Home Gardeners

Cashews or Anacardium occidentale are too costly to buy them in supermarkets or at general stores. It’s like buying all the nutrients by paying huge amounts. If you have enough space in your garden then you can likely grow cashews starting from seeds or cuttings.  Though it takes some years to mature and produce fruits & nuts it can retain for a long time. So it’s quite easy to cultivate soft and sweet flavor cashews in right growing conditions throughout the year.

How to Grow Cashew Nuts Tree from Seeds?

It is easy to grow cashew from seeds as it is a simple and inexpensive way to cultivate them in right growing conditions. Here are some factors that are responsible for the growth of cashew plants…..

• Choose a  hybrid seed variety to grow.
• Prepare well-drain fertile soil.
• Now sow the seeds in pots and provide water & sunlight in required amounts.
• The plant matures and is ready to fertilize now.
• When it grows to a certain height produces cashew nuts.

Select variety:  To propagate cashew tree, you need a matured seed to plant them in the soil. If you bought a fresh seed from the tree then dry it in sun for 3 days and soak in water overnight.

Soil: Choose a pot that is 8 inches deep and sows the seeds in a good quality mix sandy soil where the seeds germinate within 2-3 weeks. Add organic mulches to prevent from weeds and maintain the soil moisture levels.

Water and Sunlight:  Water regularly to keep the soil moist and place it in direct sunlight 8 hours a day. Maintain the Best temperature 70-75 F to grow cashews. When the plant matures you can transplant it to outdoors where it grows to a height of 20-40 feet tall.

Pollination:

Cashew is a self- pollinated plant. They attract honey bees and other insects for pollination purpose and the pollens are transferred from stigma to stem. Wind also plays a major role in transferring pollens which results in developing a fruit.

Companion planting:  It is the method of planting different plant varieties together for better growth, high productivity and to protect against pests and diseases. Comfrey, flowers, and herbs are the good companions for cashew nut plants.

Nutrient Deficiency

S. No	Element	Deficiency symptom
1	Nitrogen	Curled, wrinkled yellowish green leaves
2	Phosphorus	Dried petals  with light  green color leaves
3	Potassium	Dark green and erected leaves
4	Magnesium	Leaf tip burns, light color and curling

Pests & Diseases

Pests	Diseases
Tea mosquito	Angular leaf spot
Leaf miner	Black Mold
Root borer	Powdery mildew
Thrips	Root rot
Mealybugs	Damping off
Blossom weber	Purple blotch

Fertilizers:  To overcome nutrient deficiency issues feed the plant with N-P-K fertilizers and also by providing water and sunlight. For pests, problem sprays organic insecticides or use disease-free planting material. You can also use organic fertilizers such as compost or manure to promote faster growth.

Harvesting: Harvesting time depends on the time of planting and climatic conditions. It takes 3-5 years time to produce fruits and 2-3 months time to harvest nuts from the fruit. Harvest nuts only when it turns gray color or wait until the fruit falls down. Collect the nuts and you can store for months in cool or warm areas.

How to Grow Cashew Tree from Cuttings?

It’s fun and easy to propagate cashew plants starting from stem cuttings. Here is the step by step procedure that completely explains the growth of cashew tree from cuttings…

• Take 6-8 inches stem from a hybrid variety or from a highly productive tree.
• Place the cuttings in a pot containing moist peat or sand mix soil about 2 inches deep.
• Now place the entire setup in sunlight for a minimum of 8 hours a day.
• Within 4 weeks root starts developing and
• You can transplant it to outdoors for better growth.
• If you wish to add fertilizers then prefer organic matter for every 2 months.

Growing Tips

• Fill the container with soil leaving an inch at the top when you prefer cutting method.
• Avoid overwatering the plants as it can result in the plant to root rot.
• Water the plant regularly and provide sufficient sunlight to the plants.
• Do not grow cashew tree in a clay-rich soil as it damages the plant growth.
• Wear gardening tools such as gloves, shoes, and goggles when you use fertilizers.
• Make sure the pot or large container has holes at the bottom for proper drainage.
• Keep children and pets away from plants when you use fertilizers for better growth.
• You can prune the older, dead leaves and stems that are infected by pest and diseases.

What is the structure of cashew tree?

A cashew tree is a tropical evergreen tree that produces cashew seed and cashew apple. It has high nutrient content and grows up to 6 meters tall of the dwarf variety. The cashew apple is light reddish to yellow color fruit and the seed is covered by a shell.

Where are cashew trees grown?

Cashews are native to the tropical regions of northeastern Brazil and grow best in both wet and dry conditions. Major production of cashew occurs in Africa, Vietnam, Ivory Coast and India.

What are the uses of cashew nuts?

Cashew nuts are mostly used in many commercial applications such as oils, lubricants, paint, and waterproofing. It is also used in cooking recipes for flavor, taste and in smoothies.

Cashew Health Benefits

Cashews have a soft and sweet flavor that contains carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. It contains compounds like copper, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron, and selenium to maintain body functions properly. On serving 100 grams of cashew nuts contains 553 calories, 44 grams of fats, 30 grams of carbohydrates and 18 grams of proteins. Here is the list of some health benefits that cashew can do…

Eyes:  Eating cashews in right amounts is good for your eyes. It contains the antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin that protects the eye from light damage and also decreases the chances of cataracts.

Blood: Copper and iron in cashews work together to utilize and form red blood cells. It is also responsible for the proper functioning of nerves, immune system, bone health and blood vessels.

Heart health: Nuts are much essential for your heart health by lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. It absorbs the cholesterol from the heart and broke down in the liver. It also has anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties that help to protect the inner lining walls of arteries and fight against other heart diseases.

Side Effects:  Eating too many cashew nuts (raw nuts are more dangerous) a day may result in some side effects that are given below…..

• Allergies
• Weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Excess sodium in your body

Start growing cashews in pots or containers at home that improve your health by providing sufficient nutrients to your body. If you have amazing ideas about growing cashews, please share your experience with us.

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