The best varieties of apricot

Contents

Rating of the top 7 best varieties of apricots according to KP
Landing and care rules
Popular questions and answers

Apricot, as you know, is a southern plant. Only in the 50s of the last century, breeders managed to significantly advance the culture to the north. But in order to grow them in harsh conditions, it is important to choose the right varieties.

A truly good apricot variety must meet several qualities (1):

compact crown;
early entry into fruiting;
rapid increase in productivity;
a long period of winter dormancy (if the apricot wakes up early, spring frosts will not kill the flower buds of the crop);
high frost and winter hardiness.

In the northern regions, varieties bred in Moscow, Voronezh and Saratov have proven themselves best (2).

Rating of the top 7 best varieties of apricots according to KP

1. Saratov ruby

This is the most frost-resistant of all the apricot varieties listed below, and low temperatures are easily tolerated not only by the trees themselves, but also by flower buds. However, his trees are very high – up to 5 m. But the fruits are a wonderful miracle! They are bright, orange-red, sweet, tender, tasty and incredibly fragrant. They do not crumple during transportation and are stored for a long time – they lie in the refrigerator for 2 months without any problems!

2. Lel

The fruits ripen in early August. Trees of medium height, no more than 3 m. Apricots weighing 20 g, orange, there is no blush on them, pubescence is weak. And they are considered the most delicious among the northern varieties – the fruits have an ideal ratio of acid and sugar. The bone separates well, but it is large.

3. Northern Triumph

A variety of Voronezh selection, belongs to the middle-late – the crop ripens closer to mid-August. Trees with moderate growth, no more than 3 m high. But the fruits are very large – weighing up to 50 g! They are bright yellow in color or orange, with a rich blush. The pulp is orange, dense, very tasty. The yield of the variety is high.

4. Alyosha

This is the earliest variety that is suitable for growing in the middle lane – its crop ripens already at the end of July. Trees up to 4 m high. Fruits are medium in size, weighing 15-20 g, rich yellow in color, with a blush and slight pubescence. Their flesh is orange and very tasty. But the bone is big.

5. Iceberg

The harvest of this variety ripens in late July – early August. Trees reach a height of 3 m. Fruits are about 20 g, yellow-orange, with a slight blush and slight pubescence. They are very juicy, tender and tasty. The bone is small and separates well.

6. Royal

The variety is early, the harvest ripens in early August. The trees are massive, up to 4 m high. Fruits weighing about 20 g, yellow. The pulp is very tasty, juicy, tender and fragrant. The skin is rough, but the stone separates well.

7. Monastic

The variety belongs to the late ones – in years with warm summers, the crop ripens in mid-August, and in cool weather – at the end of the month. The trees are large, over 4 m and very sprawling – this must be taken into account when planting, to allocate more space for Monastyrsky. But on the other hand, its fruits are large, weighing 25-30 g, and in years with hot summers they can reach up to 40-50 g. They are bright yellow, with a strong blush, and very tasty. But the pulp is a little mealy, it lacks juiciness. The stone is large, it separates well. The yield pleases – it is very high!

Landing and care rules

Choosing a variety is half the success. But it is equally important to plant an apricot in the right place – it is still a southern plant and even winter-hardy varieties can freeze slightly in winter. Proper care is also important – it also affects how trees overwinter.

Where to plant apricot

It is best to plant apricots on the south side of the house so that the trees are protected from chilly northern winds. This is also true in summer, but much more important in winter – even at low negative temperatures, a cold wind can destroy a tree.

Ideally, if apricots are planted on a slight slope. Or you can pour a hill about 0,5 m high and 3 m in diameter and plant a tree on it – this way the plant will get more heat, because, as you know, cold air always stagnates in the lowlands. With such a planting, the apricot begins to bear fruit earlier, its yield and winter hardiness increase (3).

How to plant an apricot

Apricot seedlings with an open root system are best planted in the spring – over the summer they will grow roots, get stronger and leave prepared for the winter. Trees in a container can be planted during the entire warm season – from mid-April to mid-October.

Pits for apricots should be of the following sizes:

diameter – 70 cm;
depth – 50 cm.

It is very important that when planting, the apricot root neck (this is the place where the trunk goes into the roots) is 3 cm above the soil level.

After planting around the seedling, it is necessary to make a roller so that the water does not spread when watering. And water abundantly – 2 buckets per plant.

In autumn, the roller should be destroyed so that melt water does not stagnate there in spring – this can lead to warming of the root collar.

Apricot watering

During the season, apricots require 4 waterings:

in early May, when shoots are actively growing;
and early June – at this time, the growth of shoots continues;
immediately after harvest;
in October – this is the so-called water-charging irrigation, which prevents excessive cooling of the soil in winter (well-watered soil in autumn is warmer by 3-4 ° C in winter than not watered).

The rate of watering for an apricot depends on the age of the tree – the older it is, the more water is needed:

up to 3 years – 5 buckets;
from 3 to 5 years – 8 buckets;
from 6 to 10 years – 15 buckets;
over 10 years old – 20 buckets.

Apricot top dressing

Fertilize apricots starting from the second year. And for the season they need 2 top dressings:

as soon as the buds begin to bloom – 1 tbsp. a spoonful of ammonium nitrate for young trees and 2 tbsp. spoons for adults (starting from the 5th year) per 1 sq. m near the trunk circle;
during the pouring of fruits – 2 tbsp. spoons of nitrophoska (regardless of age) per 1 sq. m near the trunk circle.

Trimming of apricot

Apricots generally respond well to pruning, but pruning is especially important in cool, humid climates. After the formation of the crown, the trees get sick less, the fruits grow larger, the plants tolerate the winter better, because their wood ripens faster on the shoots of the current year.

You can cut apricots only in early spring – in March (maximum until April 10 – then sap flow will begin). It is necessary to form trees in the form of a bowl. That is, be sure to cut the main trunk (at about 2,5 m), leave a few large skeletal branches and cut out all the shoots growing deep into the crown. Very long skeletal branches should also be shortened – their maximum length should be 1,5 m.

And of course, it is necessary to remove all dried and diseased shoots.