How to Grow Apricots

Apricots are fruits that are often not fully appreciated, but there are many great reasons for growing them. Many people overlook them because they can be hard to find in some areas because they don’t ship well. That is all the more reason to grow an apricot tree, which is also a very beautiful tree with white or pink blossoms.

Another great reason for growing apricot trees is the longer growing season compared with commercial growing. In many parts of the country you can have a longer growing season by picking the right variety and location for your tree. Genetic dwarf varieties can even be grown in containers. If you live in areas with harsh winters you can wheel them into the garage until things warm up outside.

Compared with other fruit trees apricots bloom early in the spring, and do not tolerate the summer heat very well. It is a hardy tree but it can bloom too early if it gets warm enough in late winter. When you choose a variety, make sure to do some research and select one that will work well in your climate. Most varieties are self fertile and full size trees will end up between 20 and 30 feet tall and live for 75 years or so.

An apricot tree should start bearing fruit in the third or fourth year and you can expect three to four bushels of fruit from a standard size tree. If you would like a dwarf tree, they are rare and you should try a genetic dwarf tree. These trees will yield you one to two bushels.