Apricot Tree
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter, Chief Spud
I have an apricot tree that is now about 4 years old that i have fan trained against a wall. Last year there was plentiful blossom and i got a really good crop off it. This year there appears to be very little blossom - am i right in thinking that apricot trees only crop every other year?
Hi Gib
Fan trained Apricots should flower each year if pruned correctly. You may lose a crop due to frost, but flower buds should usually be available due to the nature of the the pruning process. There are two stages to pruning fan trained apricots (it's the samefor plums/guages btw) - building the framework, and pruning sideshoots to induce fruit buds close to the framework.
If one just ties in the shoots to fill the space as it grew, then relatively quickly, you will end up with a framework of thick stems which are sparsely furnished with fruiting sideshoots. What should be done, is cut back last years framework shoots by about a half in early spring each year, to induce side shoot growth.
New sideshoots which are neede should be pruned to ~ 6 buds in midsummer, and back to 2 or 3 buds late summer. Those on the underside or back of framework should be rubbed out as they appear/pruned out in summer.
Forgive me if I'm going back to basics, but it would help if you are sure the pruning was correct.
Hope this helps
Mole
Fan trained Apricots should flower each year if pruned correctly. You may lose a crop due to frost, but flower buds should usually be available due to the nature of the the pruning process. There are two stages to pruning fan trained apricots (it's the samefor plums/guages btw) - building the framework, and pruning sideshoots to induce fruit buds close to the framework.
If one just ties in the shoots to fill the space as it grew, then relatively quickly, you will end up with a framework of thick stems which are sparsely furnished with fruiting sideshoots. What should be done, is cut back last years framework shoots by about a half in early spring each year, to induce side shoot growth.
New sideshoots which are neede should be pruned to ~ 6 buds in midsummer, and back to 2 or 3 buds late summer. Those on the underside or back of framework should be rubbed out as they appear/pruned out in summer.
Forgive me if I'm going back to basics, but it would help if you are sure the pruning was correct.
Hope this helps
Mole
-
oldherbaceous
- KG Regular
- Posts: 14435
- Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:52 pm
- Location: Beautiful Bedfordshire
- Has thanked: 712 times
- Been thanked: 712 times
Dear Mole, i think we are all gratful of your pruning wisdom, as it can be quite a vague area in gardening.
Kind Regards, Old Herbaceous.
There's no fool like an old fool.
There's no fool like an old fool.
-
bigpepperplant
- KG Regular
- Posts: 216
- Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:29 pm
- Location: london
Mole, you've worried me now! Should I have pruned my peach tree already this year? It's coming up to its second summer and I pruned it correctly (I think) last year.
thanks OH - like the new tagline!
Hi Big Pepper plant
Don't worry...
re the peach tree- is it free standing or fan trained?
If fan trained, you should prune asap for form taining.(feb/march is best). Peaches are different from plums/apricots in that they fruit on one year old growth, so trained trees are also pruned in summer - in june to select the next years fruiting shoots, and after fruiting to cut out fruited wood and any uneccesary growth (i.e. anything which isn't needed for fruit or structure). Also tie in then too.
Mole
Hi Big Pepper plant
Don't worry...
re the peach tree- is it free standing or fan trained?
If fan trained, you should prune asap for form taining.(feb/march is best). Peaches are different from plums/apricots in that they fruit on one year old growth, so trained trees are also pruned in summer - in june to select the next years fruiting shoots, and after fruiting to cut out fruited wood and any uneccesary growth (i.e. anything which isn't needed for fruit or structure). Also tie in then too.
Mole
-
bigpepperplant
- KG Regular
- Posts: 216
- Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:29 pm
- Location: london
thanks for that, Mole, yes it's fan-trained. I will prune it for form asap. I've been basically following instructions on gardenaction.co.uk for how to do it. I have to say that to a novice pruning a fan seems extremely complicated but I guess that once you've done it it all seems very simple.
BPP
The gardenaction web pages seem ok, although I think modern rhs pruning book might be more helpful.
The web pages timing seem a bit out of kilter with any usual advice though. December gets a mention for both form pruning and after fruiting pruning - early for the former and late for the latter IMO. Maybe for a heated greenhouse?
If you can get it, the 'wisley handbook' 'Pruning hardy fruit' by Jack woodward (1990) is very clear and succinct, but read the principles sections first.
Mole
The gardenaction web pages seem ok, although I think modern rhs pruning book might be more helpful.
The web pages timing seem a bit out of kilter with any usual advice though. December gets a mention for both form pruning and after fruiting pruning - early for the former and late for the latter IMO. Maybe for a heated greenhouse?
If you can get it, the 'wisley handbook' 'Pruning hardy fruit' by Jack woodward (1990) is very clear and succinct, but read the principles sections first.
Mole
-
bigpepperplant
- KG Regular
- Posts: 216
- Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:29 pm
- Location: london
thanks mole, that's really helpful