Apricots are a delicious and versatile summer fruit with a distinct tart/sweet flavour and aroma. Fibre and vitamin rich, Apricots are a healthy treat when eaten fresh, but like their relatives the Plum and Peach, they often ripen altogether, leading to a glut of ripe fruits. These gluts can be turned into a variety of delightful products with long shelf lifes, such as through drying, bottling or making into a superb jam. With a range of varieties available, fruits can vary in appearance, size and flavour, from the sweet, deep-orange of the Fireball to the flavourful, pale-gold of the Glengarry. Cultivation requirements for Apricots are similar to that of Peaches, with Apricots well-suited to climates with cool winters and hot summers with low humidity but plentiful watering. Apricot trees will thrive in a fertile, loam soil with excellent drainage, drainage and soil quality can be improved through mounding, regular mulch and incorporating compost into the soil. Trees are particularly susceptible to diseases such as canker and brown rot in climates with wet summers and high humidity, susceptibility to disease and plant health can be improved through providing full sun and ensuring good airflow in trees. Pests such as birds and fruit flies are everpresent but harvest can be protected through netting. Apricots on dwarf rootstocks are suitable for growing in containers where conditions and position can be closely controlled. While traditionally a tree of temperate climates, there are a range of varieties suitable for the subtropics such as Sal, Fireball and Glengarry which only require around 400 chill hours. Apricot trees will reach maximum heights nearing 5-6m on normal rootstocks, while plants on dwarf rootstocks will keep to a more manageable 2m tall. Fruiting buds form on one-year old wood and plants should be pruned to ensure airflow and form. As with other Prunus, Apricot trees produce stunning blossoms in early spring, with trees covered in clusters of white-pink flowers. Challenging but rewarding, fresh, home-grown Apricots are a true treat and can be transformed into a range of delicious products.
All Varieties are Grafted unless noted. (BR) = Bare Root. (S) = Seedling. Please reach out to us (Contact & Socials) if you come across any broken links, incorrect details, or if you represent an online nursery that sells the products mentioned above.
Hortiforum 