I live in Alameda. I did NOT know that they can grow here in the Bay Area. They are my favorite nuts. Pray that I don't find out where your garden is, because I LOVE Macadamias lol With that said, can I grow them myself?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@KawaiiKemonomimi There are some problems with mac nuts in CA put it isn't the weather. They generally grow very well here, if you keep the squirrels away. Guava work in sheltered spots around the Bay Area but the fruit quality varies with the weather. Papaya are greenhouse specimens at best around here. I stick to stuffing myself on them when I'm on the Island. May all your planting projects bear fruit. Bill

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

You have a chance. If you use a sheltered location you might get by. Sunset doesn't zone Mac nuts in 14 but that doesn't mean it can't happen. They are probably a bit hardier than lemon or lime trees. If you know anyone in the area that can grow these citrus then mac nuts may also work. I really can tell you too much more. We all write the garden books for our areas through experimentation. So far these trees grow everywhere I have planted them in zone 15, 16 and 17.

[@MrDrLarch]

Hmmm... VERY tempting. But, how *much* of the "Bay Area"? I live in Santa Rosa, Sunset 14, USDA 9b and I'm guessing you're in Sunset 17, USDA 10a (Fremont). Looks like Gilroy is similar to Santa Rosa.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@ninjatube76 Far as I know the only grower of Beaumont in CA is La Verne Nursery in Piru. They are wholesale so you need to find a retailer in your area who can order you a tree. Trees are hard to get because they don't raise enough for the demand. Try talking to Tim Nash, manager of Pleasant Hill Navlet's. When I ran the Fremont Navlet's we used to order from La Verne. I have a fresh crop of seed and will sell you some if you wish. Use the link to my website below the video.

[@arlosmith2784]

Macadamia plants have been grown in Northern California for over 100 years. There are some large older Macadamia trees on the UC Berkeley Campus. Although this high quality expensive nut grows well in CA most people seem to mistakenly think this a tender tropical which must be grown in Hawaii.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Last I heard the old trees in Berkeley were cut down some time back for the new sports arena.

[@arlosmith2784]

@@GreenGardenGuy1 Actually there at used to be a number of them. I recognized them because I was active in California Rare Fruit Growers even in college. All the time I see loquats and feijoa ignored for fruit, also lots of backyard avocados and Meyer lemons.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

It was reading about the Berkeley trees that convinced me to plant on in Fremont. I actually planted 100 Mac nut trees at Quarry Lakes Park in Fremont but on of the volunteers killed them with an over load of 16-16-16. The grove of Hawaiian Koa I planted there still exist by the canoe landing.@@arlosmith2784

[@mwqetroawQWR]

@@GreenGardenGuy1 do you think they would do well in Santa Cruz?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@@mwqetroawQWR They should thrive. Chances are trees already exist there.

[@grinch96ek]

I may have to try this. No I live in southeast Texas,..last year we had 2 nights that had a hard freeze and the rest of the winter never saw under 40 degrees F. Even a normal winter only a handful of days will it actually freeze. Then again we had a nasty ice storm in the 90's.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I sell fresh macnut seed by the piece. Fifty seeds sell for $25. Depending on where the seed is being shipped effects the postage price. $10 is usually enough for shipping and handling.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Yes, it is true, we can grow these nuts here in California. Just about anywhere around the Bay Area will work for them. I have done some consulting for a man in Alameda growing Macadamias. I already have enough trouble with squirrels poaching my nuts now I have to worry about humans in my tree? Growing them is actually the easy part. Keeping them away from critters, harvesting them and getting them out of the shell are more difficult than growing them. Enjoy!

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Use the live link to greengardenservice under my videos to contact me about getting mac nut seeds. I have plenty of fresh seed at the moment. As far as argan nuts are concerned I have no information. It appears to be harder to find a seed than to grow the plant. I will assume you have already figured out where to find the material from if you are considering this tree. This is a true desert plant. Sacramento is not a desert. My guess is it would be happier in Phoenix.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

The trees will use quite a bit of nitrogen and a fair amount of potash but hold back on too much phosphorus. I had a teacher at the local college kill a bunch of mac nut trees I gave him by making sure they were planted with extra aged manure. I have gotten good yields from my tree with out additional fertilizers for the past 15 years.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

The Blue Jays plant mac nuts all over my yard and I imagine they do the same for my neighbors. Most of the trees I grow are planted by me but on occasion I dig up some of the Jay's work and pot it. Beware of too much phosphorus with mac nuts, it's lethal. Manure is a no-no on young trees. I usually grow the seedlings with 14-14-14 Osmocote. Be ready for 5 years to the first nut, 10 to a basket full and 15 years to have more than you can crack.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@ScottcNehrer I am sure they will, More people grow Macnuts in Southern CA than in the north.

