How to grow Apricots

This is a guide to growing Apricots. It covers sun requirements, spacing, planting, feeding and troubleshooting. Learn more about growing apricots with our free guide.

Plant Apricot trees in rich, well draining soil full of organic matter such as compost and well rotted manure.

Like most fruit trees, Apricots require deep, well draining soil. They will not tolerate waterlogged soil and will develop root rot as a result. Avoid planting in heavy clay unless the soil has been amended. Heavy soils can be improved by incorporating gypsum, organic matter and by mounding the soil before planting to improve drainage.

Plant Apricots in a full sun position. 

Yes, Apricots are frost tolerant, however early spring frosts can damage blooms.

Plant Apricot trees roughly 6m apart.

Late autumn or early spring is the best time to transplant dormant Apricot trees. Trees, with the exception of bare-root, can be transplanted at anytime between when the ground thaws and when it freezes (so anytime if you are in a frost free climate). However, if transplanting in the heat of summer, you'll need to be diligent in watering and provide extra shade for your plant in the first few weeks after transplanting.

Dig a hole 2-3 times the width of the root ball. The hole should allow the plant to sit at the same level in the soil as it was previously. Fill the hole with soil ensuring that the crown of the plant, where the roots and stem meet, is level with the soil surface.

Plant out in the early morning or evening and/or on an overcast day. Avoid planting at peak sun times or on windy days, this will allow your plants to settle in comfortably and protect them from windburn and sunburn. 

Top-dress the soil around the Apricot tree with well-rotted organic matter in spring, along with a balanced organic fertiliser. Add a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the tree up to the drip line to retain moisture (be careful not to pile mulch against the tree trunk as this may lead to trunk rot and disease). 

Apricots are ripe when the fruit turns orange. 

Pests that can affect Apricot trees include: Aphids, Fruit Fly, Mealybug, Scale Insects, Mites, Birds, Earwig, Fruittree Roller, Green Fruitworm, Peach Twig Borer.

Diseases that affect Apricot trees include: Bacterial Canker, Die Back, Fruit Rot, Shot Hole Disease, Scab, Armillaria Root Rot, Eutypa Dieback, Rust, Verticillium Wilt, Crown Gall, Phytophthora Crown and Root Rot, Plum Pox Virus, Brown Rot.

At the end of the season, prune the Apricot tree in order to remove old or unproductive wood. Open up the centre to let light and air in by removing any overlapping branches, this will help prevent disease.