Apricot trees are a year round treat. Apricot trees have delightful heart like leaves and orange brown bark. The blossoms are a colorful bright yellow or white and the Apricot fruit is a brilliant orange-peach.
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Apricot trees are ready for picking during different times of the
seasons. It is this picking time that distinguishes the different apricot varieties. Most apricot trees will do fine over the winter. In addition, the apricot tree comes in either dwarf for container gardens, or standard stock. The apricot tree will bear fruit in its 3rd or 4th year and will bear fruit for up to 35 years. Some apricot trees will self-pollinate while other apricot trees require another apricot tree for cross-pollination.
Purchasing & Planting
Purchase bareroot apricot trees in early spring. Or, purchase container apricots in the spring or summer. They should be approximately 3-5 feet tall. Be sure the apricot trunk is sturdy. Do no purchase trees over a year old or any apricot trees that look small.
To plant your apricot tree dig a hole they same size as the container or a little bigger than the root spread. Ad some compost to the shoveled soil. Remove the apricot tree from the container and prune any long roots. Prune the apricot branches back so you have just two 7-inch long side branches spaced about 7 inches apart and one central stem. Place the apricot tree in the hole and spread out the apricot roots. Fill in the hole with the soil, compost mixture and add water. If the apricot tree starts to lean stake the apricot tree with two 3-foot stakes and rubber ties.
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Growing Tips
Apricot trees love full sun and sheltered frost-free sites. The apricot tree grows best in well-drained soil that has a lot of compost. Apricot trees like a soil pH or 6-7. Do not fertilize apricot trees. This cause weak apricot growth and makes the apricot tree susceptible to diseases and insects. In fact, it is best to plant apricots away from lawns or any other area where fertilizer is used.
The apricot tree is fairly disease resistant. However, apricots can be afflicted with brown rot. This fungus attacks the apricot fruit and turns the apricot soft. To control this fungus spray apricot trees with a fungicide and destroy any badly infested trees.
To optimize apricot fruit growth thin apricots to every 2-3 inches along the branches. This will ensure a plumper and juicier apricot.
Seasonal Care
For seasonal care of existing apricot trees begin in early spring and prune heavily. Cut back tall branches and central limbs so light penetrates to all the branches. Do this while the apricot tree is still dormant. In early summer thin the developing apricot fruit. In summer handpick apricots when they ripen to a golden orange color but feel firm.
Varieties of Apricots
Apricot varieties are based on when the apricot fruit ripens. If you want juicy plump apricots early in the season try planting Wilson Delicious apricots, a medium sizes apricot that grows best in zones 5-8. Another apricot tree that ripens early is the Early Golden. This apricot tree bears large apricots in zones 5-8. The Early Golden apricot tree is self-fertilizing and comes in dwarf or standard sizes. Flora Gold apricots also ripen early and are of a medium size. These apricots self-fertilize and grow best in zones 5-8. They are considered a semi-dwarf apricot tree. Goldrich apricots ripen early in the season in zones 4-9. The Goldrich apricot is quite large and requires another apricot tree for pollination.
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Mid-season apricots come in 4 basic varieties. The Curtis apricot is a medium fruit with a red blush in zones 5-8. This apricot tree comes in dwarf or standard size. Garden Annie apricots are on the large size and self-fertilizing. These apricot trees grow best in zones 5-8 and are dwarf in size. Goldcot apricot trees are medium to large self-fertilizers. They grow best in zones 5-8 and come in dwarf or standard varieties. Harglow apricots are medium self-fertilizers that grow in zones 3-8. These apricot trees only come in standard size.
The late ripeners consist of Blenheim, Harval, Moongold & Sungold varieties. Blenheim apricots are medium to large apricot trees that grow best in zones 4-8. These self-fertilizing trees come in the standard size only. Harval apricots are medium size and are quite disease resistant. These apricot trees come in standard size and grow in zones 4-8. Moongold apricots pollinate with Sungold apricots in zones 3-8. Both apricot trees come in the standard size only. Sungold apricots are a medium fruit that grows best in zones 4-8.
Quick Facts
In general the apricot tree can grow 10-30 feet wide and 8-20 feet tall. Apricot trees love full sun and rich well drained soil. They flower in early spring and the apricot fruit can be harvested throughout the summer depending on the apricot tree variety. Each tree will produce about 3-6 bushels of apricots a year. Apricot trees grow best in zones 5-9.