[@ScottcNehrer]

That's awesome! I wonder if they would do well in Ventura county, CA

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Good call. If you get stuck locating seed I will have a fresh crop in Nov.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I have no personal contacts but a web search for pistachio farmers in California and Macadamia nut farmers in Hawaii should turn up so contacts.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Yes, I have plenty. How much seed are you looking for?

[@RBKL777]

ok well i think im gonna order a few seeds and try it out. also what type of luck do you think i would have with an argan nut tree? i live in northern california also but im near sacramento in the valley. i have been doing a little research on it and i know it can handle drout and poor ground. tell me what you think. id appriciate it. thanks.

[@RBKL777]

hey there great video. i really appriciate it. i was wondering by when you said you were growing some others from seedling for cross polin. is that needed or can one just start a grow from seedling and get a nice harvest?

[@aerofart]

Is Manure a no-no on ANY young tree, or just Macadamia trees and does this hold true for "hot" manure AND fully-composted?

[@aerofart]

Good info, Bill. Thanks. Especially useful for me since I like to go heavy on the fertilizer(s). I hope I didn't put any bone meal (which is high in phosphorus) in that last pot-up. Probably should stay away from the Miracle Grow as well. I have some Osmocote. I will probably re-pot right away and amend with that. I hope I'll be around long enough to get my fill of Macadamia's some day. If not, the next guy better damned well be thankful! ;)

[@jksatte]

You said the tree you were getting the nuts for germination was a hybrid. I thought one of the problems with saving seeds from hybrids is you can't be sure what you will end up with. Is it different for tree's? I am just wondering how that works. Thanks in advance. Janice

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Janice, The Beaumont Macadamia nut is considered a hybrid between two species but it is also listed as "discovered" so your guess of it's parentage is as good as mine. The seedlings from the tree should contain some genetic variation but from my point of view that is a good thing. Northern California has never had a breeding program for Macadamias so the only way we might find some new varieties that work here is by planting seeds. Thus far all of our varieties are imported from Australia or Hawaii. For the Bay area Beaumont is one of the only common trees we can find. The seedlings I grow are for two purposes, people who want root stocks for grafting from existing trees or gardeners that are interested in raising trees with genetic variability in the hope of finding some new types. In short, the seeds grow into trees that make nuts. Bill

[@1951fatboy]

@VaMoneyCow The average low in Richmond is 0 to 10 degrees. The low end for a Macadamia nut tree is around 27 degrees. There doesn't appear to be any practical way to do this. As far as Mango is concerned just north of the Florida Keys and San Diego CA are about the only Mainland locations were people seem to get by. I have a home in Hawaii at 1600 feet and it is too cool for Mango to fruit there. The trees grow with diseases but no Mango. Good luck.

[@winoseti]

so you don't have to remove the brown shell before planting? some people say you have to?? also can you graft old wood onto a young plant to get fruit earlier? or trick the young tree by cold shocking it 5 times over the summer by putting it into a coolstore 2-3 weeks and then bringing it back out4-5 times. finally if you cut a branch off the old tree and strike it with rooting hormone will the new plant flower immediately?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

The people that say to remove the shells use dumb sources for their information or just make it up themselves. If you go to the U of H Manoa and Google Macadamia nuts you will find volumes of information all of it indicating the cracking or removing the shells from the nut will reduce germination by over 80%. It generally kills the seed. I often here novice gardeners talk about cracking hard seed. It is a terrible idea. Does nature own a nut cracker? Seeds do their work just fine if planted properly. Now scarify a seed is a decent idea but it is not required on macnut.

[@peadog007]

Just wanna say great video & very informative. Thanks

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Thank you for watching.

[@PioneersofSonicExcellence]

i live in berkeley. could i get a seedling from you?

[@shijeff560]

Do u know someone export pistachios and macadamia nuts? I am really need that information

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Texas doesn't contain any zones where the Mac nut is known to grow but that is most likely because no one has tried it. If you live where it doesn't frost too much the tree is worth a shot. We only know if a plant will grow in a given area if some one plants it there and succeeds. Be brave.

[@landrylee6207]

Watch this video,I think north&South of CA, South of Tx,Louisiana,Georgia,fl and Hawaii all can grow.

[@leelou2380]

Is it possible to graft a Beaumont onto a Cate? I have a Cate in Mountain View. It flowered this year, first time, but nothing came to fruit.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Yes, you can graft Beaumont on to Cate. I have seen this done several times. I wouldn't worry about the lack of nut set in the first few years. It was ten years before my tree set a good crop.

[@leelou2380]

@@GreenGardenGuy1 Thanks for the encouragement. Maybe the Beaumont would have been a better choice than the Cate. Didn't see much bee activity on the Cate blossoms. Could that be part of the problem?

[@leelou2380]

@@GreenGardenGuy1 Have you seen/written any articles on grafting macs? (best time to graft, where to place new grafts, how to collect scions etc).

