Apricot in Zone 9 -- plant

Hardiness & fruiting range

Will it actually fruit here?

Hardiness tells you the tree will survive your winters. It does not tell you whether you will get fruit. Each zone carries its own verdict. Yours is marked.

survives,
rarely fruits

reliable

Your zone

reliable

survives,
low chill

Fruits reliably

Fruits reliably Survives only Too warm

← colder winterswarmer, less chill →

✓ Zone 9: Zone 9 interior California grows apricots dependably: warm winters that still give enough cold, dry summers that keep disease down, and springs you can usually keep frost off. Blenheim and other California kinds do great; just avoid low frosty spots, since the tree blooms very early.Zone 9 interior California fruits apricots reliably: warm but chill-adequate winters, dry disease-suppressing summers, and dependable springs on well-sited ground. Blenheim and other CA-adapted cultivars thrive; the only caution is avoiding frost pockets, since bloom is very early.

The growing year

Your apricot year, month by month

California: Interior, Zone 9. Winters bank about 300 to 950 chill hours; these varieties need about 350 to 900 chill hours. Zone 9 interior California grows apricots dependably: warm winters that still give enough cold, dry summers that keep disease down, and springs you can usually keep frost off. Blenheim and other California kinds do great; just avoid low frosty spots, since the tree blooms very early.Zone 9 interior California fruits apricots reliably: warm but chill-adequate winters, dry disease-suppressing summers, and dependable springs on well-sited ground. Blenheim and other CA-adapted cultivars thrive; the only caution is avoiding frost pockets, since bloom is very early.

A fruit tree runs on the same rhythm every year: rest, prune, bloom, grow, harvest, then settle in again.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

▲ We are here

Tree’s year

prune

bloom

growing

harvest

care

rest

Plant new tree

plant

Dormant rest Prune Bloom Growing fruit Harvest Post-harvest care

Plant bare-root
Dec - Jan

Bloom
Feb 10 - Feb 28

Harvest
May 15 - Jun 30

Chill hours

Will your winter be cold enough?

Apricot trees need enough cold winter hours, called chill hours, before they will bloom properly in spring. Most kinds want about 600 to 900 hours, and a few low-chill types like Katy need only about 350. Apricot needs less winter cold than most fruit trees, which is part of why it blooms so early. In mild-winter areas, choose a low-chill variety so it blooms evenly; in cold areas, a higher-chill, late-blooming variety both fits your winters and helps the tree bloom later, after the worst frosts have passed.Apricots need a stretch of winter cold, counted as chill hours (hours between 32°F and 45°F), to break dormancy and bloom evenly. Most cultivars want about 600 to 900 hours, with a few low-chill types (Katy) bearing on roughly 350. Apricot's chill requirement is on the low side for a stone fruit, which is exactly why it satisfies its chill and blooms so early, and why late frost, not chill, is usually the crop-limiting factor. In mild-winter regions choose a low-chill cultivar so bloom is at least even; in cold regions a higher-chill, late-blooming cultivar both fits the chill and delays bloom past the worst frosts.

Your winter ~300 – 950 hrs

0 250 500 750 1000

✓Dependable here

Katy350Blenheim (Royal)450Tilton600Moorpark650Chinese (Mormon)700Goldrich700Harglow650

!Borderline in a warm winter

None. Every variety in this roster gets enough chill here.

Bloom timing & cross-pollination

One tree is usually enough

Most apricots are self-fruitful: a single tree sets a full crop with its own pollen, so you don’t need a second variety to get fruit. Bees still move the pollen from blossom to blossom, so strong pollinator activity through bloom is what drives a heavy set.

Moorpark blooms mid season and is self-fruitful, setting a full crop on its own.Blooms alongside: Tilton.

Bar length shows how long each variety blooms, roughly 8 to 14 days. Bars that overlap bloom at the same time.

▲ Tap a variety to see its bloom timing

Very early Early Mid Late Very late

Katy✓ same time

Blenheim (Royal)✓ same time

Tilton✓ same time

Moorpark✓ same time

Chinese (Mormon)✓ same time

Goldrich✓ same time

Harglow✓ same time

The pollination rule

Most apricots are self-fruitful, which means one tree makes fruit by itself with no second tree needed. This is different from many cherries and apples, which do need a partner. A few kinds, mainly Moorpark, make a fuller crop when a second apricot blooms nearby, but even they fruit on their own, so a partner is a bonus and not a must. Bees do the pollinating, so anything that helps bees be active during the short, early bloom helps the tree set fruit, even a single tree.Most apricots are self-fruitful, so a single tree sets a full crop on its own without a pollinizer; this is the inverse of many sweet cherries and apples, which require cross-pollination. A few cultivars, chiefly Moorpark, set a heavier crop with a compatible second variety blooming at the same time, but even they fruit alone, so a pollinizer is an optional bonus rather than a requirement. Apricots are insect-pollinated, mainly by bees, so supporting pollinator activity during the short, very early bloom helps set even on a lone tree, especially in cool springs.

Pick your variety

Recommended varieties

Pick an apricot variety first by when it blooms, because apricots flower very early and their biggest problem is losing the flowers to a late frost. Later-blooming, cold-hardy kinds (Chinese/Mormon, Goldrich, Harglow) are the safest choice if spring frosts are a worry where you live. Next, match chill hours, the amount of winter cold a variety needs: most apricots want 600 to 900 hours, and a few low-chill types like Katy need only about 350 for mild-winter areas. The famous-flavor kinds (Blenheim, Moorpark) bloom early and do best in dry-summer areas with steady springs. One tree makes fruit on its own; a second variety is just a bonus for the few that want a partner, like Moorpark.Choose an apricot variety first by BLOOM TIMING, because apricot's defining problem is that it blooms earlier than almost any other fruit tree and loses its crop to late frost. Later-blooming, cold-hardy cultivars (Chinese/Mormon, Goldrich, Harglow) are the safest bet wherever spring frosts are a risk. Match chill next: most apricots want 600 to 900 hours, with a few low-chill types (Katy) bearing on about 350. The famous flavor cultivars (Blenheim, Moorpark) are early-blooming and best reserved for dry-summer regions with dependable springs. A single tree fruits; a second variety is an optional bonus for the few that respond, such as Moorpark.

Katy

fresh eating

Blenheim (Royal)

fresh eating, drying, canning

Tilton

canning, drying

Moorpark

fresh eating

Chinese (Mormon)

fresh eating, cold zones

Goldrich

fresh eating, canning

Harglow

fresh eating

Rootstock & size

How big will it get?

Pick a rootstock for your soil and pests, not for tree size; standard apricot rootstocks do not dwarf the tree. Myrobalan tolerates a range of soils but is canker-prone, so on well-drained ground apricot seedling or a peach seedling (more canker-tolerant) can be better.

Apricot seedlingstandard

Mature height: 15 to 20 ft
Bears: year 2–4
Container: in-ground

Myrobalan (plum)standard

Mature height: 15 to 22 ft
Bears: year 2–4
Container: in-ground

Marianna 2624 (plum)standard

Mature height: 15 to 22 ft
Bears: year 2–4
Container: in-ground

Lovell (peach seedling)standard

Mature height: 15 to 25 ft
Bears: year 2–4
Container: in-ground

Ask the nursery

Ask for your variety on apricot seedling for deep, well-drained soils.

The specs

Care guide

The numbers that matter, at a glance.

Sunlight

full sun · 8-12 hrs/day

Water

moderate

Spacing

18 to 22 feet

Soil

loam

Soil pH

6 to 7

Container OK?

