INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND FLORIDA
UIIr AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES COOPERATIVE
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA EXTENSION SERVICE
THE URBAN GARDENER
BMWM MB] nc;w~cy~s~ u^^~rf~~iI
February 1981 Vol. 6, No, 2
JOJOBA: HOW TO GROW IT
INTRODUCTION There are many unanswered questions regarding jojoba's domestication as
a monoculture crop. Anyone deciding to grow jojoba should do so with a clear understanding
of the risks involved; in fact, all commercial plantings should be considered research
projects. Much agricultural research is needed to determine aspects of jojoba culti-
vation such as spacing male-to-female plant ratios, disease and insect control techniques
and the legality of various control chemicals, water requirements, fertilizer requirements,
tissue culture methods, and sex identification characters. Further, many of these aspects
will vary depending on local temperature, precipitation, and soil type. The following
comments and suggestions for growing jojoba are based on data obtained from farmers and
frum published sources listed in the Additional Reading Material Section.
LAND PREPARATION In nature, jojoba usually is restricted to well-drained, course
mixtures of gravel and clay desert soils. Thus, most well-drained soils should be suitable
for jojoba cultivation. Clay soils should be avoided until more experimental data become
available.
The amount of land preparation necessary depends on the site condition and type of
irrigation system to be employed. Proper flood irrigation requires precise leveling of
rows to a grade sufficient to permit the flow of water down the row yet gently enough to
prevent erosion. Precise leveling is not as necessary with sprinkler or drip irrigation
systems.
WHAT TO PLANT The basic materials available for planting are seed, seedlings, and
propagated material. Each of these materials offers certain advantages which are high-
liahted below. In every case the source of parent material should be known. The chances
of a plantation yielding large quantities of seed are substantially increased if the parent
is located in a similar environment. For example,-coastal varieties of jojoba may survive
in colder inland areas but may not produce significant seed.
DIRECT SEEDING Several of the large plantations were planted by direct seeding with
the seed placed about one inch below the surface. Seeds have been planted by hand and by
tractor-drawn machines. Soil should be moist several feet below the surface and should be
ample watered from the time of planting until late summer. Maintenance of soil moisture is
important to provide fast and deep growth of the tap root, although poorly drained water-
saturated soil will cause the seed to rot or will drown the seedling. The major advantage
of direct seeding is the reduced cost. The major disadvantage is possible lack of a uniform
stand due to low rates of seed germination.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an Equal Employment Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer authorized to provide research,
educational information and other service only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin.
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS, STATE OF FLORIDA, IFAS, UNIVRgIfV d
FLORIDA, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND BOARDS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COOPERATING
directions.
Some
loosened earth
hand
Again,
tool.
know
IRRIGATION
inches
during
Some
your
farmers
, and p
remove
upplier
Nati ve
rainfall
periods
0 inches
upplemental
should
summer
have
lant
the
and
jojoba
per yea
drought.
rainfall,
irrigation.
continued
or early fall
drought
until
ed
drilled
these
plants fro
follow ins
populations
6-9"
diameter
refilled
m the
holes.
Others
container while
depth of
have pl
others
about
anted with
plant
, replaced
only
container
tructions.
have been
little
Plantation
but areas
Irrigation
root systems
Plants
with
known
known about
to grow in
areas with
their ability to
urvive and produce
ess rainfall will
required when
are establ i
hed.
hardier and more cold
before cold winter temperatures
begin.
eeds
or s
Water
resistant
produce
than
seed
areas with only
almost certainly
eedlings
should b
require
are planted and
be withdrawn
if stressed by
late
some degree
FERTILIZING
Natural
Greenhouse experiments
Your county extension
populations
indicate tha
jojoba
that jojoba
agent may be able
grow
responds
in areas
of marginal
nitrogen
identify nutrient diffencies
soil
phosphorus t
from soil
fertility.
treatments.
soil samples.
CULTIVATION
competition
cides
Enough
from weeds,
have been
herbicides
used with
or pesticides
cultivation should be provided
whose growth will
some
success.
legally registered
be enhanced by
should
throughout
be noted
for use on
the years
irrigation.
that as
jojoba.
reduce
Pre-emergent herbi-
of now there are no
PRUNING AND SHAPING
University
California,
breakage of
experiments
by the
pruning may reduce
UCR experiments
jojoba
with a
have
use of pruning
Riverside
tens and
Centro de
the usual
(UCR)
the expense
Investigaciones
time plants
is a
topic of
to develop
need
indicate great promise
multiple-stem trunk.
This
Agricolas
to begin
for a
growth
form
contention.
Attempts at
ingle-stem tree were abandoned
extensive pruning necessary.
