Garden Care Guide

Pistachio Care

Pistacia vera

A very long-lived deciduous fruit tree that likes long, hot, dry summers and cold winters. Female and male trees are needed for fruit; its roots rot in wet, heavy soil.

Hardy

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • Pests & diseases: Make sure water does not collect in the root zone. Softening and darkening at the root collar are signs of root rot.
February
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: While dormant, remove dry, broken, crossing and inward-growing branches so that air and light reach the inside of the crown. Give young trees a vase shape with 3-4 main branches; in old trees remove only dry and crowded branches.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: Make sure water does not collect in the root zone. Softening and darkening at the root collar are signs of root rot.
March
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer or well-rotted organic fertilizer once when it wakes from dormancy. Because yield and fruit quality depend on nutrient balance, having a soil analysis done is especially useful for this plant.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
April
  • General care: Flowering begins.
May
  • General care: Drainage is vital for this plant. In heavy, water-retaining soil, plant on a mound or bed raised 20-30 cm, and keep the root collar above the surrounding soil level.
June
  • Watering: In a long drought, water deeply once a month.
July
  • Watering: In midsummer, deep watering every 15-20 days is enough. Established plants (over 2 years old) do not need watering in most years. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
August
  • Watering: In midsummer, deep watering every 15-20 days is enough. Established plants (over 2 years old) do not need watering in most years. The root zone should be wetted to a depth of 30-40 cm.
September
  • Watering: In a long drought, water deeply once a month.
October
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • Pests & diseases: During humid and cool periods, monitor the leaves and trunk for signs of mold, spots and rot.
November
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Make sure water does not pool in the root zone during winter rains; for this plant, drainage is more critical than irrigation. Collect fallen leaves; many disease agents and pests overwinter under them.
  • Pests & diseases: Make sure water does not collect in the root zone. Softening and darkening at the root collar are signs of root rot. In humid, cool periods, watch for mold, spots and rot on the leaves and stem.
December
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: Make sure water does not collect in the root zone. Softening and darkening at the root collar are signs of root rot.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

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