In a pot

Not suited to a pot

An apricot really wants to grow in the ground, and a pot is the workaround if you do not have the space or the right winters for a ground tree. It can be done, but plan on more hands-on care and smaller, less dependable crops than a tree in the ground. Start with a naturally dwarf variety or one grown on a size-limiting rootstock, use the biggest pot you can that drains really well, and know that watering, feeding, and winter protection all need closer attention than they would in open ground.Apricot is fundamentally a ground tree, and a container is the compromise for growers who lack the space or the winter for an in-ground tree. It can work, but expect more hands-on management and lighter, less reliable crops than the same tree in the ground. Start with a genetic-dwarf variety or a tree on a size-limiting rootstock, give it the largest practical pot with excellent drainage, and accept that watering, feeding, and winter protection all demand closer attention than they would in open soil.

Soil chemistry

Soil pH for apricot

Preferred

6 to 7

Tolerated

6 to 8

Apricot grows best in a near-neutral soil, around pH 6.0 to 7.0, and tolerates from about 6.0 to 8.0 (pH just measures how acidic or alkaline the soil is). It leans more tolerant of alkaline soil than most stone fruit, but on strongly alkaline western soils it often shows iron chlorosis, a yellowing between the leaf veins. Test your soil before planting and adjust slowly if needed: garden lime raises the pH if the soil is too acidic, and elemental sulfur lowers it if it is too alkaline. Mix any of this in before you plant, because pH changes slowly and is far easier to fix before the permanent tree goes in.Apricot does best in a near-neutral soil, roughly pH 6.0 to 7.0, and tolerates about 6.0 to 8.0. It is somewhat more alkaline-tolerant than peach or cherry, but on the high-pH soils of the arid West it is notably prone to iron chlorosis (interveinal yellowing). Test the soil before planting and adjust gradually if needed: lime raises a too-acidic pH, elemental sulfur lowers one that is too alkaline. Work amendments in ahead of planting, since pH shifts slowly and is far easier to correct before the permanent tree is in the ground.

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Steady hand on the hose

Watering

When & how much

Frequency

Water deeply now and then instead of a little every day. Plan on about once or twice a week while a young tree is getting established, easing to about once a week for a fruiting tree in summer heat, adjusting for rain and your soil. Apricot hates soggy soil, so let the surface dry out between waterings. In winter, when the tree is resting, it needs very little and rain usually covers it.Water deep-and-infrequent rather than little-and-often: about once or twice a week while a young tree establishes, easing to roughly weekly (a deep soak) for a bearing tree in summer heat, always adjusted for rain and soil. Apricot resents constantly wet soil, so let the top of the root zone dry between soaks. Through winter dormancy water need drops sharply and rainfall usually suffices.

Amount

Each time you water, give a deep soak that reaches all the way down to the roots, not just a splash on top. A young tree wants about 3 to 5 gallons per soak. An older, fruiting tree wants roughly an inch of water a week through the season, and more when it is hot, given as deep soaks. Steady water while the fruit is filling out makes bigger apricots.Water deeply each time so moisture reaches the full root zone, not just the surface. For an establishing tree, on the order of 3 to 5 gallons per soak; for a bearing tree, roughly the equivalent of an inch of water per week through the season, more in heat, delivered as deep soaks to a 3-foot depth. Steady moisture through the final swell sizes the fruit.

Method

Water at the ground around the roots with a drip line or soaker hose, and keep the leaves and fruit dry. Spraying water over the top wets the leaves and helps diseases like brown rot and shot hole, so put the water on the soil, not the tree. Spread it across the root area out to the edge of the branches, not just right at the trunk.Water at the root zone by drip or soaker and keep the canopy and fruit dry. Overhead watering that wets the leaves feeds brown rot, shot hole, and bacterial canker, so deliver water to the soil, not the tree. Apply it across the root area out toward the drip line rather than only at the trunk.

Signs of trouble

Too much water

Too much water, or soil that drains poorly, shows up as yellowing leaves, wilting that does not go away even when the soil is wet, and a tree that slowly goes downhill, because the roots cannot breathe. In apricot, soil that stays wet also brings on crown and root rot and the serious disease bacterial canker. Soil that never dries out between waterings is your warning to back off.Overwatering and poor drainage show as yellowing leaves, wilting that persists even in wet soil, and a declining tree, since apricot roots suffocate in soggy ground. Chronically wet soil also brings on crown and root rot and predisposes the trunk to bacterial canker, both often fatal. Soil that never dries between waterings is the warning sign to act on.

Too little water

Too little water shows as wilting, dull curling leaves, slower growth, and leaves dropping early in a long dry spell. The clearest sign is in the fruit: a tree that runs short of water while the apricots are sizing up makes small, less sweet fruit, even though the tree itself lives through it. Try to catch the dry stress before the fruit suffers for it.Underwatering shows as wilting, dull curling leaves, slowed shoot growth, and early leaf drop in a long dry spell. The most telling symptom is on the fruit: a tree short of water during the final swell sizes its apricots poorly, leaving them small and less sweet even though the tree survives. Catch the dry stress before the fruit pays for it.

Feeding rhythm

Feeding

Frequency

1x per year

Type

balanced granular (e.g. 10-10-10)

When to start

early spring before bud break

Feed once in early spring before the tree starts growing. Scatter the fertilizer evenly on the soil around the tree out to where the branches reach, keep it off the trunk, and water it in. Apricot does not need heavy feeding, so go light: if the tree is making plenty of new growth, it may need none at all. If the leaves yellow between the veins (common on western alkaline soils), that is an iron problem, not a nitrogen one, so use a chelated iron product instead of more fertilizer. Never feed late in the year, because soft late growth gets damaged by winter cold.Feed lightly in early spring before growth begins, broadcasting evenly around the root zone out to the drip line, off the trunk, and watering it in. Apricot needs modest nitrogen: judge by shoot growth and ease off if the tree is already vigorous. On the alkaline soils of the arid West, watch for iron chlorosis (interveinal yellowing) and correct it with a chelated iron rather than piling on nitrogen. Never feed late in the season, since late nitrogen pushes soft growth that winter cold injures and that canker enters.

N · P · K = 10-10-10

A balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 (the three numbers are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) works for backyard apricots, used sparingly. Do not overdo nitrogen, the first number, because too much pushes leafy growth that is more prone to disease and winter damage.A balanced ratio such as 10-10-10 suits backyard apricots, applied modestly. Avoid high-nitrogen feeding, which drives soft, disease-prone, overly vigorous growth at the expense of fruiting and winter hardiness.

Try 10-10-10 balanced fertilizer

Who grows well together

Companion planting

Apricot is self-fruitful, which means one tree makes fruit on its own and you do not need a second tree to pollinate it. A few varieties, notably Moorpark, set a heavier crop when a second apricot blooms nearby, but even they fruit alone, so a lone tree is fine. Beyond that, what matters for a tree is the root zone, not the usual vegetable pairings: keep grass and weeds pulled back from under the branches, since lawn competes hard with a young tree, and a mulched, weed-free area helps it settle in. The one site rule is replant disease: do not plant an apricot where another apricot, peach, plum, cherry, or nectarine was recently growing. Apricot is self-fruitful, so a single tree sets a crop on its own with no pollinizer required; a handful of cultivars (Moorpark is the classic) set more heavily with a compatible second variety, but none actually need one. Past pollination, the interactions that matter for a tree are at the root zone, not classic vegetable companions: keep turf and weeds cleared back from under the canopy, since they compete hard with a young tree, and a mulched, competition-free root area establishes it faster. The one site rule is replant disease: do not follow stone fruit with stone fruit on the same ground.

