Apricots are a delicious fruit when eaten fresh, cooked, and dehydrated. They hold many health and nutritional benefits including essential vitamins and minerals.

When Planting Edibles, Always Start with a Plan:

Step 1: Comprise a wish list of plants.

Step 2: Experiment – Try something new!

Step 3: Know your land and location – Sunlight, space, and soil conditions.

Step 4: Growing methods – Raised beds, traditional rows, or containers?

Step 5: Choose your fruit – Start with trees, then berries and vegetables.

There is nothing more scrumptious than eating fruit harvested from your own crop, and your success begins with the planting site and method you use.

When you purchase your fruit trees from Herbein’s Garden Center, they should already be acclimated to our temperatures. If, however, you mail-order a plant, be sure to place them in a sheltered, shady area and gradually increase its time outdoors by 1-2 hours a day. After about 7 days, your plants should be ready to transplant into the ground.

BEFORE planting, consider these 4 things when planning your home orchard:

• Cross-pollination
• Sun and soil
• Surrounding area
• Space for future plants

Cross-pollination

Most apricot trees are self-fruiting, meaning they do not need to be pollinated from another flower on a different variety of tree. However, when another variety is present, you will notice a higher fruit yield. Because insects and wind carry the pollen between the blossoms, you should have the apricot trees planted within 50’ of one another.

Plant in full sun (at least 6-8 hours) and well-draining fertile soil. Light is critical to fruit production and fruit quality and helps minimize fungal problems.

Well-draining soil will keep your apricot tree’s roots healthy which is the foundation of a healthy tree. If necessary, add soil amendments to heavy or fast-draining soils. Add coco fiber potting medium or 1/3 peat to the soil at planting time. Fruit trees can be very adaptable and respond well to soil additives such as compost or fertilizers.

Check your soils pH before you dig. You can purchase a Penn State Soil Test Kit from us or a meter for a quick result. Apricot trees need a soil pH between 6.0 – 7.0. Use Espoma Organic Garden Lime if your soil’s pH is too low, or Espoma Organic Soil Acidifier if the soil’s pH is too high.

Surroundings

Check for any wires, cables, underground utilities, or any other obstructions that could be a problem when your tree reaches full maturity. Once your tree is planted and is stable, it can be difficult to transplant later. If you start off by planting your fruit trees at the proper spacing, you can avoid any problems or issues in the future.

Spacing

If you are new to planting fruit trees. it is best to start with just a few trees and add more later. Plan where you would possibly plant future trees and be sure you have adequate space for them.

Space Between Apricot Trees

• Dwarf: 8-10’
• Standard: 15-20’
• Miniature: 4-6’

*Most apricot trees that we carry are dwarf varieties.

Preparing Your Soil

Roots will grow faster if they are in soil that is loosened and has enough room to spread. Dig your hole deep and wide enough so the root system has enough room to expand. If the soil needs loosened up, mix dehydrated cow manure, peat moss or compost (up to 1/3 concentration) into the pile of soil you dig from the hole. Use this to backfill and cover the plant’s root system.

Adding organic matter will improve just about any type of soil condition by helping retain moisture and nutrients and break apart clay soils so that water can penetrate through and roots can spread.

The goal of soil prep is to give your fruit tree a strong foundation, the best chance for survival, and to yield an abundance of fruit, as well as breaking up and adding nutritious organic matter. Replenishing nutrients and minerals that get used from the soil is an important process for the overall health of your tree.

Planting

• Once you get your fruit tree home, if you cannot plant it right away, you will need to keep the roots hydrated, however, do NOT place in a bucket of water as this might cause root rot or even kill the tree.

• Dig a hole deep and wide enough to accommodate its current root system and having plenty of room for the roots to spread out.

• Gently pull the tree from its pot and loosen the roots. Place the tree in the hole with roots down. Add Espoma Organic Bio-tone Starter Fertilizer at the time of planting to the backfill soil to help produce a large root system quicker.  This will help ensure that your new plant gets maximum water and nutrients from the soil to minimize transplant loss. Backfill with the soil you dug out.

• Create a rim of soil around the planting hole about 2” above the ground level. This will allow water to stop and soak into the ground surrounding your newly planted fruit tree. In fall, level out this hill of soil to prevent water from ponding and freezing around your tree.

• This is a good time to stake your tree to help keep it straight.

• At this point, remove any tags that are on your tree. If not removed, it could become tight and cause injury or be fatal to your tree. If you want to keep the tag with your tree, replace it with a loose piece of twine that you can keep an eye on as the tree grows and loosen as needed.

• Water thoroughly with a deep, slow soaking. If the soil settles, add more soil until it is ground level.
• If you are planting your fruit tree in the fall, wait until spring to apply any fertilizers.

• Adding a layer of mulch around your tree will help keep rodents out, discourage weed growth, and keep water from evaporating at a quick rate. Add another layer of mulch in the fall for extra protection during winter months.

When to Fertilize

Apricot trees thrive from macronutrients that are present in the soil, specifically nitrogen, which encourages green vegetative growth.

Micronutrients are also needed in the soil. These include copper and zinc that help prevent color mottling and misshapen leaves, and calcium that helps to improve leaf and fruit quality. The easiest way to add micronutrients is by adding aged compost or a balanced fruit tree fertilizer that states micronutrients are in the formula.

