Growing Apricots in New York
January is Apple and Apricot Month, the perfect time to enjoy healthy
alternatives to all of the sweets and splurges we went for this past holiday season.
But the New Year is also a perfect time to put some healthy foods on the table for
your family and although somewhat unique, apricots are a delicious fruit to add to
your diet, and one that you can grow right here in Upstate New York.
Cherries, peaches, plums and apricots are known as “stone fruits” because they
all have similar hard “pits” or stone‐like seeds. Interestingly enough, wild plums
and cherries were gathered by the Iroquois and Algonquins, and the other
common stone fruits mentioned above have been grown for more than 300 years
here in New York State, although today they are a small part of our fruit industry.
Experts agree that both skill and a bit of luck are needed to harvest a good crop of
these fruits in New York, but are perfect for the skilled gardener looking to take
on a small challenge. Because we are on the Northern edge of their optimal
climate region, it can be risky but worthwhile to grow these stone fruits.
Nonetheless, many people enjoy the fruits of their labor and are rewarded with
plenty of healthy fruits to create preserves, jams, sauces and much more from. In
this region, winter and spring cold injury to the flowers, buds, roots and trunks is
common. As with other crops, there are several diseases and insects likely to
damage the trees and fruit and should be known before planting begins. For
those who think the risks are worth the rewards of home grown fruit, here are
our suggestions to improve your chances of success.
Stone fruits are prone to frost injury during bloomtime because they flower a few
weeks earlier than other fruits like apples. Most stone fruits like apricots ripen
during mid to late‐summer and there is usually a long post‐harvest period when
you can actually let weeds grow and the soil to dry out. This will in turn “harden
off” trees.
Pest management is also important when growing apricots. Many birds,
mammals, insects, frogs, and even bacteria and fungi can ruin the growing
process. The two most serious diseases of all stone fruits are brown rot and
perennial cankers.
Furthermore, it is important to understand how to prune apricot trees. The wood
of stone fruits is quite flexible and can break when trees are cropped very heavily.
Limb breakage can be reduced by spreading branches and adding branch weights
to spread from the trunk or base. The optimal time to work on the branches is
during the first few years of the tree so that the whole tree has an open center.
This tree shape will improve light and air circulation inside the canopy, minimizing
brown rot and perennial canker problems. Apricots actually require little pruning.
The most work typically includes thinning out the dense inner branches or
removing old, damaged branches. Expert gardeners and horticulturists
recommend making your cuts “parallel to the branch base”, close but not into the
raised “collar” of bark callus which circles the base of each branch.
Although growing apricots in New York takes patience and knowledge, many
home gardeners consider it worthwhile. They are attractive little trees with big
flavored results. Come see us and let us know what else we can do to help you
make the most out of your apricot‐growing adventure!