How to plant an apricot in spring: a step by step guide

Apricot is traditionally considered a heat-loving crop that feels good and bears fruit in the southern mild climate. However, growing it in central Our Country, in the Urals or in Siberia is quite realistic, although this will require some effort from the gardener. The key to success will be a properly selected variety, as well as compliance with all the necessary subtleties of planting and caring for a plant in a particular region.

Selecting the right variety

Attempts to create varieties of apricots adapted for cultivation in the harsh and cold climatic conditions of the middle zone have been made by domestic breeders since the middle of the XNUMXth century. Thanks to the painstaking work of I. V. Michurin and his followers, varieties with high frost-resistant and winter-hardy characteristics were bred.

For the Urals and Siberia, where the temperature in winter sometimes reaches 30–40 degrees below zero, apricot varieties are recommended that:

• well tolerate frosts and sudden changes in temperature;
• resistant to spring frosts;
• not afraid of prolonged thaws;
• able to tolerate excess stagnant moisture;
• insensitive to sunburn (not only in summer).

Examples of suitable varieties: Academician, Khabarovsky, Amur, Sibiryak Baikalova, Golden Sibiryak, Kichiginsky, Snezhinsky, Honey, Uralets, Northern Lights, Mountain Abakan.

As for central Our Country (in particular, the Moscow region) with snowy winters and short-term frosts, as well as warm, but humid and not always sunny summers, such varieties as Iceberg, Countess, Monastyrsky, Lel, Favorit, Aquarius, Tsarsky are zoned there. , Alyosha, Red-cheeked, Varyag, Hurricane, Zeus.

The fruits of these apricots are smaller than those of their southern counterparts, and they taste fresh, as a rule, less sweet and aromatic. However, heat-loving varieties from Ukraine, Moldova or southern Our Country simply will not take root in the middle lane and to the north.

The following characteristics will help you choose from the varieties of apricots zoned in the middle lane for planting on your own personal plot:

• productivity;
• fruiting regularity;
• the strength of the tree’s growth;
• the ability to self-pollinate;
• resistance to pests and diseases;
• fruit size and taste.

The fruiting period of apricots also plays an important role:

How to choose an apricot seedling for planting

Having decided on a variety suitable for the climate of the middle zone, it is equally important to purchase high-quality planting material. Trees of the first or second year are considered the best.

Signs of a varietal seedling suitable for the middle lane:

• a well-marked grafting site on the root collar;
• powerful, dense, developed roots without signs of freezing;
• part of the trunk about 50 cm from the root – smooth, healthy, without thorns and any flaws;
• the more live buds a seedling has, the better.

For the Urals and Siberia, it is advised to choose biennial plants with a closed root system. Such seedlings are more likely to take root.

Where and when to buy seedlings

Truly high-quality varietal material is recommended to be bought before planting in specialized nurseries, garden centers, seasonal fairs or exhibitions.

When is the best time to plant apricots: in spring or autumn

The preferred season for planting apricots in the ground depends on the climatic and weather conditions of the region:

• in the Urals and Siberia, it is strongly recommended to plant apricot seedlings in spring – in this case, the trees have time to take root well before winter frosts, which significantly reduces the risk of freezing in the first year;
• in central Our Country, apricots can be planted both in spring and autumn – however, there is an opinion that “autumn” plants take root better.

A set of preparatory measures and some nuances of cultivation

When starting to plant an apricot in the middle lane and to the north, the gardener must correctly select a place on the site and adhere to the rules of technology.

How to choose a place to plant an apricot

Correct location:

• located on a small hill;
• protected from east and north winds, as well as drafts (for example, near a wall or fence);
• it is well warmed up by the sun – the heat received in the summer will help the seedlings to winter safely;
• the soil is rich in trace elements and well drained;
• the groundwater level on the site is not higher than 2,5 m.

Apricot compatibility with other fruit trees

Apricot is considered to be an “individualist” – it does not tolerate the neighborhood with most fruit crops common in the middle lane. Thus, planting it in close proximity to cherries, cherries, pears, apple trees, mountain ash, walnuts is highly undesirable. Apricot and other large plantings should be separated from each other by at least 10 m.

Acceptable neighbors for apricots can be some stone fruits: cherry plum, blackthorn, dogwood, or Chinese plum.

It should be remembered that the distance between apricots when planting a garden directly depends on their height. Tall and medium-sized trees are planted at a distance of at least 5 m. Low varieties can be staggered, leaving approximately one meter gaps between them.