Other

A second apricot variety (optional pollinizer; one self-fruitful tree still fruits)

Unlike most sweet cherries, apricot does not need a mate: a single self-fruitful tree sets a full crop alone. A second variety blooming at the same time is an OPTIONAL upgrade that can improve set and fruit size, and it is worth it for the varieties that respond, chiefly Moorpark. If you have room for only one tree, plant it with confidence. If you add a pollinizer, match bloom timing, since apricot's bloom window is short and very early. Research-backed

Flowering herbs and pollinator plants

A skirt of flowering herbs and pollinator plants around an apricot supports fruit set and orchard-floor health. Apricot is self-fruitful, so the pollinator draw is a help rather than a requirement, but strong bee activity during its short, very early bloom improves set in cool springs, and the same flowers recruit the hoverflies, lacewings, and parasitic wasps that keep aphids in check. Choose species that bloom around apricot bloom and keep them out toward the drip line rather than crowding the trunk. Traditional

Keep apart from

Other stone fruit in old stone-fruit ground Replanting an apricot, or any stone fruit, into ground that recently grew apricots, peaches, plums, cherries, or nectarines is a documented mistake. Old stone-fruit ground carries elevated ring-nematode populations and the replant-disease complex, and nearby infected trees can harbor bacterial canker, which apricot on a plum rootstock is especially prone to. Plant in fresh ground, or replace a generous soil volume and remove infected neighbors first; rotating to a different SITE, not just a different variety, is the fix. Research-backed

Provenance tagged inline · see methodology for the labeling system Key

Harvest signals

When to pick

An apricot is ripe when the whole fruit turns from green to a warm yellow or orange, gives a little when you press gently, smells sweet, and comes off the branch with a gentle twist instead of a hard pull. A pink blush alone does not mean ripe. If you need to carry, store, or dry them, pick when fully colored but still a little firm and let them soften on the counter. For eating right away, pick when they give to a gentle squeeze. The tree ripens over one to three weeks, so pick it a few times.An apricot is ready when the ground color shifts fully from green to a warm yellow or deep orange, the flesh gives slightly to gentle pressure, the aroma turns full and sweet, and the fruit separates from the spur with a light twist. Any pink blush is not ripeness by itself. Pick slightly firm if you need to handle, ship, or dry the fruit, and let it finish softening on the counter; pick at full give for eating that day. A tree ripens over one to three weeks, so pick in several passes.

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Yield

What to expect

A grown apricot tree (about year 4 onward) can give roughly 50 to 150 pounds of fruit in a good year, which is a lot of apricots. The catch is that apricots often lose all or part of the crop to a late frost, so some years you get plenty and some years very little, more than with most fruit trees.A mature standard apricot (roughly years 4 and up) commonly yields about 1 to 3 bushels per tree, on the order of 50 to 150 pounds in a good year, depending on variety, thinning, and above all whether spring frost spared the bloom. Because frost so often thins the crop for you, apricot yields swing more year to year than most fruit.

An apricot tree hits its full production around years 4 to 6 and keeps producing for twenty years or more, as long as you prune, thin, and manage diseases. How much you actually pick depends most on dodging spring frost and on thinning, which helps the tree crop evenly instead of a big year then a light one.Trees reach full bearing around years 4 to 6 and stay productive for two decades or more, given annual pruning, thinning, and disease control. Realized yield is governed less by feeding than by frost escape and by thinning to counter apricot's tendency toward biennial bearing. Do not expect apricots the first year, or really the second. If a few fruit form early, pick them off so the young tree can build roots and strong branches instead. Your first real harvest usually comes in about two to four years, with full crops by years 4 to 6.Expect no crop in the planting year and little to none in year 2. Remove any fruit that sets early so the tree puts its energy into roots and a strong scaffold; the first meaningful harvest typically comes in years 2 to 4, with full bearing by years 4 to 6.

What changes yield

variety bloom timing and frost escapelate-frost damage at bloomfruit thinning (also curbs biennial bearing)winter chill accumulationannual open-center pruningdisease control (brown rot, canker, shot hole)tree age and establishment

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Off the vine

Storing your harvest

Room temp

Leave firm apricots on the counter, out of direct sun, to soften the rest of the way, usually 1 to 3 days, until they give to a gentle squeeze and smell sweet. Apricots you picked already soft will only keep a day or two out, so eat or refrigerate them soon.Hold firm-picked apricots at room temperature out of direct sun to finish softening, typically 1 to 3 days, until they yield to gentle pressure and smell fragrant. Tree-ripe fruit picked soft will only last a day or two on the counter, so plan to eat or refrigerate it promptly.

Fridge

Put apricots in the fridge only after they are ripe, and eat them within about 3 to 5 days. Chilling an unripe apricot can leave it dry and grainy once you take it out, so let it soften on the counter first. For the best taste, let cold apricots warm back to room temperature before you eat them.Refrigerate apricots only once they are ripe, then eat within about 3 to 5 days. As with peach, refrigerating an underripe apricot risks chilling injury (dry, mealy flesh once it warms), so counter-ripen first. Bring cold apricots back to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.

Freezer

Apricots freeze nicely if you halve and pit them first. Toss the halves with a little lemon juice so they do not brown, spread them on a tray to freeze, then pack them into freezer bags. They keep for several months and are best for cooking, baking, and smoothies. Apricots are also one of the best fruits for drying.Apricots freeze well halved and pitted. Toss the halves with a little lemon juice or an ascorbic-acid dip to limit browning, freeze them in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to freezer bags. Frozen apricots keep their quality for several months and are best used for cooking, baking, and smoothies. Apricots also dry exceptionally well.

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When something goes wrong

Common problems

The tree flowered but I got almost no apricotsTree bloomed but set little or no fruit

01 of 04

What happened The tree flowered but barely fruited. On apricots the usual reason is a late frost while the tree was blooming, which kills the flowers and tiny fruit. Apricot blooms earlier than other fruit, so this happens a lot on frosty sites. People often think it needed a partner tree, but apricot is self-fruitful and one tree should fruit by itself. The real fixes are where and what you plant: avoid low frost-pocket spots, cover the tree against a hard late frost when you can, and choose a late-blooming, cold-hardy variety.The tree flowered well but few or no apricots formed. On apricot the overwhelming cause is a late frost during or just after bloom: apricot blooms earlier than any other fruit tree, so a hard freeze catches the open flowers and tiny fruit most years on a frost-prone site. It is often blamed on pollination, but apricot is self-fruitful and a lone tree should set on its own. The fix is site and variety: avoid frost-pocket planting sites, protect bloom from hard late frosts where you can, and plant a late-blooming, cold-hardy cultivar. Next season Plant a late-blooming, cold-hardy variety away from low frost pockets, and keep a cover handy for bloom-time frosts. That matters more than anything else for actually getting apricots.Plant a late-blooming, cold-hardy variety on a frost-aware site, and keep a frost cover ready for bloom; these do more than anything else to secure an apricot crop.

