When to Harvest Almonds and How to Dry Them

Almonds are ready to harvest when the green hulls split open, revealing the shell, and begin to dry and pull away. This usually happens from August to October in the Northern Hemisphere (California harvest runs mainly August–October) and February to April in the Southern Hemisphere. Harvest when most hulls on the tree have split and dried.

Signs Almonds Are Ready

• Hulls have split open on most nuts, including on the inner canopy.
• Hulls are turning brown and dry.
• Nuts shake loose easily.
• The kernel inside is firm and its skin is brown, not white.

How to Harvest

• Home: spread a tarp under the tree and shake branches or knock nuts with a padded pole; pick any remaining by hand.
• Commercial: trunk shakers drop the nuts, which dry on the orchard floor for about a week before sweepers and pickup machines collect them.

Harvest promptly: nuts left on the tree attract birds and the navel orangeworm.

Drying, Hulling and Shelling

1. Remove the hulls (they peel off easily when dry).
2. Spread nuts in a single layer in a dry, airy, shaded place for 1–2 weeks, or in a dehydrator at low heat (below about 40 °C / 104 °F).
3. Test: a dry kernel snaps cleanly instead of bending.
4. Crack the shells by hand (soft-shell types) or with a nutcracker.

Green Almonds

In spring, before the shell hardens, young green almonds are eaten whole with salt in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. They are picked when the inside is still jelly-like, usually in April or May.

More Almond Tree Guides

• How to Grow Almond Trees: The Complete Guide
• How to store almonds
• Almond yield and profit
• Almond late frost protection

Frequently Asked Questions

What month do you harvest almonds?

Usually August to October in the Northern Hemisphere and February to April in the Southern.

How do you know when almonds are ready?

When the hulls split open and start to dry on most nuts.

How long do almonds need to dry?

About 1–2 weeks in warm, dry air, until kernels snap cleanly.