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Searching for the best variety of almonds, I took this series of photographs for Las Fotos de los Lectores de La Vanguardia in the town of TarrĂ²s, in the municipality of Tornabous, in the Urgell region.

During the summer months the almonds finish maturing. They grow inside a hard shell surrounded by a pod, which, during the summer, dries and opens, revealing the shell of the almond.

On the other hand, from the end of January and especially during the month of February, it is the best time to see and photograph the almond trees in blossom, when they reach their maximum splendor.

In summer, almonds dry naturally inside their shell before being picked, usually from August to September. When the fruit is ripe, the rind begins to open and it is the signal that nature gives us to know that they can now be picked.

The most appropriate time to carry out this harvest depends on factors such as the variety of almonds and the climate, which this year has been very dry, with persistent drought. High temperatures and lack of water resources can affect the almond tree like any other crop.

And, despite the fact that it is a tree with a great capacity to coexist with a water deficit, the almond tree also needs to be watered if it does not rain.