The apricots rotted quickly and dried into hard lumpsFruit rotted fast with tan fuzz and dried into mummies

02 of 04

What happened Ripe apricots got brown spots that spread fast, grew a tan fuzz, and dried into hard little mummies stuck to the tree. This is brown rot, a fungus apricot catches very easily. It survives winter in those dried mummies and in dead twig patches, so leaving them is what causes it again. The fix is cleanup and dry leaves: pick off every mummy, cut out the gummy dead twigs, keep the tree open so it dries fast, water at the ground, and in wet climates spray at bloom and near harvest.Ripening apricots developed brown spots that spread within a day or two, grew a dusty tan fuzz, and shriveled into hard mummies clinging to the tree. This is brown rot (Monilinia), and apricot is among the most susceptible of all fruit. It overwinters in those mummies and in twig cankers, so leaving them is the mistake that seeds next year. The corrective action is sanitation plus a drier canopy: remove every mummy, prune out gummy cankers, open the tree for fast drying, water only at the root zone, and in humid regions spray at bloom and before harvest. Next season Clean off every dried mummy and cut out gummy dead twigs over winter, keep the tree open so it dries quickly, and in wet climates spray at bloom and near harvest, because apricot catches this disease so easily.Remove all mummies and cankers over winter, keep the canopy open and dry, and in humid regions plan an organic-approved bloom and pre-harvest fungicide program, since apricot's susceptibility makes sanitation alone insufficient there.

Lots of tiny, low-quality apricotsMany small, poor-quality apricots

03 of 04

What happened The tree had lots of small, bland apricots, and maybe a bare year after. Apricot sets far more fruit than it can size in a good year, and that also makes it swing between a heavy year and a light one. It is tempting to think it needs more food or water, but the real problem is too many fruit. The fix is thinning: remove the small fruit early down to about one every 4 to 6 inches so the rest grow large and sweet and the tree crops more evenly.The tree carried a heavy crop of small, poorly flavored fruit, and perhaps swung to a light crop the next year. Apricot oversets in a good year and divides its resources among too many fruit, which also drives biennial (on-year/off-year) bearing. It is easy to assume the tree needs more feeding or water, but the limiting factor is fruit number. The corrective action is thinning: remove young fruit early to about one apricot every 4 to 6 inches so the remainder size and sweeten and the tree crops more evenly. Next season Thin the small fruit early to about one every 4 to 6 inches. This one step does more for size and taste than extra food or water, and it helps the tree crop evenly each year.Thin young fruit early and firmly to one apricot every 4 to 6 inches; this single step does more for size and flavor than feeding or watering, and it evens out year-to-year cropping.

Leaves turning yellow but the veins stay greenLeaves yellowing between green veins

04 of 04

What happened The new leaves turned yellow but the veins stayed green, worst on the youngest growth. This is an iron problem called iron chlorosis. Apricot gets it easily on the alkaline (high-pH) soils common in the dry West, and soggy soil makes it worse by keeping the roots from taking up iron. People often think it needs more fertilizer and feed it nitrogen, which does not fix it. The fix is better drainage, less water, and a chelated iron product; over time, adding elemental sulfur to lower the soil pH helps.New leaves turned yellow while the veins stayed green, worst on the youngest growth. This is iron chlorosis, and apricot is notably prone to it on the high-pH, alkaline soils common in the arid West, often made worse by overwatering or waterlogged ground that keeps roots from taking up iron. It is easy to misread as a nitrogen shortage and over-fertilize, which does not help. The corrective action is to improve drainage, ease off water, and apply a chelated iron; longer term, lowering soil pH with elemental sulfur helps. Next season Fix the drainage and stop overwatering, use a chelated iron to green it back up, and over time add elemental sulfur to lower the soil pH if your soil is alkaline.Improve drainage and avoid overwatering, apply a chelated iron to green the tree up, and lower soil pH over time with elemental sulfur on alkaline western soils.

The usual suspects

Pests & diseases

Pests

Plum curculio

P · 01

Symptoms On small developing apricots, look for a curved, crescent-shaped scar, the mark the beetle leaves when it lays an egg. Damaged fruit often drops early, and some that stays on the tree ends up misshapen or has a grub inside. You see this soon after the petals fall.Small young fruit carries a distinctive crescent-shaped scar where the female cut a slit to lay an egg. Infested fruit often drops early; fruit that hangs on may be gnarled or have a grub tunneling inside near the pit. Damage appears shortly after petal fall and is heaviest east of the Rockies. Cause A small beetle with a long snout called the plum curculio. The adults show up around bloom and start damaging the little fruits right after the petals drop, laying eggs inside them. The larvae then feed within the fruit. It is mostly an eastern problem and rare in dry western climates.The plum curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar), a small snout beetle native to eastern North America. Adults emerge around bloom and attack fruit from petal fall onward, laying eggs in the developing fruit; the larvae feed inside. There is little pressure in the arid West. Organic treatment Early in the morning the beetles are slow. Spread a sheet under the tree, tap the branches so the beetles fall, and destroy them. Pick up and throw away any dropped fruit promptly so the larvae inside do not mature. A kaolin clay spray (a fine white mineral coating) starting at petal fall helps keep them off.For a backyard tree, jarring the limbs over a sheet in the early morning when the beetles are sluggish, then destroying what drops, reduces the population. Promptly gather and dispose of dropped infested fruit to break the cycle. Kaolin clay applied from petal fall is an organic deterrent. Prevention The main thing is cleanup. Pick up fallen fruit all season so the larvae inside cannot finish growing in the soil under the tree. Keeping the ground clear lowers the number of beetles the next year.Sanitation is the backbone: remove dropped fruit through the season so larvae cannot complete development in the soil beneath the tree. A clean orchard floor and prompt fruit pickup steadily lower pressure year over year.

The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

Garden sanitation

Start with cleanup: gather and get rid of dropped apricots all season, because a grub inside a fallen fruit finishes growing in the soil under the tree. On a cool early morning, while the beetles are still sluggish, you can also spread an old sheet under the branches, tap the limbs so they drop onto it, and destroy what you collect. A clear ground surface, kept up year after year, means fewer beetles each spring.Season-long removal of drops denies larvae the soil development they need, and that steady drawdown is the backbone every other rung leans on. Jarring the scaffolds at first light, while adults are still torpid, adds physical removal onto the same sheet, and repeating that pass through the weeks after petal fall is what makes it pay. Pressure concentrates east of the Rockies, so a tree in a dry western climate may need little beyond this.
Kaolin clay

Kaolin clay is a fine white mineral you mix with water and spray on, leaving a coating that discourages the beetles from feeding and laying eggs. Begin at petal fall, when they move onto the small fruit, and count on repeat sprays through the season, since the barrier only works while the coating is there.Kaolin is a deterrent film rather than a killer, so timing from petal fall and renewing it as fruit expands is the whole of its value. Weigh it against the tree's other problems: heavy use can flare San Jose scale, which is already on this crop's list.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Peachtree borer

P · 02

Symptoms Look at the very bottom of the trunk where it meets the soil. Peachtree borers leave a sticky, gummy ooze mixed with what looks like wet sawdust (called frass). You may see a small mound of gum and frass at the base. A young tree with several borers can be killed in one season, so this is one to catch early.Gummy ooze mixed with sawdust-like frass at the base of the trunk, right around the soil line, often with a mounded look where the bark meets the ground. Larvae tunnel the inner bark at the crown; several borers can girdle and kill a young apricot in a single season, and the wounds also open the door to canker. Cause The larvae (young, grub-like stage) of the peachtree borer, a moth whose adults look like wasps and fly during the day. The adults lay eggs on the lower trunk in summer, and the larvae burrow into the bark at and below the soil line. Trees with existing wounds are hit hardest, but a healthy tree can be attacked too.Larvae of the peachtree borer (Synanthedon exitiosa), a clearwing moth whose adults are day-flying and wasp-like. Eggs are laid on the lower trunk in summer; the larvae tunnel the inner bark at and just below the soil line. It attacks all stone fruit, apricot included, and hits stressed or wounded trees first. Organic treatment Once the larvae are inside, no spray reaches them. The backyard fix is to scrape soil away from the base in late summer or fall, find the holes marked by gum and frass, and kill the larvae with a thin, stiff wire pushed into each hole. Then smooth the soil back. Avoid nicking the trunk base with mowers or trimmers.There is no rescue spray once larvae are tunneling inside. The practical home control is to expose the crown in late summer or fall, find the entry holes by the gum and frass, and kill larvae by hand with a thin wire (worming). Keep the trunk base free of wounds and paint it white against sunscald cracks. Prevention Keep mowers and string trimmers away from the trunk; the wounds they leave attract the egg-laying moths, and white trunk paint prevents the sunburn cracks they enter. Keep grass and weeds cleared from the base so you can see the soil line, and check it every late summer for fresh gummy ooze.Protect the lower trunk from mechanical injury and sunscald (a white trunk paint helps), keep the tree vigorous, and clear weeds and tall grass from the base so the crown stays open and easy to inspect. Check the soil line each late summer for fresh gum so an infestation is caught in its first year.