Do Apricots Need a Pollinator?

In accordance with how the apricot is pollinated, varieties are:

• self-fertile (20–40% of ovaries are fertilized by their own pollen);
• partially self-fertile (10–20% of ovaries are formed from their own pollen);
• self-fertile (able to fertilize less than 5% of their own ovaries).

Even for self-fertile apricots in the middle lane, the presence of trees of a different variety nearby, flowering and fruiting at the same time, can significantly increase yields. For successful fruiting of self-fertile varieties, apricot pollen of another variety is simply necessary.

It is well known that for successful cross-pollination, it is best to plant 2-3 varieties of the same species side by side. Thus, it is most reliable to select a pollinator for apricots in central Our Country among apricots, guided by recommendations developed for specific cultivars.

Soil preparation for planting apricot

The planting hole for apricot should be large (about 0,8 by 0,8 m). The soil mixture for spring planting in the middle lane is prepared in the fall, and for autumn – at least two weeks before planting the seedling in the ground.

The composition of the mixture:

• humus (1-2 buckets);
• ash (about 1 cup);
• superphosphate (700 g);
• potassium sulfide (about 400 g).

A layer of drainage is poured at the bottom of the pit, then the prepared mixture is laid, on top of it – a layer of ordinary soil, and left until planting.

Planting an apricot in autumn

It is believed that autumn planting is preferable for the middle lane. Just do not do it too late so that the tree has time to take root before the onset of frost.

How to plant an apricot in the fall, it is worth considering in detail:

• in the chosen place, you need to dig a recess 2 times the size of the root system of the seedling;
• if the plant is in a container, it should be well watered, then removed along with a clod of earth;
• before planting an apricot with an open root system, it is advised to hold the seedling for about a day in water or in a clay mash;
• place the tree in the hole, spreading the roots if they are open;
• fill the hole with soil and compact it;
• water the plant well (2-3 buckets of water);
• tie an apricot to a support (peg);
• mulch the surface of the trunk circle with dry earth, peat, sawdust.

How to plant an apricot

All the recommendations given above also explain how to plant an apricot in the spring. The step-by-step instructions for this process are identical to the rules for autumn planting in the middle lane. However, it will be useful to know some of the features associated with the climatic region where the tree will grow.

Secrets of planting apricots in the Urals in spring

Here are a few subtleties regarding how to properly plant an apricot in the spring in the Southern Urals and take care of it after planting:

• during the period of thaws and melting snow, one should carefully monitor that water does not accumulate in the near-stem circle;
• if a cold night is expected (spring return frosts or just a sharp temperature drop), Ural gardeners advise smoking – setting fire to wet straw or a special smoke bomb in a plot with trees;
• for better pollination, the crown of a flowering apricot is often sprayed with honey dissolved in water – this additionally attracts bees to it;
• common diseases in this region are clasterosporiasis and moniliosis, the main attention should be paid to the prevention and control of them;
• even frost-resistant varieties of apricots growing in the Urals definitely need shelter for the winter.

Chelyabinsk gardeners V. and N. Chernenko share the secrets of growing apricots in the Urals in a video

Planting and caring for apricots in Siberia

What you should know when planning to grow apricots in the Siberian climate:

• at the landing site, it is recommended to additionally create an artificial elevation – pour a mound or a small earthen rampart;
• the quality of seedlings plays an important role – for the northern climate it is best to buy them in containers grafted onto frost-resistant rootstocks;
• own-rooted apricots are not advised to grow in Siberia;
• spring planting of apricots is best done as early as possible, waiting for the soil to thaw by about 10–12 cm;
• unlike the general rules for the middle lane, cutting the plant “on the ring” is not allowed;
• in Siberia, apricots often suffer from hawthorn and clasterosporia, so prevention is very important.

Useful information on growing apricots in Siberia is presented in this video

Growing apricots in the middle lane: planting and care

Those who wish to grow apricots in the temperate continental climate of the middle zone are given the following recommendations:

• in the middle lane, it is possible to plant seedlings of zoned varieties of local selection, both with an open root system and purchased in containers;
• the soil must be fertile – it is desirable that earthworms are found in abundance;
• in the case of a protracted, warm autumn in the middle lane, it is advised to water the apricots with ash diluted in water so that the growth and ripening of the shoots stops before the cold weather;
• of the pests in this region, the most dangerous are the codling moth, leafworm and aphids, of the diseases – moniliosis, clasterosporiasis, Vals fungus, cytosporosis, and gum disease.

