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nelson_ny

premature apricot drop

nelson_ny
9 years ago

I have a self-pollinating apricot tree (var. Hargrand) that is now in its 4th year since being planted out as a stick. For the past couple of years it has flowered & set abundant fruit which, however, have almost all dropped off by this time of the year. Any ideas as to the cause & potential remedies? The people I bought it from think its the squirrels, tho that doesn't explain why the fruit is still lying on the ground. Elsewhere I read that it could also be due to embryo abortion due to incomplete or non-fertilization of the flowers, meaning a second cultivar is required, which doesn't quite square with this being a supposedly self-pollinating tree.

Comments (3)

  • jean001a
    9 years ago

    Apricots bloom early in the season. Around here, we get a crop about one out of 10 years.

    The reasons are several:
    buds freeze.
    too cold for bees to work.

  • ltilton
    9 years ago

    Also possibly tree too young to sustain fruit.

  • nelson_ny
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    A crop every 10 years? Wow, that is minimal considering the lifespan of the tree is around 12-15 years. I think at 4 years the tree should be able to sustain fruit.

    I stand corrected, by the way: no sign of fruit on the ground this time around. I may try netting next year.