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John V starts with ... We have 2 large Apricot trees, side by side. They have been in since before we bought the house 11 years ago so I guess they are around 15 years old. Quite large, span 4 metres, 5 metres high.. They blossom every year, all looks good, no brown rot, but we have never got fruit. We assumed that maybe they where some sort of Ornamental variety that didnt bear fruit. This year we have had 2 Apricots, 1 dropped off each tree, no others. They are lightly prunned each winter. Any ideas why no fruit? Thanks
| About the Author John V Ballajura 23rd December 2016 7:21pm #UserID: 15255 Posts: 1 View All John V's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Kade says... There are several possible reasons why your apricot trees don't bear fruit but by the look of the apricot in the pic, they are probably good fruiting varieties. 1. Cold and rain at blossom time in late winter/early spring, so few bees and lack of pollination - unlikely every year in Perth WA. 2. Absence of pollinators i.e. bees in general. Do you notice bees about at blossom time? Plant bee attracting flowers that bloom before and during apricot blooming. 3. Lack of pruning - your tees are very tall and all the fruiting action is up in the canopy. Reduce the size of the trees by removing tallest branches and to encourage new growth that will support flower buds. Summer pruning can be done now (January) which will allow a flush of new growth before autumn. Follow pruning with deep watering. 4. Imbalance of soil nutrients - very likely with Perth's sandy soils (I used to live there). Give the trees a scattering of organic fertiliser and supplement with sulfate of potash (helps promote fruiting) and trace elements. Also seaweed solution. Mulch around the trees with spoiled hay/ straw/ lawn clippings to conserve moisture and improve the soil. Home-grown apricots are well worth a bit of effort so best of luck with your future harvests. 5. Not enough chilling hours. If you live in an increasingly built-up area you will experience a rising "e;urban heat island"e; effect where heat is stored in buildings and hard landscaping and slowly released so your trees may not get enough hours below 7C to stimulate flowering. Climate change is also likely to reduce chilling hours for deciduous fruit. You might be lucky enough to get some fruit following an occasional colder winter but you could also rework your trees to low-chill varieties by grafting suitable material onto the existing rootstock. Could be a fun project. | About the Author Kade Launceston 10th January 2017 12:57pm #UserID: 9526 Posts: 2 View All Kade's Edible Fruit Trees |
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Original Post was last edited: 11th January 2017 1:55pm | |||||||
About the Author Sawyer Sydney 19th January 2017 8:04pm #UserID: 15071 Posts: 6 View All Sawyer's Edible Fruit Trees |
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About the Author Sawyer Sydney 19th January 2017 8:29pm #UserID: 15071 Posts: 6 View All Sawyer's Edible Fruit Trees |
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