How to Grow Apricot Organically: A Step-By-Step Guide with Simple Steps

Stone fruits like apricots are perfect for a home orchard. It is easy to grow apricot trees among fruit trees. During the spring and summer, you’ll be able to enjoy juicy fruit with patience and good care. It begins as a small tree and soon branches into a beautiful arching structure with sweet-smelling flowers.

Apricot trees are small, reaching 26 to 36 feet in height, with trunks up to 16 inches in diameter. Leaves of about 1 to 3 inches in length are finely serrated and pointed on the branches. In the spring, apricot trees bloom after two years of growth. Typically, the blooms are white to pink with five petals and are self-pollinating.

How to Grow Apricot Organically

Apricot Tree Varieties

Chinese	Wenatchee	Royal Rosa	Brittany Gold
Tilton	Katy	Autumn Glo	Hunza
Moorpark	Puget Gold	Golden Kist	Harglow
Harcot	Tomcot	Patterson	Blenheim
Canadian White Blenheim	Golden Sweet	Perfection	Flavorella Plumcot

Soil Requirement for Growing Apricots

The best soil for apricot trees is loamy and well-drained. It doesn’t matter what type of soil you choose, but poor soils that don’t drain well won’t work. The soil should be amended with agricultural sand if it is clayey or compacted. Ideally, apricot trees should be planted in a pH range of 6.5 to 8.0. Compost can be added to the soil during planting, but it’s mandatory.

Sun and Temperature Requirements for Growing Apricots

During the growing season, apricot trees require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. The ideal temperature for apricot trees is between 18.5°C and 29.5°C. When they reach maturity, they can survive sudden cold snaps and do best when they have 600 to 900 hours of temperatures between 32°C and 45°C.

Trees that are young and unestablished will die at 0°C. In the event of a snap freeze, cover your tree with a frost blanket. Keep apricot trees cool in high heat by providing adequate water and mulch. When temperatures reach triple digits in late summer, your trees may experience fruit and blossom drop.

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How to Plant an Apricot Seed and Growing

Take out the apricot pit and remove the seed. To reveal the apricot seed inside, lay the pit on its side and gently crack it open with a nutcracker, hammer, or vise.
Let the apricot seeds germinate. In a bowl of room-temperature water, soak the seed overnight to prepare for germination.
Seeds should be wrapped in wet paper towels, placed in sealed plastic bags, and kept in a refrigerator between 0°C and 7°C. The seed should be kept in the refrigerator until it sprouts, which typically takes one to two months.
Seeds should be planted in early spring. However, it will be better to wait until after the last frost to plant. They thrive in cold climates where winters are cold enough to induce dormancy and summers are warm but not oppressive.
Ensure the tree has enough sunlight and space to grow. An environment with full sun is ideal for the growth of apricot trees. Make sure the planting site is large enough to accommodate the branches and roots of an adult tree. Check that it isn’t too close to structures, underground pipes, or power lines.
For your sprouting apricot seed, dig a hole six inches deep. Backfill the hole with native soil and well-rotted compost or manure after planting your seed. Ideally, native soil should be mixed with compost in a ratio of two to one.
A screen should be placed over the planting site to protect it. Plant your apricot seeds under a screen or hardware cloth layer to prevent animals from digging them up. The screen should surround the seed.

Apricot Tree Care

Water Requirements for Growing Apricot Trees Organically

If you are in a cooler climate, you can water once a week, but if you are in a hotter climate, you may need to water up to three times a week. Make sure the soil is moist but never waterlogged. Once a little tree pokes through the topsoil, remove the protective screen to give your tree the room it needs to grow.

Fertilisation Requirements for Growing Apricot Trees Organically

A fertilizer high in potassium and phosphorous and low in nitrogen is best for apricots. Well-composted chicken manure is ideal, along with worm castings and worm juice. Drinks of seaweed solution during the growing period are also helpful.

Staking and Pruning in Apricot Tree

Stake your apricot tree within the first year of its life to keep it from falling over.Prune every year to remove dead or diseased branches. Pruning your apricot tree allows it to receive more sunlight and air circulation. Make sure you prune before the new growing season begins every spring. As a rule of thumb, if the top of your apricot tree has lush greenery, but the bottom is wilting, the bottom layer isn’t getting enough sunlight, and you should prune the top. Always prune branches over six years old or have stopped bearing fruit.

Organic Mulch for Apricot Tree

Put a good layer of mulch around your apricot tree. It will help moisture retention and result in better-quality fruit. Woody mulch is preferable over other types of mulch as it encourages fungi and other micro-organisms that benefit fruit trees. Apply a generous quantity.

Organic Weed Control

Achieving economically and environmentally sound weed management involves combining a variety of strategies. Mulches (synthetic and organic), subsurface irrigation, flamers, and feeding by geese or other animals can also control weeds in orchards.

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Organic Pest Control in Apricot Trees

Cervids, aphids, and peach twig borers are the most common pests that damage apricot trees. There may be other creatures as well. You can spray neem oil-based spray on your apricot tree if you notice these strange-looking aphids. You will need to reapply every five to seven days until you no longer see any new mealy plum aphids on your apricots. Peach twig borers can be controlled by removing affected fruits and shoots and spraying the tree with an insecticide containing spinosad.

Conclusion

Among fruit trees, the apricot tree is one of the easiest to grow organically. It starts as a little tree and quickly branches into a lovely arching structure with sweet-smelling blooms after a few years. With patience and good care, you will have access to juicy fruit in spring and summer.

How to Grow Apricot Organically: A Step-By-Step Guide with Simple Steps