Q. This year our apricot tree hardly produced
enough fruit to bother making jam. Is it possible our warmish winter was a
factor? We don’t know if this variety is a low chill variety since it came with
the house. Has anyone else mentioned low production with apricots this year?
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| Apricot fruit closeup. This is what good tree ripened fruit should look like. |
A. We have about 12 different varieties of
apricots at the Ahern Orchard and I oversaw about 10 varieties at the
University Orchard. These apricots ranged in chilling hours but received enough
cold winter temperatures to satisfy their chilling requirements for over 20
years. The light fruit set was probably due to our cold, wet spring weather.
apricots at the Ahern Orchard and I oversaw about 10 varieties at the
University Orchard. These apricots ranged in chilling hours but received enough
cold winter temperatures to satisfy their chilling requirements for over 20
years. The light fruit set was probably due to our cold, wet spring weather.
If
the tree was loaded with flowers but produce very little fruit, it was a pollination
problem, not because of a lack in winter chilling.
the tree was loaded with flowers but produce very little fruit, it was a pollination
problem, not because of a lack in winter chilling.
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| Apricot skin disease due to spring rain and high humidity |
The
weather was mostly cold during February when apricots and many peaches were
flowering. Bee activity was light due to cold weather and overcast skies. Yes,
bees are needed for pollination.
I
was watching the flowers in February and visits by honeybees were very light
when flowers were open. The early apricot varieties, Katy and Flavor Delight (really an aprium), set a very light fruit crop
and were harvested over the last three weeks. A light fruit set was true also
of some plums and pluots. It depends when flowers were open for pollination.
was watching the flowers in February and visits by honeybees were very light
when flowers were open. The early apricot varieties, Katy and Flavor Delight (really an aprium), set a very light fruit crop
and were harvested over the last three weeks. A light fruit set was true also
of some plums and pluots. It depends when flowers were open for pollination.
Cool
weather during fruit development also affects the sugar content of fruit. Cool
temperatures result in fruit with less sugar content and more acidity. This is
also true of grapes and many other fruit.
weather during fruit development also affects the sugar content of fruit. Cool
temperatures result in fruit with less sugar content and more acidity. This is
also true of grapes and many other fruit.
It
was not a good year for some apricots and peach varieties if they were
flowering during cool weather and skies were overcast. Our spring weather was
strange and not normal for us.
was not a good year for some apricots and peach varieties if they were
flowering during cool weather and skies were overcast. Our spring weather was
strange and not normal for us.
I
am confident next year we will be back to normal and apricots should have a
heavy fruit load.
am confident next year we will be back to normal and apricots should have a
heavy fruit load.