Container – plant late autumn/winter
Bareroot – plant winter
Flowers earlier than peaches and nectarines
Easy to espallier – Train into classic fan shape for decoratice aspect.
Sunny sheltered position, Protect from spring frosts during the first few years. Water well in long dry periods.
Apricots like a fertiliser with a high pH eg chicken manure.
Early variets: Dec Jan
Mid Jan
Late Feb
Grow from seed
Remove flesh and allow to dry a couple of days. break outer shell without damaging kernel. Chill in fridge 1 month. 4-6 weeks to sprout. 5 years before fruiting.
prefers a pH of between 6.0 -7.0
well drained soil
Keep trunk free of weeds esp in early stages of growth.
Thin over crowded fruit
Pests: Aphids, scale, earwigs, leaf rollers, brown rot, blight, silver leaf, powdery mildew, bacterial canker, blast, bacterial spot, crown gall.
Most cultivars are self fertile
Allow 3m between trees
Like deep free draining soil. pH 6.7-7.5
Sandy soil is not suitable.
Over wet soil will cause root rot.
Feed Early Spring
If you have a heavy crop – thin by removing diseased or damaged fruit. Allow 5cm between fruit.
Prune in spring or summer. Pruning in winter risks silver leaf or bacterial canker. Apricots are more resistant when sap is flowing.
Bears fruit on both last years shoots and stems
Prunus armeniaca – from the Rosaceae family
Need 600-900 hours of winter chilling and a warm sunny summer to ripen fruit.
Dwarf varieties are available to suit small spaces.
Diseases: Brown rot, leaf curl, bacterial spot, silver leaf, rust
Bugs: Aphids, Apple moth, fruit fly, mites and scale
Most varieties are self fertile but benefit from cross-pollination.
Apricots orginated in CHina
January 9th is National Apricot Day
California produces 95% of the US supply
Store at room temperature until ripe. placing ina paper bag will speed up ripening
Produce fruit for 20 – 25 years
In Latin Apricot means precious
Trees are considered small at 8-12 metres
Known in the 16th century as abrecock from the middle French aubercot.
Alexander the Great introduced apricot to Greece.
Leave at room temperature – they do not like refridgeration.
Rich in soluble fibre, free from cholestrerol, sodium, saturated fats, High in Vitamin A. Solable fibre aids digestion, prevents constipation.
High in antioxidents
Cultivated on every contenint excpect Antarctica
2016 top producers Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan, Algeria, Italy.
Considered an aphrodisiac in Europe
Seed contains amygdalin – a toxic chemical
Domesticated for almost 400 years
Astronaust ate apricots on the Apollo mission.
Aprigold – dwarf to 1.8 metres. Medium to full sized, highly coloured, flavoursome fruit. Self fertile. Early fruiting. Tolerant of warmer climate. Perfect for container or small garden.
Blenheim – old English variety. Better in cooler areas, yellow flesh.
Castlebrite – Bright orange with slight red blush. Self fertile but benefits from Moorpark or Sundrop. Easrly fruiting. Sweet tart taste. Medium sized. Reliable cropper.
Clutha Early – Large fruit. Frost telerant. Early fruiting.
Clutha Gold – Medium to large fruit. Sweet fruit. Ideal for bottling. Will benefit from Moorpark or Sundrop. Mature mid Jan. Orange coloured with red hues.
Clutha Late – self fertile. Late season. Orange fruit.Medium sized fruit. Prefers cold winters and hot dry summers. Late season. Self fertile. An offspring of Moorpark
Divinity – medium to large fruit. Golden Yellow with a blush of red
Earliril – Medium to large fruit. Dark red colour. Old fashioned flavour. Benefits from Sundrop. Early fruiting. Freestone.
Fitzroy – Medium sized fruit. Golden colour. Sweet and juicy. Heavy cropper. Self fertile. Matures in Feb. Loves sun and good drainage. Low chill requirements. Self fertile
Flora Gold – smaller than average tree. Medium sized fruit. Low winter chilling required.
Garden Annie – semi dwarf to 4 metres. Early season. Yellow skinned fruit. Semi freestone. Self ferile. Copes well with warmer climates.
Goldbar – Orange fruit with red blush. Freestone. Good pollinator for other varieties. Benefits from Goldstrike. Mid season. Large fruit Vigorous.
Golden Glow – dwarf 1.5 m. Early season. Golden yellow fruit. Not relably self fertile. Plant with Garden Annie
Gold Kist – for warmer regions. Golden yellow fruit with orange flesh
Goldrich – oval large sized gold flesh fruit. Only partially self fertile. Requires Sundrop or Earlirill. Very productive large and tasty. Mid Season.
Goldstrike – Medium to large fruit. Light orange with red blush. Benefits from Goldbar
Katy Cot – suitable for all temps – can withstand chilling or warmer temps. Fruit are large yellow blushed red. Free stone. Large cropper. Grows to 4.5 metres. Early season. Hybrid. Excellent crops.
Moorpark – English variety. Long mid to late season. Effective in cooler regions. Medium to large fruit – yellow with orange flesh. Self fertile. Excellent for dessert and bottling or drying. Cold tolerant. Freestone.
Morocco – medium sized fruit. Pale yellow skin. Excellent for bottling. Tree blossoms late which is an advantage in frost prone areas.
Newcastle – Old favourite. Prolific cropper. Medium sized fruit in early season. Golden yellow apricots with red blush. Good dessert fruit. Low chill requirements so vigorous in mild winter. iDeal fresh or in desserts. Suitable for warm areas. Freestone Benefits from Sundrop.
Royal ROsa – Early Golden yellow skin. Low chill requirement. Self fertile. Disease resistance. Viforous grower. Heavy crops. Sweet. Low acid. Freestone. Reliable and hardy.
Skaha – Vigorous productive tree. Early ripening. Medium sized fruit. Bright orange Flesh. Gold skin with red blush. Use Sundrop as a pollinator.
Steven’s Favourite – Mid season. Large. Golden fruit. Firm flesh. Suitable for bottling or desserts.
Sundrop – Able to handle cool or warm climates. Reliable crops. Late to mid season. Not self fertile – Benefits from Goldbar or Trevatt Large fruit. Orange skin. Sweet and juicy. Freestone. Ideal for eating or preserving. Partially self fertile.
Tilton – great for cooler areas. Late season. Crop of large sized, oval fruit. Sweet yellow flesh. Vigorous grower.
Tomcot – Compact. Large fruit. Orange skin with red blush. Freestone. Intense flavour. Mid season. Self fertile. Requires 600 chill hours.
Trevatt – low chilling variety. Medium to large sized golden yellow fruit. Matures mid to late season. Vigorous grower. Prolific fruiter. Sweet and juicy. Excellent for bottling and desserts. Self fertile. Would benefit from Sundrop.