Almond variety and rootstock selection is one of the few decisions in orchard farming that cannot be corrected mid-course. A fertility program can be adjusted this season. An irrigation schedule can be rewritten next month. A variety planted on the wrong rootstock for a block's soil, or a self-fertile variety planted where cross-pollination logistics do not pencil out, is a decision an orchard lives with for its productive life.
Nonpareil remains the industry benchmark for a reason: strong market demand, a well-understood harvest window, and a wide range of compatible pollinizers. But Nonpareil is not the only sensible choice for every block. Self-fertile varieties have become more common in newer plantings because they reduce dependence on cross-pollination timing and can simplify a bloom season that already has enough moving parts. The right call depends on the block, not on which variety is trending that year.
Rootstock matters just as much as the scion variety, and it gets less attention than it deserves. Soil type, replant disease history, water-holding capacity, and irrigation system all point toward different rootstock choices. A variety that performs well on one soil type can underperform on a neighboring block with different drainage, which is one more reason we walk a property before making planting recommendations rather than defaulting to a standard package.
For landowners considering a replant or a new planting, our advice is the same every time: match the variety and rootstock to the specific block, not to what looked good in someone else's orchard. Twenty years is a long time to live with a decision made in a hurry.