The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

Garden sanitation

Keep the ground at the foot of the trunk mowed and clear of weeds and tall grass so the soil line stays visible, then look it over each late summer for fresh gummy ooze. Keep mowers and string trimmers off the bark as well, since those wounds draw the egg-laying moths, and white trunk paint helps head off the sunburn cracks they enter through.A cleared collar around the crown keeps the soil line inspectable, which is how a first-year infestation gets caught before it girdles anything. Mechanical injury and sunscald cracks concentrate egg laying on the lower trunk, so protecting that zone, white paint included, is the preventive half of this rung.
Borer stem surgery

By the time the larvae are tunneling under the bark, a spray cannot reach them. In late summer or fall, scrape the soil back from the base, find the holes marked by gum and frass, the sawdust-like droppings, and push a thin stiff wire into each one to kill the larva inside. Smooth the soil back afterward.Worming is the practical home control: expose the crown, trace each gum and frass mass to its entry hole, and probe it with stiff wire. Several larvae can girdle a young tree in one season, so an annual late-season pass is worth the hour where this moth is present.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Aphids

P · 03

Symptoms Clusters of small green or gray soft-bodied insects on the tips of new spring growth, curling and twisting the young leaves, with a sticky coating below that turns black and moldy. It is worst on young trees and mainly stunts new growth rather than ruining fruit.Dense colonies of green or mealy-gray aphids on the tips of new spring shoots, curling and distorting young leaves, with sticky honeydew below that blackens into sooty mold. Heaviest on vigorous young trees; it slows shoot growth but rarely harms fruit directly. Cause Small sap-sucking insects (green peach aphid and mealy plum aphid). Their eggs overwinter on the tree and the young hatch to feed on the soft new spring growth. The numbers usually drop on their own by midsummer as the shoots toughen and ladybugs and other helpers move in.Chiefly the green peach aphid and the mealy plum aphid. They overwinter as eggs on the tree and explode on the tender spring flush, feeding on sap; populations usually crash by midsummer as shoots harden and natural enemies build up. Organic treatment Often you can leave it alone, since ladybugs and other helpers clear it by midsummer. On a young tree that is badly hit, blast the colonies off with a hose, or spray the curled tips with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Do not over-fertilize, since lush new growth is what the aphids love.Often no action is needed, since beneficials clean it up by midsummer. For a heavy infestation on a young tree, a strong jet of water knocks colonies off, or insecticidal soap or horticultural oil applied to the curled tips works; protect the ladybugs and lacewings that do most of the control. Avoid high-nitrogen feeding, which fuels the soft growth aphids prefer. Prevention Avoid heavy feeding that pushes the soft growth aphids love, welcome ladybugs and lacewings, and do not panic over the spring leaf-curl, which usually does not hurt the crop. A dormant oil spray in late winter cuts down the overwintering eggs.Keep trees vigorous but not over-fed (high nitrogen invites aphids), encourage beneficial insects, and tolerate the early-season curl, which rarely affects the crop. A dormant oil spray reduces overwintering eggs where the pest is chronic.

The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

Balance nitrogen

Go easy on the fertilizer. Heavy feeding pushes out the soft, sappy growth these aphids multiply on, so a moderately fed tree is a less inviting target.High nitrogen sustains the tender spring flush that green peach aphid and mealy plum aphid colonize; moderating it removes the tissue quality that lets colonies build on a vigorous young tree.
Water spray

On a young tree that is badly hit, knock the colonies off the shoot tips with a strong jet from the hose. Do it early in the day so the leaves dry quickly.A forceful water jet dislodges colonies from the tips without removing the predators working the same shoots; repeat as the flush rebuilds, and time it early in the day to limit leaf wetness.
Beneficial predators

Often the best move is to leave it alone. Ladybugs, lacewings, and similar helpers usually clear these aphids by midsummer as the shoots toughen, and the curled spring leaves seldom cost you fruit. Skip broad-spectrum insecticides so those helpers stay on the job.Resident natural enemies do most of the control here, and populations tend to crash by midsummer as shoots harden, so the early leaf curl is a tolerable cost rather than a crop loss. Broad-spectrum material is what converts a self-limiting flush into a season-long problem.
Insecticidal soap

If a young tree is still overwhelmed, spray insecticidal soap straight onto the curled tips. It kills only what it wets, so aim at the colonies rather than the whole tree, and hold off when the temperature is above 90°F.Contact soap is a coverage-dependent knockdown on the curled tips, and it kills the soft-bodied beneficials it wets, so confine it to located colonies. Avoid it above 90°F or on a water-stressed tree.
Horticultural oil

Horticultural oil smothers aphids it contacts on the tips, and a dormant oil spray in late winter cuts down the eggs that overwinter on the tree, which is worth doing where aphids turn up every year. Keep oil off a drought-stressed tree, off the tree in bloom so bees are not hit, and do not spray above 90°F; once the tree has leaves, keep it at least 30 days from any sulfur spray, and check the oil label because some say to wait longer.In season, oil is a smothering contact spray on the curled tips; the higher-value use is the dormant application, which lowers the overwintering egg load where the pest is chronic. Observe the oil constraints: not above 90°F, not on water-stressed wood, not within 30 days of sulfur while the tree is in leaf, or longer if the oil label says so, and not onto anything in flower.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

San Jose scale

P · 04

Symptoms Tiny gray bumps crusting the bark of twigs and branches, and small red-ringed spots on the fruit. A bad case can weaken branches and even kill them, and it spots the fruit. The scales are easy to miss because each one is barely the size of a pinhead.Tiny gray, cone-shaped scales encrusting bark on twigs and scaffolds, sometimes with a reddish halo, and small red-ringed spots on the fruit skin. Heavy infestations weaken and can kill branches, and the fruit blemishes downgrade the crop. Cause A tiny armored insect called San Jose scale that sits under a waxy cover and sucks sap from the bark. It has several rounds a year. The young, called crawlers, are the only stage that moves around and the only one a spray can hit.San Jose scale (Diaspidiotus perniciosus), an armored scale insect that feeds on sap under a waxy cover. It has several overlapping generations a year; the mobile crawler stage is the point at which it spreads and the only stage a spray reaches. Organic treatment The main control is a good horticultural oil spray while the tree is bare and dormant, coating the twigs and branches to smother the scale. During the season, prune out and destroy any branches that are heavily crusted. Keeping the tree open and vigorous helps.A thorough dormant-season horticultural oil spray, applied to the leafless tree so it coats twigs and scaffolds, smothers overwintering scale and is the mainstay backyard control. In-season, time any additional oil to the crawler stage. Prune out and destroy heavily encrusted wood. Prevention A yearly dormant oil spray in late winter keeps scale from building up. Avoid harsh insecticides so the natural enemies that eat scale can do their work, and keep the tree pruned open so any spray reaches all the bark.An annual dormant oil spray keeps scale from building up. Encourage the tiny parasitic wasps and predatory beetles that attack scale by avoiding broad-spectrum insecticides, and prune to keep the canopy open and easy to cover thoroughly.

