Siting an apricot tree - what's the best way to avoid damage from late frosts?

[hedgehog]

I have a number of possible sites:

- in an open woodlot - the tree will be shaded by maples and walnuts

- on the north side of a large barn - the area gets sun in the afternoon in summer, there is a hill sloping away from the barn

- open field


I forgot to ask - any recommendations on variety?? - my daughter wants to make dried apricots.

[annabanana]

1. lol... Read that as SITTING in an apricot tree. . .

(imagining that it must be cold this time of the year, and that if I was to sit in an apricot tree I would wait until summer..)

That said, I'm afraid I have no useful knowledge for you.. sorry.

[hedgehog]

2. English as she is spoke......

[annabanana]

3. Also wondered if you were to

cite an apricot tree, what would it have said?

[TuxedoKat]

4. I think it will be happiest

in the open field. They usually need 6+ hours of sunlight a day, and probably prefer more. I planted an apricot tree two years ago from this company, http://www.starkbros.com/products/fruit-trees/apricot-trees/stark-sweetheart-apricot

That is the variety I bought too, because it is self-pollinating (some other varieties will require a different apricot tree as a cross-pollinator) and you can eat the seeds/pits of this fruit too. I saw another variety of apricot a few days ago that sounded good that interested me. If I find the name of it I'll let you know.

As far as hardiness, if you get a tree that is hardy for your zone you should be okay. Mulch it well in the fall to protect the roots. If it is a dwarf tree, 8-10 feet tall, I guess you could put blankets over it to protect it if you expected frost.

Late this summer I noticed caterpillars (only on the apricot tree). There is a non-toxic pepper spray you can buy to deter pests. After I used that, no more problems. Probably deters deer too, but you might want to tie a white plastic bag on your tree(s) to scare deer away. Last year a deer bit one of my new cherry trees almost in half! Thanks for the free pruning, deer, NOT!

[hedgehog]

5. My experience with the deer here suggests that they would

consider the plastic bag a giant marshmallow and would chow down on it!

[RILib]

7. Bleinheim apricot

Last edited Thu Feb 14, 2013, 08:29 AM - Edit history (1)

I planted a Bleinheim apricot from Clintons (buyplantsonline.com - yes, I know it's a suspicious sounding name, but they seem very nice folk) a year and a half ago, and it has flourished like a green bay tree in zone 6b, growing like a weed. It's planted in an open area where the sea winds beat some plants to shreds.

It's pricey because it's shipped in the soil its grown in, but that seems to give it a real head start over bare root twigs.

http://www.buyplantsonline.com/blenheim-apricot-tree.html