Hi all:
This is my first post. Before I had any idea what I was doing, I bought a small apricot tree at Costco (big mistake) and promptly planted it incorrectly. Within a couple of years it looked dead, so I took pity on it and replanted, with suckers soon coming off the root stock. I believe that I lost the graft and that my current tree (about 8'Hx6'S) is the root stock only. I have consistently gotten only a few flowers (this year 5), and noticed that they seem to be only male, with just anthers showing.
My question is this: Is it common for root stocks to have only male or female flowers? Are apricot root stocks known for poor flowering? I understand that most grafted varieties are self-pollinating. I understand the issue about how early they bloom here, but I have a Red Haven Peach next to the apricot (blooming at the same time) and the peach does just fine.
Thanks in advance,
Philip
Philip
It is difficult to anwer your question in that many different types of rootstock can be used for apricots. What I would suggest is that you bud this rootstock with a known or unknown apricot variety this summer.
To prepare the rootstock for budding, fertilize and water well two to three weeks before budding to get the rootstock activley growing so that the bark will "slip," this makes budding easier.
You might attend the budding workshop on Aug 5 at HOS arboretum. I will bring an unknown appricot from the Sellwood area that has been neglected yet has been fruiting for the past several years to the budding workshop.
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