The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

Garden sanitation

Cut out and destroy the twigs and branches that are crusted with scale rather than leaving them on the tree or stacked nearby. Taking out the worst wood removes a large share of the population with it.Pruning out and destroying heavily encrusted wood removes established colonies wholesale and lowers the crawler load that seeds the rest of the canopy.
Beneficial predators

Tiny parasitic wasps and small predatory beetles feed on scale and hold it down for you at no cost. Keep harsh, broad-spectrum insecticides off the tree so they can work.Conserving the parasitoids and predatory beetles that attack armored scale is what keeps a light infestation light; broad-spectrum sprays remove them and give scale room to build.
Horticultural oil

The mainstay is a thorough horticultural oil spray while the tree is bare and dormant in late winter, coating every twig and branch so the overwintering scale is smothered. Prune the tree open first so the spray can reach all the bark. A summer spray only helps if it lands when the crawlers are moving, since that is the one stage a spray can hit.A thorough dormant oil on leafless wood is the mainstay backyard control, and complete coverage of twigs and scaffolds decides the result, which is why an open canopy is part of the method rather than a separate nicety. Time any in-season oil to crawler emergence, the only exposed stage, and keep the usual limits: not above 90°F, not on stressed wood, not within 30 days of sulfur while the tree is in leaf, or longer if the oil label says so.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Catfacing insects (stink bugs and plant bugs)

P · 05

Symptoms Ripe apricots have sunken, puckered, dimpled patches, a look growers call catfacing. It comes from insects feeding on the fruit when it was small. The fruit is still usable; the damage is mostly on the surface and does not spread.Mature fruit shows sunken, dimpled, corky distortions, the puckered catfaced look, where feeding occurred on young fruit. The damage is cosmetic on the surface but can run into the flesh; it does not spread or rot on its own. Cause A handful of insects, chiefly stink bugs and the small tarnished plant bug, that poke the young apricots to feed. The spot they feed on stops growing while the rest of the fruit swells around it, leaving a dimple. Because apricots set fruit early, the little fruit is out just as these bugs get going in spring.Several true bugs, mainly stink bugs and the tarnished plant bug, that puncture small apricots to feed. Tissue at each feeding point stops growing while the surrounding flesh keeps swelling, so the mature fruit is left puckered and corky. Apricot ripens early, so the vulnerable young-fruit stage overlaps the spring buildup of these bugs. Organic treatment Spraying a single tree does not help much, because these bugs come in from weeds and brush nearby. The better fix is to take away their hiding spots: mow and pull the broadleaf weeds around the tree, especially in spring while the fruit is small.Spraying one tree does little, since these bugs commute in from nearby weeds and brush. The practical control is to deny them that harborage: mow and clear the broadleaf weeds around the tree, especially through spring when young fruit is most vulnerable. Prevention Keep the ground around the tree mowed and clear of broadleaf weeds, which is where these bugs live and breed. A clean, grassy area around the tree means fewer of them ever reach your apricots.Keep the surrounding ground mowed and free of the broadleaf weeds these bugs breed in; a clean, grassy strip around the tree is the single biggest thing that lowers how many reach the fruit.

The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

Weed host control

These bugs live and breed in the broadleaf weeds around the tree and only visit the fruit, which is why spraying the tree itself does so little. Mow the surrounding ground and pull the broadleaf weeds, especially through spring while the apricots are small, and hold a clean grassy strip around the tree.Stink bugs and tarnished plant bug commute in from adjacent weedy harborage, so a single-tree spray acts on the visitors and not the source; removing the broadleaf hosts and holding a mowed strip is the lever that lowers how many arrive. Apricot's early fruit set puts the vulnerable stage right in the spring buildup, so the clearing matters most then.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Diseases

Brown rot

D · 01

Symptoms At bloom, flowers go limp and brown and small gummy dead patches form on the nearby spurs. As apricots ripen, brown spots appear and spread quickly, sometimes rotting a whole fruit in a day or two in warm, wet weather, with a dusty tan fuzz on top. Rotted fruit shrivels into a hard mummy that hangs on. Apricot catches brown rot more easily than almost any other fruit.At bloom, infected blossoms wilt and brown and the infection runs into the spur to form a small gummy canker. As fruit ripens, firm brown spots appear and spread fast, rotting a whole apricot within a day or two in warm, wet weather, with a dusty tan spore mass on the surface. Rotted fruit dries into a clinging mummy. Apricot is among the most brown-rot-susceptible of all stone fruit. Cause A fungus called Monilinia. It survives winter in dried mummy fruit and dead twig patches, then releases spores at bloom that infect the flowers, which later cause the fruit to rot. Warm, wet weather makes it spread fast, which is why apricots do much better in dry-summer climates than in humid ones.The fungus Monilinia (M. fructicola and M. laxa). It overwinters in mummies and twig cankers; spores at bloom infect flowers, and those infections later seed the fruit rot. Warm, humid, wet weather drives it, which is a large part of why apricot is a poor risk in the humid Southeast and better in dry western summers. Organic treatment Cleanup is the main control: take off and destroy every dried mummy from the tree and ground and prune out the gummy dead twig patches, which hold the spores. If bloom is wet, an organic-approved spray at bloom helps protect the flowers. Pick on time, handle gently, and throw out any rotting fruit right away.Sanitation is the core control: remove and destroy every mummy from the tree and ground and prune out gummy twig cankers, since these are the spore sources. In a wet bloom, an organic-approved bloom-time fungicide reduces blossom blight. Pick promptly, handle gently, and remove any rotting fruit at once; an open, fast-drying canopy is a standing defense. Prevention Cleaning up all year prevents most of it: never leave dried mummies over winter, prune so the tree is open and dries fast after rain, and pick on time. In wet climates you will likely need an organic-approved spray at bloom and again near harvest, because apricot is so prone to this disease.Year-round sanitation prevents most loss: never leave mummies over winter, keep the canopy open with pruning so fruit dries fast after rain, harvest promptly, and favor a dry-summer site. In humid regions, plan on a bloom and pre-harvest fungicide program, since apricot's high susceptibility makes sanitation alone insufficient.

