Here is some general climate data for our spot: It freezes every winter, but very rarely gets below zero F. Every summer, it gets into the 90s and occasionally above 100 Average Annual Precipitation: 54 in (slightly heavier in the winter) USDA Zone: 7b Altitude: 1100 ft Chilling hours: 1500 Last Frost Date: Mid April First Frost Date: Late October Number of frost free growing days: 180-220 Here are a couple of more pictures: The tree on the left is the same one I took the leaves closeup earlier. It is about 5 ft tall and needs the grass pulled away. The one on the right is about 8 ft tall and had to be staked because it leaned over after a few days of heavy rain earlier this year. They both got some homemade compost, enriched with E.B. Stone organic fertilizer and covered with mulch this spring, but the mulch is already grown through with grass and weeds it seems. Maybe I'll use cardboard under my pine straw next time. They are also each on a wide low mound about 6 feet by 6 inches. The late spring frost routinely kills some flowers from a variety of trees for everyone around here but that doesn't prevent them from trying. I know that I'm taking a chance with my apricot and the almonds, but the plums and peaches do OK (GA is called the peach state). I will prune them this winter to encourage better spacing and "scaffolds". Also, maybe I will consider moving them, but they did so well this spring, I hate to set them back again. My main concern is about the strange growth of leaves in bunches like that. Is that normal for almonds? Or is that a symptom of a known problem? Thanks again for your opinions, Ron

I'd guess looking at your ground alkali/salt soil. Also would be nice to know the drainage rate of the hole you planted into. I would have mixed about 50:50 soil:finished compost to plant the tree. Nice blooms though. Hopefully you dug out any compacted soil to a 4 foot radius and straitened the roots out. Paint exposed trunk and main branches white with 50 to 100% latex--water based. Get rid of that hideous rock mulch around the tree out to 4 feet. Normally I'd say 4" thick of wood chip mulch but in your case, make it finished compost. It can works its way in slowly. This will keep roots moist, cool and eventually fertilized. Should reduce the heat reflected off the ground considerably too. Get a watering well out to at least the canopy line and heavy water infrequently. It is possible it reflects a copper deficiency but I doubt it. Here is a link that might be useful: Water by the Numbers This post was edited by Fascist_Nation on Wed, Aug 7, 13 at 1:45

An almond tree would be much happier in the ground.

Hi Dave, I actually tried the moisture meter with tap water, and it gave me a 10. I read somewhere that the metal probe must be cleaned thoroughly (e.g., using steel wool) if the meter gives drastically incorrect readings. But in any case, I did try the finger test, and the top inch felt dry, but the inch below felt damp -- when I took out my finger, some dirt was stuck on my finger. I checked for pests, but didn't see any. But I will probably give it another look later.