Learn how you can successfully grow apricot trees at home in containers, as I am growing in Sydney, Australia. The tips given below are good for growing apricots in containers or in ground. With the right container, soil, sunlight, fertilizer and care, you can enjoy the freshly harvested apricots right from your terrace, patio or balcony. Apricots grow best in climates with dry springs, warm and dry summers and mild wet winters. In Australia, apricots grow in new South Whales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania.
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| Apricote Tree in Pot |
Apricot Varieties For Pots
A dwarf or semi-dwarf apricot variety is well-suited for container cultivation. Dwarf apricot trees produce the same sized fruit as regular apricot trees. Some popular pot-friendly apricot varieties include Tilton, Harglow, and Pixie Cot. In Australia, the apricot varieties Moorpar, Trevatt and Cot N Candy are the best to grow in pots. Dwarf varieties of apricots can grow to a height of 2-3 feet.
Container Size
Apricot trees can be planted and grown in pots to allow easy movement.
Container size is crucial for the growth of the apricot tree. You can start with a small pot if if the plant is young or grown from a seed, but you will have to transplant it in a bigger pot as it grows.
A 75 liter (20 gallon) container or a pot with 20-24 inches diameter will be ideal to provide ample space for the roots to spread and support the tree's growth. Ensure that the container is stable to prevent toppling down in wind or when the tree grows.
Soil For Growing Apricot
A well-draining loose potting soil mix enriched with organic matter is ideal for growing apricot tree. Plant the tree in the center of the container, ensuring the root ball is level with the soil surface. Water the tree thoroughly after planting and maintain a regular watering schedule, allowing the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings.
Sunlight and Location
Apricots thrive in full sunlight, so choose a location for your container that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Place the container on a sunny patio or balcony to provide the tree with the sunlight it needs for optimal growth and fruit production.
Watering
Water young apricot tree regularly while they establish and during their first summer. Water older trees when top one inch soil gets dry.
Fertilizer For Potted Apricot
The natural question is when to fertilize apricot trees. Feed your apricot tree regularly with a balanced controlled-release fertilizer in spring when new growth begins.
A fertilizer low in nitrogen and high in potassium and phosphorous is best for apricots. Spread fertilizer along the rim of the pot and mix in soil.Water the plant afer fertilization.
Add some well-composted chicken manure in soil in the begining of Spring.
Feed a liquid fertilizer like powerfeed or MiracleGrow during the growing period.
Pest Control
There may be a problem of common pests such as aphids, spider mites and scale insects. Neem oil and insecticidal soap can be effective and are safe.
Fruit fly is the major pest of apricot trees. Fruit flys lay eggs in the fruit, causing the fruit to have bugs inside and fruit drop. Set up fruit fly traps on the tree early in the season.to prevent fruit flys to lay eggs on fruit.
Pruning Apricot Trees
The apricot tree should be first pruned when it is quite young to encourage branching. prune next year again to shape the tree.
Prune the tree annually after the fruit picking to remove weak, dead and diseased or rubbing branches. This will ensure a vase shape tree for good air movement and stimulate vigorous and stronger growth.
The apricot tree fruits on the short shoots called spurs, which form after two years of growth, so do not prune such branches.
Prune the tree after harvesting to remove excess growth in the center so that sunlight can penetrate the canopy.
Flowering, Fruiting and Harvesting
Most apricot varieties are self-fertile, so you need need just one apricot tree to get fruits. The tree flowers in spring to summer, from November to Feburary in Australia.
You should be harvesting apricots in 3-4 years after planting. Apricots generally produce a heavy crop in alternate years.
Leave the fruit on the tree until it is completely ripe. Pick them when the fruit changes from green to orange and feels slightly soft.
Once the apricots are ripe, gently twist and pull them from the tree.
Reasons for Apricot tree not produceing fruit
A lack of phosphorus and potassium can be the cause of an apricot tree not fruiting. Adding some potash in soil may help.
If an apricot tree receives too little or too much or too less water at bloom time, you may see no apricots on the tree. Monitoring water and fertilizer can help to correct this.
Apricot trees grown indoors in a pot rarely flower and fruit inside. If you want to harvest fruit from an apricot tree, it is best to move it outdoors.
Reasons for Small Size Apricots
The most common reason for small fruit size is over production. Apricot generally produces too many flowers resulting in more fruit than the tree can support. To have larger fruit you will have to thin the number of fruit per branch. Thinning will prevent the branches to break because of less weight of the fruit on them. Because of thinning fruit gets more nutrients, air and sunlight, making bigger and better-quality fruit.
Perform thinning in spring when the fruit is a couple of centimetres in diameter. Thin out to keep only one fruit every 6 to 8 inches.
Can apricot trees be grown indoors?
Apricot trees can be grown indoors in a pot, but they rarely flower and fruit inside. If you want to harvest fruit from an apricot tree, it is best planted outdoors.
With the right container, soil, sunlight and care, you can have good harvest of apricots from your home grown apricot tree.
This is how you can grow and care for your apricot tree from in a pot and have good harvest year after year.
Video on Growing Apricot Tree
How to Grow Apricot Tree in a Pot youtube video
How to Grow Apricot Tree in a Pot From Seed youtube video
How to Germinate Apricot Seeds youtube video