How to Grow Apricots

An apricot is a small, yellow-orange fruit grown from an apricot tree. An apricot tree is medium-sized with a large canopy. Eat apricots straight from the tree, dry them or preserve them in jams or jellies. Apricot trees are easy to grow and maintain.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Find an area to plant your tree. Apricot trees are considered a subtropical tree, which means it tolerates temperatures from -30 degrees to over 100 degrees and still remains healthy. Cold weather kills the flowers of the apricot tree but the tree stays healthy and prospers the next year.

2. Dig 1-foot square hole to hold the apricot tree's base. Remove the tree from the container or burlap sack. Place the tree in the hole and fill in the sides with soil.

3. Pour a generous amount of water over the soil and the roots. More soil may need to be added after the water soaks in.

4. Maintain a healthy apricot tree by pruning the tree every winter or spring before it begins to produce new growth. To prune an apricot tree properly, remove any unhealthy branches and limbs and then thin out any bushy or thick areas in the leaves.

5. Feed the apricot tree with fruit tree plant food every one to two months. Fertilize the tree with fruit tree fertilizer or compost.

6. Cultivate more apricot trees. Cut off healthy branches and place them in water to allow them to root. The best time of year to cut the apricot tree for cultivation is in late spring.

Resources

• Find gardening tips for fruit trees.

[kassiemickie]

on 7/22/2008 can you grow a apricot from the seed?