Tips from experienced gardeners on growing apricots in central Our Country contains a video

Planting an apricot in the Moscow region in spring

For growing apricots in open ground in the Moscow region, the same tips are relevant as for the regions of the middle lane. You can add the following to them:

• the optimal areas for growing apricots are in the south, southeast and southwest of Moscow;
• in gardens that often experience a lack of sun, a wooden shield can be installed behind a tree, painted with white and reflecting sunlight.

Aftercare and cultivation of apricot

Agrotechnical rules for caring for apricots in central Our Country, as well as Siberian and Ural gardens, are almost the same.

Watering

Under the conditions of the middle lane, apricot needs moderate, but not excessive watering. An adult tree, as a rule, needs 4 waterings per season:

• during shoot growth (April);
• during or after flowering (May);
• in summer, 10–15 days before the fruits ripen;
• recharging in late autumn as a measure of preparation for winter.

Additional fertilizing

The key to good apricot fruiting in the climate of the middle lane is a sufficient amount of nutrients in the soil.

Feeding begins from the third year of the plant’s life:

• in spring – nitrogen fertilizers (chicken manure, urea, saltpeter);
• in the first half of summer – foliar feeding, microelements;
• after harvest, late summer or early autumn – formulations containing phosphorus and potassium, but without nitrogen.

Trimming

Apricots are cut in the middle lane and to the north annually. In the spring, frozen and dead branches are removed. In summer, they form a crown, remove shoots that grow actively and densely. Autumn pruning helps prepare the tree for winter.

Preparation of apricot for winter, protection from rodents

Measures to prepare apricot for the cold winters of the middle zone, Siberia and the Urals:

• whitewashing the stems and bases of the largest branches with garden lime with the addition of copper sulfate (prevention of certain diseases common in the middle lane, as well as protection from sunburn);
• covering the trunks of adult trees (and young seedlings – entirely) with burlap, spruce spruce branches or artificial “breathing” material from freezing and damage by rodents;
• thorough cleaning of fallen leaves and careful loosening of the soil in the trunk circle;
• the crown is carefully tied with a rope so that the branches do not break under the weight of snow and ice;
• mulching the soil under the tree with peat, compost, sand with sawdust before the onset of frost.

When does an apricot bear fruit after planting?

The age at which an apricot begins to bear fruit depends on how it was grown:

• the grafted plant bears fruit for 3-4 years of life;
• seedling – for 4-5 years.

Possible problems when growing apricot

It happens that a farmer growing an apricot in the middle lane is faced with a problem when a magnificently flowering tree suddenly does not give ovaries, or does not bloom in spring.

Why doesn’t the apricot bloom?

First, it should be noted that most varieties of apricot produce crops irregularly. This means that one year the tree is completely covered with fruit, and the next season only a few fruits hang on it.

Possible reasons why an apricot in the middle lane does not bloom on time:

• some varieties zoned in the middle lane begin to bloom not at 3, but at 6–8 years (you just have to wait);
• instead of a varietal seedling, a seedling of an unknown nature was purchased;
• this variety is not suitable for the climate of the middle zone;
• the seedling was planted in the ground at the wrong time, in the wrong place or at the wrong time;
• the tree is frozen, sick or badly damaged by pests;
• improper apricot care (incorrect pruning, excess fertilizer).

Why apricot does not bear fruit

In the event that there were a lot of flowers, but the fruits did not wait, you should figure out why the apricot does not bear fruit and what to do:

Diseases and pests

To help the gardener will be knowledge of the main diseases of apricots in the middle lane and ways to deal with them:

It is also worth paying attention to the most common pests in central Our Country that affect apricot trees:

Conclusion

Of course, cultivating an apricot in the middle lane, in the Urals or in Siberia is much more difficult and troublesome than in the southern regions. However, thanks to the success of breeders, today there are many varieties that can withstand frosty winters, long thaws and temperature changes. A set of recommendations for planting and caring for a plant has been developed and tested in practice, taking into account the difficult features of the climate of the middle zone. A patient and attentive gardener, who took note of them and responsibly approached the choice of a variety for his site, will certainly rejoice at the harvest of ripe fragrant fruits, even if he does not live in warm regions.