Horoeste
flower and
having technique
houl d
have
indicated
fruit production.
that
gives
facilitate mechanical
However,
that
At
ree-form
harvesting
MALE:FEMALE RATIOS
occur
on separate
the pollen.
ince
Jojoba
plants)
Therefore,
light breezes
few feet on
1 male
outside
of male
row.
female
plants
plants
i
t i
is a
Only the
wind-pollinated dioecious
femal e
necessary to
carry the -pollen
Researchers
1 male to 5
male and a male
have
several
used
female.
:female
Der acre and their planting
prevailing wind direction,
velocity,
plants produce
plant
seed;
have both male and
feet,
varying
male
plants
(male and
female
the male plants
femal e
ratios of male
One experiment
ratio
of 1
pattern may
on i
have
frequency.
been
inside
to b
flowers
provide-
in the plantation.
should be
present every
to female plants,
conducted with th
rows.
front
The optimum number
be determined
basis
SEEDLIND SEX DETERMINATION
Seedling sex
cannot be determined
until
the plant
e field,
blooms.
blooming,
- A_ J
sex can
per year,
apart there will
there will
yeilds
rows
spacing and
HARVESTING
be about
be 13 hedgerows:
42 plants per row
at maturity
or 1410
mature commercial
It. i
vacuums,
lbs.
there wi
acre.
for your assumed yield
present,
native
1
* long per acre. If
6 female and 6 male)
36 or
lbs.
You may wish to make a
to determine an
stands
plantings which could provide
believed that existing nut-crop
or shakers)
: plants are
. If each
seed
spaced at 5'
female plants
per row and
similar calculation
estimate of
yield
jojoba are hand-harvested.
information
harvesting equipment
could be adapted for harvesting.
on mechan
lbs.
for your
from your acreage.
There are no
ical harvesting.
plastic nets,
sweepers,
ADDITIONAL READING
Brooks,
W.G.
1978.
commercialization
Arid
Gentry, H., S
cul tural
: Jojoba:
Environments
.1958.
aspects.
A North American desert
potential
1:(3):
The nat
Economy
as an
introduction
227-236.
:ura1 history of jojoba (
ilc Botany 12(3):261-295.
shrub; its ecology, poss
into other arid regions.
Simmodsia
ible
Journal
chinensis)
Johnson,
.In press.
Conference. onbn Jojoba
:proceedings.
Cultivated jojoba
Its Uses,
September
United States.
13-16,
1978.
Third
Riverside,
International
California,
Johnson,
1979.
Cultivated jojoba:
After the
frost.
Jojoba
Happenings
27:1-3.
Jojoba Happenings.
Lands Studies,
1972-.
Jojoba
University of
Ar
Happenings, No.
izona, Tucson.
, July 1972-.
Office of
Arid
herbrooke,
Lands Studies,
1978.
-Jojoba
University of
An annotated
Arizona,
Tucson.
bibliographic update.
80p.
Office of
Arid
Sherbrooke,
Desert:
r.-. Paper .N
*. C; and E.
Literature
Haase.
1974.
Jojoba
A wax-producing
review and annotated bibliography
Office of
Arid
Lands
Studies,
Arid
Land
University: of Arizona
hrub of the
s Resource
, Tucson.
Sonoran -
Infonrmation
Vega,
1977
Investi gaciones
. Hermosillo, Cir
-* -
La jojoba.
Agricollas del
cular CIANO No.
Domesticacion
Noroeste,
92. Hermo
de un
cul ti vo
Campo Agricola
sillo, Sonora,
potential
Experimental
Mexico.
.19p.
Centro de
la Costa d
n Spanish.
Vega, M. de-la,
. domesticada
Engl ish
tran
en el
nation.
Durazo B. and L.
noreste de Mexico
Quilantan
Jojoba
V. 1979.
Happenings
Investigation de jojoba
6:7-14. In Spanish,
Wochok, Z.
Jojoba
Happenings
Sluis.
1979.
Micropropagation
jojoba
improvement programs.
Wright,
-f J ag
Foster. 1978
9iI..Js.
I aaaa1a
Jojoba:
* .Jaa -
Current agronomic potential.
a
- a
- -
Office of
- -. I. -
. C.
i
HISTORIC NOTE
The publications in this collection do
not reflect current scientific knowledge
or recommendations. These texts
represent the historic publishing
record of the Institute for Food and
Agricultural Sciences and should be
used only to trace the historic work of
the Institute and its staff. Current IFAS
research may be found on the
Electronic Data Information Source
(EDIS)
site maintained by the Florida
Cooperative Extension Service.
Copyright 2005, Board of Trustees, University
of Florida
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