The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

Garden sanitation

Take every mummy off the tree and off the ground and destroy it. A mummy is a rotted fruit that has dried hard and stayed hanging, and it is where the fungus waits out the winter, so clearing them is the most useful hour you spend on this disease.Mummies on the tree and on the ground beneath it are the primary overwintering inoculum, so stripping and destroying them is the core control, and leaving them through winter forfeits it. Pull any rotting fruit during the season as soon as you see it, since one lesion becomes a spore source fast in warm, wet weather.
Airflow spacing

Prune so the tree is open and air moves through it, and if you are still choosing a site, favor one with dry summers. Fruit that dries quickly after rain gets much less rot, and apricot is a poor bet in a humid climate.An open canopy shortens the wetting periods Monilinia needs, and site selection is the same lever at a larger scale: dry western summers suit this crop, humid southeastern ones work against it.
Prompt harvest

Pick the fruit as it ripens instead of letting it hang, handle it gently so the skin is not bruised, and get rid of anything that starts to rot right away. In warm, wet weather a whole apricot can go in a day or two.Harvesting on time and handling gently limits the over-ripe and wounded fruit the rot exploits, and culling the first rots keeps one infection from seeding the fruit around it.
Prune out infection

Cut out the gummy dead patches on the twigs, taking the cut back into healthy wood, and destroy what comes off. Those small cankers carry spores from one season to the next, right alongside the mummies.Blossom infections run back into the spur and form small gummy cankers that overwinter, so excising them into clean wood and destroying the prunings removes the second inoculum source that sanitation alone leaves standing.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Bacterial canker

D · 02

Symptoms Sunken, dark, gummy patches (cankers) on the trunk and branches that ooze amber sap, often killing the branch above them. In spring, flowers and buds may blacken and die, and some buds never open. It is one of the worst apricot diseases and hits harder on trees grown on plum rootstocks.Sunken, dark, gummy cankers on trunk, scaffolds, and spurs that ooze amber gum, often girdling and killing limbs; in spring, blossoms and spurs blast (blacken and die) and dormant buds fail to open. It is one of the most serious apricot diseases and is worse on trees grown on plum rootstocks (Myrobalan, Marianna), which are especially susceptible. Cause A bacterium (a microscopic organism) called Pseudomonas syringae. It gets in through wounds, leaf scars, and frost damage during cool, wet weather, and is worse on stressed trees, those in wet soil, hit by frost, or pushed with too much nitrogen. Apricot blooms so early that its tender new growth often meets the cold, wet weather this disease loves.The bacterium Pseudomonas syringae. It infects through wounds, leaf scars, and frost-injured tissue in cool, wet spring and fall weather, and is worsened by anything that stresses the tree: poor drainage, ring nematodes, frost, and high-nitrogen soft growth. Apricot's very early bloom exposes fresh tissue to exactly the cold, wet spells that favor it. Organic treatment There is no cure once it sets in. The approach is prevention: cut out the cankered wood well below the dead patch during dry summer weather (not in wet spring), clean your tools between cuts, and pull out a badly infected young tree. Keep the tree healthy, unstressed, and on well-drained ground; copper sprays only help a little.There is no cure once a tree is infected. Management is preventive: cut out cankered wood well below the canker in dry summer weather (not in wet spring), disinfecting tools between cuts, and remove badly infected young trees. Keep the tree unstressed and well drained; copper sprays give only partial protection and resistance is common. Prevention Prevention is everything: plant where the soil drains well, pick a more resistant rootstock (a peach seedling like Lovell resists it better than plum rootstocks), avoid frosty low spots and trunk wounds, paint the trunk white to prevent sunburn cracks, prune only in dry summer weather, and do not over-feed. A healthy, unstressed tree on good ground shrugs it off best.Prevention is everything: plant on well-drained ground, choose a tolerant rootstock (a peach seedling such as Lovell is more canker-tolerant than the plum stocks), avoid frost-pocket sites and trunk wounds, paint the trunk white against sunscald cracks, prune only in dry summer weather, and never push soft growth with late nitrogen.

The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

Resistant rootstock

The rootstock your tree is grafted onto matters more here than anything you can spray. A peach seedling rootstock such as Lovell tolerates this canker better than the plum rootstocks do, so ask which one a tree is on before you buy it.Rootstock is the plant-once decision on this disease: trees on Myrobalan or Marianna plum stocks run notably more susceptible than those on a peach seedling such as Lovell, and the choice is settled at purchase rather than revisited later.
Improve drainage

Plant where water drains away, and fix a soggy spot before a tree goes into it. Wet roots stress a tree, and a stressed tree is what this bacterium takes hold in.Poor drainage sits among the stress factors that turn an exposure into a canker, alongside frost injury and ring nematodes, and it is the one a gardener can genuinely change. Changing it is cheapest before planting.
Garden sanitation

There is no cure once this bacterium is established, so a young tree that is badly cankered is better pulled out than nursed along. On the trees you keep, avoid nicking the trunk, since wounds and leaf scars are the way in.A badly infected young tree is a standing inoculum source with no route back, so removal is the honest call. On retained trees, minimizing wounds matters because infection enters through wounds, leaf scars, and frost-injured tissue during cool, wet spells.
Prune out infection

Cut cankered limbs off well below the sunken, gummy area, into wood that still looks healthy, and destroy what you remove. Do this in dry summer weather rather than a wet spring, and wipe or dip your pruners between cuts.Excise well beyond the canker margin into clean tissue and confine the work to dry summer weather, since cool wet conditions are when Pseudomonas syringae colonizes fresh cuts. Disinfecting between cuts is worth doing, though placing the cut far enough below the margin matters more.
Copper fungicide

A copper spray gives only partial protection against this one, and strains that shrug it off are common, so treat it as a small addition to the steps above rather than a fix. Copper is toxic to fish, builds up in the soil over the years, and can burn foliage above the label rate.Fixed copper is partial protection at best here and resistance in the bacterial population is widespread, so it does not stand in for rootstock choice, drainage, and dry-season pruning. Copper accumulates at the soil surface, is highly toxic to aquatic life, and the compound printed on the label, not the brand, sets the acute hazard band.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Bacterial spot

D · 03

Symptoms Leaves get small angular water-soaked spots that turn brown and fall out, leaving little holes, called a shot-hole look. Bad cases turn leaves yellow and thin out the tree. On the fruit, small sunken spots and skin cracks form. How badly a tree is hit depends a lot on the variety and on how humid your area is.Small angular, water-soaked spots on leaves turn brown and drop out, leaving a shot-hole look; heavy infection yellows and thins the canopy. On fruit, small sunken spots and cracks develop on the skin. Susceptibility varies by cultivar, and pressure is highest in warm, humid regions. Cause A bacterium (a microscopic organism, not a fungus) called Xanthomonas. It spreads in warm, wet weather and builds up when there are other susceptible stone-fruit trees close by. Its leaf holes can look like the fungal shot hole disease, which is a different problem.The bacterium Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni. It spreads in warm, wet weather and builds up where susceptible stone fruit grow nearby. On apricot the leaf and fruit spotting is sometimes confused with the fungal shot hole (Coryneum blight). Organic treatment There is no good home cure once it shows up. Copper sprays help a little as prevention but can hurt the tree if overused, so they are not a dependable fix. The best you can do is keep the tree healthy and open so the leaves dry fast.Home options are limited once symptoms appear: copper sprays help more as prevention than cure and can injure the tree if overused, so they are not a reliable home fix. Keeping the tree vigorous and the canopy open and dry helps it tolerate the disease. Prevention The best prevention is the variety and the site you pick. A tolerant variety on a spot with dry summers and good airflow avoids most of the trouble, so it is a decision to make before planting. A healthy, open tree also helps.The most effective measure is choosing a resistant or tolerant cultivar and a dry-summer site; this is largely a decision made before the tree goes in. Good airflow, an open canopy, and tree vigor reduce severity.