Typically, with apricot trees, you can fertilize after bud break during the growing season, but not after July 1^st. After your tree starts bearing fruit, their uptake of Nitrogen increases. In response to this, an application of low-nitrogen fertilizer in small amounts a couple of weeks before bud break is recommended in early spring.

Apply Espoma Organic Citrus-tone fertilizer to provide your tree with Nitrogen – N (for leaf and branch growth), Phosphorous – P (for root and blossom development), and Potassium – K (for the tree’s natural disease-resistance and overall health).

Here is an easy way to remember what the (N – P – K) stands for on your packaged fertilizer = Up↑ leaf & branch growth – Down↓ root growth – All Around⸨⸩ overall health.

If your apricot tree does not put on several inches of new growth during the growing season, consider fertilizing starting the following spring.

Pests & Disease Control

Apricot trees may experience pest or disease problems during growth. Factors like location and weather will play a role in which issues your fruit tree will encounter. Practicing proper maintenance on your fruit tree such as watering, fertilizing, pruning, spraying, weeding, and cleanup will help keep most issues at bay.

Below is a list of pests that have been known to make an appearance on apricot trees.

Aphids                                         Oriental Fruit Moth

Borers                                          Plum Curculio

Japanese Beetle                       Scale

Leafroller                                   Tent Caterpillar

Mites                                            Thrips

Below is a list of diseases known to infect apricot trees.

Bacterial Canker                      Coryneum Blight

Bacterial Leaf Spot                  Jacket Rot

Brown Spot                                Scab

Crown Gall

Grab our brochure “Pest & Disease Control for Edibles” for more in-depth info.

Pruning is essential for proper development of fruit tree growth.

• Pruning vs. No Pruning

It is in the best interest of your apricot tree to do some pruning versus none at all. If left unpruned, your apricot tree may not produce fruit, grow as well, or may not grow at all.

• Plan on pruning your apricot tree every year during its dormant season, in late winter. This stimulates stronger and more vigorous growth from the remaining buds and provides a structured shape.

• Make sharp, clean slanted cuts about a ¼” away from the next OUTWARD pointing bud so you don’t leave a messy stub that won’t heal over. Cutting just above the outward bud will help new growth to take on a spreading shape which keeps the inner area open to air circulation and light.

• Prune to form a strong framework.

The purpose is to keep the apricot tree’s canopy from growing too thick and crowded and to keep the tree at a manageable height. Remove weak or diseased branches, crossing branches, and branches that are growing inward toward the center. All of this will help improve your apricot tree’s fruit-bearing and it will thank you with an abundance of beautiful fruit!

Prune tree into a V-shape.

 Select and maintain 3-5 main scaffold limbs rising from the trunk to control the overall shape of the tree.

 These limbs should point in all directions and be no less than 18-36” from the ground, balancing growth evenly between the scaffold limbs. Those branches remaining in the center above the primary scaffold branches or any growth below the scaffold branches should be cut off. Any new growth on scaffold branches within 6” of the trunk should be removed.

• Avoid cutting the main scaffold branches unless it is to maintain balance in the tree. It is necessary to keep all scaffold branches at the approximately the same size.

Pruning Whips

Whips are unbranched trees, which are ideal if you want more control over which branches can develop, such as an espalier type. Prune whips back to about 28-36” above the ground at the time of planting. After new branches have grown 3-5”, pick a shoot that will be the leader and the rest become the tree’s scaffold limbs.

Sometimes off-season pruning is necessary.

This could be damaged branches broken by wind, diseased branches, or branches cracked by the heavy load of fruit. Fast-growing tree suckers and sprouts should be removed as soon as you notice them.

Fruit Thinning

Thinning fruit can be done by hand in home orchards. In May and June, many apricot trees will start to drop underripe fruit in a natural process that allows the tree to mature the remaining crop. If not corrected through thinning, apricot trees could only produce biannually or perhaps light one year and heavy the next.

The best time to thin apricot trees is when the fruit is 1” in diameter.

Spraying Apricot Trees

A well-rounded and consistent spray plan can be significant to the survival of your apricot tree and can prevent potential problematic issues.

*Apricot trees, including Aprium trees, can be sensitive to sulfur in sprays that contain it.

General Preventative Maintenance:

When to spray:

• Dormant Season (late winter/early spring, before bud break)
• Growing Season – Bud Break – (emergence of new growth)
• Growing Season – After Blossom – (*after petals drop)

*gives bees and other beneficials a chance to safely pollinate the blossoms.

Pest Controls:

Bonide® All Seasons® Dormant Spray Oil

Bonide® Captain Jack’s™ Deadbug Brew

GardenTech® Sevin® Bug Killer

Disease Controls

Bonide® Captan Fruit & Ornamental

Bonide® Copper Fungicide

Combination Sprays

Bonide® Neem Oil

Watering

Unless you planted your apricot trees in an area where you would water your plants for “normal” plant growth, you probably will not need to water after the first growing season. However, do not forget to water directly after planting at your site. Also, here is another reminder to level out the soil berm around the trunk before winter begins.

Harvesting

When to Harvest

Get ready to enjoy your delicious, juicy apricots! Harvest season begins in June and ends in November, depending on your variety. Harvesting apriums is generally June through July, depending on the variety.

• Pick apricots at the last minute, when they are ripe, have full color and the skin gives slightly when pressed.
• When picking fruit, a gentle twist will work just fine and loosen any ripe fruit.
• Store at room temperature for a day to bring out the best flavor.