[@leelou2380]

How would you compare a Beaumont vs. Cate for a backyard tree and for taste for Bay Area, Nor Cal? The nursery I bought from might have been pulling my leg when they sold me the Cate as the "best" tree for backyard but I don't have any more precious real estate to allot for a second mac tree. And, is it reasonable to hope that I can keep the tree down to 15' ht? Btw, thank you for sharing your mac love and knowledge.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

@@leelou2380 Yes, without pollinators macadamia nut trees will fail to fruit. My Beaumont was so attractive to the neighbors bees that on occasion they would send a swarm to settle in the tree. No, I haven't written no articles on the trees. The greatest collection of data and information on Macadamia nuts is U H extension and CRFG. Grafting on the trees is similar to most other subtropicals like citrus. To my knowledge there is nothing special about it. I have seen Cate in the Bay Area with good crops. I could not say if it is the best tree but it is a good one. Beaumont is also an excellent choice. You are getting a head of yourself with worry. Macnuts take at least ten years to make a decent crop. They often fail to fruit in youth. Macnuts are seldom pruned. They are far more productive when left to grow naturally. Since the nuts are harvested from the ground after they fall large trees are better than small ones because the crop is bigger. Size isn't an issue because you don't go into the tree to harvest.

[@kathyhorne556]

I’m on the central coast (Atascadero); I wonder if they’d grow here? How many years until it produces nuts?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I suspect they will. Your weather is mild enough to support the tree. Beware of squirrels though. Grafted trees usually start to make nuts around year six. It is generally ten years before the crop is large. The trees will continue for decades once they reach age.

[@adelajaadelugba]

hello hello. thank you for this video. I am tending land in community in Oakland and would love to purchase a couple of macademia plants. are any of yours available?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I moved to Hawaii some years back and no longer raise nursery stock in CA. California laws will not allow me to ship the trees I grow here into the state. I am allowed to sell the seed for these trees though. It is listed at www.greengardenservice.net

[@anonymous133711]

@GreenGardenGuy1 dude thats awesome

[@tylerdavidrodgers]

Are you still selling these? If so I'm right in your backyard and could definitely pick them up.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Tyler, Yes, you caught me just in time. All the Macadamia trees leave the yard in April to one client each year. I still have one gallon trees for $10 each plus I have a huge crop of fresh macnut seed at the moment for planting and for eating. All my contact info is on my website www.greengardenservice.net

[@tylerdavidrodgers]

Awesome!!! Thank you so much

[@stillcantdance]

GreenGardenGuy1 I also want to pick up two plants. Sent you an email from your web site. Can pick up next weekend!

[@CaseyScheideman]

I believe now thanks to you.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

You're welcome, I believe nothing but experiment a lot. Sometimes it pays off.

[@ysreylmethuselah5295]

good day, what is the price for some still in shell macademia nuts, and can you ship to Texas. hope you have a blessed day and stay well, thanks

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

I sell ten fresh seeds postage paid in the USA for $10. For more info contact me at [e-mail]

[@ysreylmethuselah5295]

+GreenGardenGuy1 alright, perfect. will contact as soon as possible. thanks

[@lindaguerra638]

Wow!!! So impressive!!!

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Actually there is nothing too it. As a nurseryman in CA I tried for 20 years to convince clients this tree grows in the Bay area. Few people were willing to believe this was possible. It is mindset and not weather that makes these trees rare in CA. The only difficult I ever had was thieving squirrels. Aloha, Bill

[@stevesteinberg5495]

Do you have the plant for sale?

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Yes I have seedlings from my tree for sale in one gallon pots for $10 each. Because Alameda county is a quarantine zone I can't do any shipping. You would have to drive to Fremont and pick the plant up.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Long story on the website but you're right, it's down for now. I'm in central Fremont. Contact me at [e-mail] Currently all the macnut trees I have are in the seedling stage. I usually sell them in the one gallon size. They would be up to size by September. I do have fresh seed though if you want to grow your own.

[@shijeff560]

Hi,I would like to export the macadiamia from your farm. Could u plz tell me how much a pond basiclly?

[@cartoonvui]

I want to import macadamia raw material.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

What sort of material, nuts, seeds or live trees? The importation would be from which location to where?

[@aerofart]

BTW, it must have been dropped into my yard by a bird or squirrel. My neighbors have a mature tree...

[@grinch96ek]

Then there is a good chance I could grow one here,..hmm i think ill order some seeds and try.

[@grinch96ek]

Wow,..I wonder if these will grow in TX lol

[@landrylee6207]

North CA can grow well.

[@GreenGardenGuy1]

Yes, I had better crops in CA than I am getting in Hawaii. Probably the variety. In CA I grew Beaumont.

[@KingfisnPunk]

yummi