The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

Resistant varieties

This one is settled mostly before you plant. Choose a variety known to tolerate bacterial spot, because how hard a tree is hit depends a great deal on which variety it is, and there is no good home cure once the spotting shows up.Cultivar susceptibility spans a wide range and is the highest-leverage control available, precisely because the in-season options are weak; it is a pre-plant decision that an established tree cannot revisit.
Airflow spacing

Give the tree a site with dry summers and moving air, and prune it open so the leaves dry fast. That will not cure an infection, but a healthy, open tree carries the disease better and shows less of it.Warm, humid conditions drive Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni, so site and canopy openness set the severity ceiling while vigor governs how much a tree shows. Neither acts on an established infection, which is why the pre-plant variety choice above carries most of the weight on this disease.
Copper fungicide

There is no good home cure once the spotting has appeared, and copper is not a dependable fix. It helps more as prevention than as a cure, so it does far less on a tree that is already spotted than on one you are protecting ahead of time, and it can injure the tree if you overuse it. Copper is also toxic to fish and builds up in the soil over the years, so if you use it at all, hold to the label rate and keep repeat sprays few.Copper is the one material this crop's guidance names, and it is preventive rather than curative: home options are limited once symptoms are visible, and overuse carries its own phytotoxicity, so this sits as a hedged last option rather than a control. Copper accumulates at the soil surface, is highly toxic to aquatic life, and the compound printed on the label rather than the brand name sets the acute hazard band.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Shot hole (Coryneum blight)

D · 04

Symptoms Small reddish-purple spots on the leaves whose brown centers fall out, leaving neat round holes that look like the leaf was hit with birdshot. It also spots the fruit and can kill buds. A bad case drops a lot of leaves and weakens the tree. Apricot is one of its favorite hosts.Small reddish-purple spots on leaves whose centers turn brown, die, and drop out, leaving clean round holes as if shot with birdshot. It also spots the fruit and can kill dormant buds and cause small twig cankers with gumming. Heavy infection defoliates and weakens the tree; apricot is a classic host. Cause A fungus (Coryneum blight) that spends winter in infected buds and twigs and spreads in cool, wet spring weather and wherever water splashes the leaves. Overhead sprinklers that wet the tree make it much worse.The fungus Wilsonomyces carpophilus (Coryneum blight). It overwinters in infected buds and twig lesions and spreads in cool, wet spring weather and by splashing water and overhead irrigation. Wet springs and sprinkler wetting of the canopy drive it. Organic treatment Cut out infected twigs, rake up and destroy fallen spotted leaves, and water at the ground rather than over the top so the leaves stay dry. A copper spray on the bare, dormant tree in late winter is the main way to protect it where this disease is common.Prune out infected twigs and buds, rake and destroy fallen infected leaves, and switch irrigation to the root zone so the canopy stays dry. A dormant application of fixed copper on the leafless tree is the main protective spray where the disease is established. Prevention The biggest thing is keeping the leaves dry: water at the ground, not over the tree, prune so air moves through, and clean up fallen leaves. In wet-spring areas, a copper spray on the bare tree in late winter protects it.Keep water off the canopy (drip or soaker, never overhead), prune for airflow, clear fallen leaves, and apply a dormant copper spray in wet-spring regions. Dry-summer irrigation discipline is the single biggest lever.

The control ladder

The ladder troubleshoots from the gentlest solution to the strongest. Start with the gentlest option and only move on when and if it doesn't work.

Water at the base

Use drip or a soaker hose at the base instead of sprinklers that throw water over the canopy. Splashing water is how this fungus travels, so keeping the leaves dry is the single biggest change you can make.The fungus spreads by splash, and overhead irrigation supplies exactly that on a schedule; moving delivery to the root zone removes the driver that turns a wet spring into a defoliating year.
Garden sanitation

Rake up the spotted fallen leaves and get rid of them rather than letting them sit under the tree.Clearing and destroying infected leaf litter lowers the local carryover that sits alongside the infected buds and twig lesions.
Airflow spacing

Prune the tree so air moves through the canopy and wet leaves dry faster after a spring rain.Opening the canopy shortens leaf wetness after the cool spring rains that drive infection, and it works with the irrigation change rather than in place of it.
Prune out infection

Cut out the infected twigs and buds, taking the cut back into clean wood, and destroy what comes off.Infected buds and twig lesions are where the fungus overwinters, so removing them into healthy wood strips out the local spore source ahead of the spring rains.
Copper fungicide

Where this disease is established, a fixed copper spray on the bare, dormant tree in late winter is the main protective option. It protects rather than cures, so it has to go on before the spring rains, not after the holes appear. Copper is toxic to fish, builds up in the soil, and can burn leaves at too high a rate, so follow the label and keep repeat use limited.A dormant fixed copper application on leafless wood is the standing protectant in wet-spring regions, and its whole value sits in the timing. Copper persists at the soil surface, is highly toxic to aquatic life, and the compound named on the label sets the acute hazard band.

No spray for this one. Prevention is the control.

Verified · 4 sources View

Seasoned

Where to plant next year

Crop rotation

If you have no choice but to replant where a stone fruit was, dig out and replace a big area of soil, pick a tougher rootstock, and expect the tree to start slower. The simplest fix is to plant in a new spot instead.If an apricot must go where a stone fruit was removed, replace a generous volume of soil, choose a tolerant rootstock, and expect slower establishment. Best practice is simply to pick a new location.

Family

Rosaceae (Prunus)

Avoid following

You do not rotate an apricot tree the way you rotate vegetables, because it stays in one spot for many years. What matters instead is replant disease: do not plant a new apricot where an apricot, peach, plum, cherry, or nectarine just came out. Planting a stone fruit right back where another stone fruit grew leads to weak, stunted trees, and old spots can hold pests and diseases that hurt the new tree.Annual crop rotation does not apply to an apricot: the tree holds its site for decades. The real concern is replant disease. Do not plant a new apricot (or other stone fruit) where an apricot, peach, plum, cherry, or nectarine was recently growing, since Prunus-after-Prunus replanting causes stunting and poor establishment, and old sites can carry ring nematodes and bacterial canker.

Plant after

a fresh site with no recent stone-fruit history (no apricot, peach, plum, cherry, or nectarine)

Verified · 2 sources View

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Seasoned

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Methodology & sources

Every date, temperature, spacing, and recommendation on this page is sourced from university cooperative extension publications, peer-reviewed agricultural research, NOAA climate data, and direct extension calendars. Where claims are softer (traditional gardening wisdom not formally documented), we say so.

Research-backed Documented in cooperative extension publications or peer-reviewed research

Well-grounded A known agronomic principle, but not formally tested for this specific pair

Traditional Time-tested gardening wisdom, limited formal research support

Last reviewed

June 30, 2026

Data version

crops_data_final · v1.0 · schema 2.9

Sources cited on this page

16 publications

Verified entries

Companion-planting claims tagged inline · zone dates verified against 5+ extensions

See all sources cited on this page

University of Minnesota Extension umn_ext
University of Maryland Extension umd_ext
Cornell Cooperative Extension cornell_ext
Iowa State University Extension iastate_ext
Michigan State University Extension msu_ext
NC State Extension ncsu_ext
Penn State Extension psu_ext
U. of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Extension uiuc_ext
UC Davis Postharvest Center ucd_postharvest
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension tamu_agrilife
Virginia Cooperative Extension 426-331 vce_426_331
Piedmont Master Gardeners piedmont_mg
UGA Vegetable Garden Calendar uga_calendar
Clemson Home & Garden Information Center clemson_hgic
UC IPM Statewide IPM Program uc_ipm
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals noaa_normals

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Apricot

Will it actually fruit here?

Your apricot year, month by month

Will your winter be cold enough?

One tree is usually enough

Recommended varieties

How big will it get?

The growing journey

Care guide

Not suited to a pot

Soil pH for apricot

Watering

Feeding

Companion planting

When to pick

What to expect

Storing your harvest

Common problems

Pests & diseases

Crop rotation

Common questions

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Methodology & sources

Growing notes, weekly.