Hi all… a few days ago I bought an apricot tree at a local store and planted it in my yard. It's a skinny little thing, about 5½ feet tall and a few tiny leaves. However, it's got a whole lot of blossoms on it… does that mean it will produce fruit this year?
It might, but when many fruit trees produce flowers for the first time, they don't make fruit. 5 1/2 feet is pretty big. WHere do you live?
John S
PDX OR
I'm in Southern California. Yeah I thought 5½ feet was tall too, so I'm guessing this is the tree's second year at least.
Have you decided where you’d like branches..? Unless you’ve got deer problems, I’d want them lower than five and a half feet.
One of the biggest mistakes when planting a new tree, especially two or three years old, is to ‘leave it’ as is… Usually, the roots have a difficult time supporting the upper growth (as they’ve been severed or pot-bound) and it’s best to remove as much (upper growth) as you don’t need.
In CA you’ve likely got substantial leaves by now… which removing could sap the tree some. But if you’d like a well formed tree, I’d recommend lopping off anything above the height of your highest desired branch. That will force its energy into pushing limbs from the buds (or leaves) directly below the cut. I think the preferred structure for an apricot is open, like a peach.
If so, I’d get on it fast… though it’s snowing here in Oregon right now! ...whoops <!-- s
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There goes this years blossoms.