Apricots

[Morris]

I am considering planting one of the modern varieties of apricot, eg tomcot, flavourcot, claimed to crop well in the UK. I have a warm, south/west facing corner of the garden sheltered by hedges and trees, and am in Hampshire. Does anyone have any experience of growing these and thoughts on if it would be worthwhile?

Thanks.

[Morris]

[saddad]

My neighbour has a "Tomcot" in a large pot, but it's in a greenhouse in Winter here... helps with the leaf curl too!  :)

[darkbrowneggs]

My neighbour has a "Tomcot" in a large pot, but it's in a greenhouse in Winter here... helps with the leaf curl too!  :)

Hi there - How has his apricot fruited over the last couple of years.  And did he give you one to try - if so what was the taste like

I am thinking of getting some apricot / peach type trees and wonder what the flavour and yield is like on some of the varities

So any input would be most useful

Many thanks
Sue

[saddad]

I thought it was lovely... but still warm of the bush does that for fruit. Yeild was about thirty apricots...  :)

[Morris]

Hmm, I wonder if I should go for a pot. I am concerned about peach leaf curl and frost damage. The spot I am thinking of has space for a large tree - I was thinking loads of jam/freezer fruit, but perhaps apricots are just too unreliable?

Not sure if I could fit another tree in my greenhouse, mind you - I already have a lemon in there overwinter with everything else that gets stuffed inside  ;D

[Spudbash]

Hi Morris,

I'm in north Hampshire. I planted a Flavorcot apricot in 2004 and it is now a whacking great tree - about 15ft by 15ft. I would have expected fruit from it last year, but the few blossoms it had had 'shothole' in them and in fact, there was only one ripe apricot to harvest. I think the tree might have been infected with bacterial canker in its early days, by our neighbour's plum tree. I pruned out the affected branches.

Anyway, I looked closely at the tree the other day and it appears fine, but I sprayed the branches I could reach with Bordeaux mixture, to be on the safe side.

I'm hoping that it will now settle into fruiting. Certainly, there look to be lots of fruit buds coming.

The other thing is, the single apricot that I picked last year was ready in the second half of August, whereas I bought it expecting it to fruit in September.

Last year, I was impatient for fruit, so I bought a Petit Muscat from Blackmoor and it's growing strongly, but I don't expect to see much fruit from it this year.

You might find it worthwhile to ring Blackmoor because they must have masses of experience of growing apricots in Hampshire. 

Good luck with your choices.

:)

[shirlton]

We bought an apricot 3 years ago and have had one off it. It did put on a lot of growth but we prune it quite hard. Hoping for a bit more fruit this year because it is full of flower buds

[Vinlander]

My neighbour has a "Tomcot" in a large pot, but it's in a greenhouse in Winter here... helps with the leaf curl too!  :)

Hi Saddad,

All the 'old' apricots are very resistant to leaf curl - it's normally only a disease of peaches and almonds (and you are right - a rain cover - permanent or temporary Jan-May - is by far the best cure).

I'm very interested in the new apricots, and if they show leaf curl I'll be even more interested in their ancestry (and quite dismayed too).

Cheers.

[goodlife]

Shirlton..tickling the flowers with little bit of soft brush or rabbit's tail does miracles fot the yield..even if your tree is outdoors..peaches and apricots don't seem to atract that many pollinators around and particularly if the weather is bit on cooler side. ;)

[KittyKatt]

I've got a dwarf apricot called aprigold. Only had it 2 years and no fruit so far, although it did flower last year and has flowers again this year, so I am hopeful!  :) I live in the southwest, and its surviving outside ok, no sign of any disease so far. I'm going to go round with a paint brush to try and increase fertilisation, and also cover with fleece if any frosts are forecast, as I think that could have been a reason why no fruit last year!
KittyKatt

[shirlton]

We bought an apricot 3 years ago and have had one off it. It did put on a lot of growth but we prune it quite hard. Hoping for a bit more fruit this year because it is full of flower buds
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quote]
Cheers goodlife

[darkbrowneggs]

I thought it was lovely... but still warm of the bush does that for fruit. Yield was about thirty apricots...  :)

Thanks - Sounds like Tomcot in a pot is a definite then :) :)

[shirlton]

Had a tickle yesterday ;D