Apricots flourish in deep, fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil, ideally slightly alkaline. They will struggle in poor, shallow soil. On light, sandy soil, incorporate organic matter such as garden compost or well-rotted manure into the planting area to improve moisture retention.
Where do apricot trees grow best?
Apricot trees can grow in USDA hardiness zones five through nine. They thrive in climates where winters are cold enough to induce a dormancy period and summers are warm but not sweltering hot.
What is the best fertilizer for apricots?
Nitrogen is the nutrient most used by growing apricot trees; it moves throughout the soil, is leached off by normal growth and must be replaced by synthetic or organic compounds. The main source of nitrogen is decaying organic matter.
How do you take care of an apricot tree?
The trees will need an inch (2.5 cm.) of water weekly, especially during bloom and fruiting. Use a drip irrigation system to avoid wet leaves, flowers and fruit. Be sure your apricot tree care includes thinning of the fruit once it comes in; thin the fruits to 1 ½ to 2 inches (3.8 to 5 cm.)
How do you grow juicy apricots?
With a good composted soil, consistent watering, and full sun, your apricot tree will reward you with sweet and juicy fruit for many years. If your tree doesn’t seem to be growing at a good rate, 8 to 10 inches of new growth for mature trees, then your soil might need a slight nitrogen boost.
Do you need 2 apricot trees to produce fruit?
Although apricot trees are considered self-fruiting, sometimes it’s best to have more than one tree for pollination purposes. You can even have two different varieties of apricot trees, as having more than one can help if apricot fruiting does not occur.
Do apricot trees need lots of water?
Apricot trees are thirsty plants, and they like about an inch of water every ten days to two weeks, provided you plant them in good-quality, well-draining soil. An overwatered apricot tree will start to show signs of yellowing leaves and general droopiness, in which case you should hold off on watering it for a while.
Are coffee grounds good for apricot trees?
Coffee grounds contain nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper, all of which are essential to fruit trees. They also raise the pH level in the soil, which is good for the health of the plant.
What is the life expectancy of an apricot tree?
Apricot trees are perennials, meaning that they can live for very long periods of time; apricots usually live between 40 and 150 years.
When should I fertilize my apricot trees?
If your mature apricot is in good general health but shows reduced vigor and poor fruit production, it is time to fertilize. Apply a balanced fertilizer, 16-16-16, for example, in early spring (late February or March) and fall (late September or October). Apply no more than 2 pounds of actual nitrogen per year.
How long does it take for an apricot tree to bear fruit?
Apricots are semi self-pollinating, but produce better crops with two varieties. When will my tree bear fruit? Trees should bear fruit in 3-4 years, with full fruiting in 5-7 years.
Do you need to spray apricot trees?
Do you need to spray apricot trees? Basically, yes. Pest infestations can devastate a tree or an entire orchard, and the best way to fight against it is to nip it in the bud.
Which apricot tree is the best?
Blenheim. Blenheim is considered to be the most flavorful, best tasting apricot in production. The fruit is medium to large, yellow with orange cheek and firm, juicy, pale orange flesh and delicious flavor.
Why are my apricots not juicy?
The extra moisture causes them to split open. If the fruits are not fully ripe, they could stop ripening when the skin is breached. To avoid this, use an automatic irrigation system that keeps the soil moist until the fruits change color. Stop watering and let the apricots ripen slowly.
Do apricots fruit on new or old wood?
Apricots bear fruit on spurs, the ripened wood that bears for up to four years. Without regular pruning, new wood is not forced into growth and production suffers in later years. Pruning of apricots aims to balance stimulating the growth of new wood with retaining fruit-producing ripe wood.
What soil do apricot trees like?
Apricots flourish in deep, fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil, ideally slightly alkaline. They will struggle in poor, shallow soil. On light, sandy soil, incorporate organic matter such as garden compost or well-rotted manure into the planting area to improve moisture retention.
Can a peach tree pollinate an apricot tree?
Fruits do not cross-pollinate outside of their own species. For example, stone fruits (peaches, plums, apples and apricots) do not pollinate one another.
Can a plum tree pollinate an apricot tree?
Another option is planting certain varieties of plum to pollinize the pluot. Plant a Japanese plum tree within 100 feet of the pluot for cross-pollination. Although a pluot is part apricot, another apricot will not serve as a pollinator.
How tall do apricot trees get?
20 to 25 feet tall
Standard trees grow 20 to 25 feet tall and wide. Semi-dwarfs reach 12 to 18 feet in height and spread, and dwarf varieties are much smaller, topping out at five to eight feet tall and wide. Apricots are self-pollinating, but planting two different varieties that bloom at the same time can result in a bigger harvest.
Why are my apricots falling off the tree?
Apricots can drop off the tree before they are ready for harvest. This is often a built in safety mechanism if the tree produces a larger than normal number of blossoms. If too many of the flowers are pollinated, the tree will produce a large amount of fruit and drop some of it to lighten the load.
Why are my apricots so small?
Immature Fruit Drop
This can be a natural part of tree fruit development, since few fruit trees can divert enough energy from growing to support all these new fruits. Naturally, they shed the fruits if they can so that other fruits in the cluster or on that branch can grow larger.
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