Patio Apricot

Hello everyone, I am a newbie here. I have ordered a dwarf apricot tree ( 1 metre ) 'suitable for container growing' on a patio, has anybody tried these? If so any tips? It is from a reliable/well known UK horticultural supplier and I think the variety is called Champion

 

Not personally grown dwarf apricot but sold a few, feedback in this part of the wold (lancashire) mixed, but bear in mind last few summers have been poor. In a hot sheltered spot in a good year I believe they do well, (even plants we had knocking a bout in too small a pot and not particularly well tendered gave a few fruit the last decent summer (three long years ago). They are susesptable to peach leaf curl, this is fungal infection tranferred during spring rainfalll, keep the rain of untill blossom has gone and you should be ok, cold greenhouse or shelter of some sort is needed. Plant in a mix of Johhn innes 3 and multipurpose compost in a bout a 10 inch pot, and refresh the compost ervery two or three years. Good luck you possibly ont get tons of apricots each year but they will taste great!

 

Thank you ! So should I keep it in the greenhouse until the flowers have gone ( and it gets warmer ) and then it would be ok in the sun on the patio until Winter comes again ( boo ) ?

 

yep....its not that it needs the heat of the greenhouse (although it certanly wont hurt) its just a good wa of keeeping the rain and therefore peach leaf curl away.

 

Ok will do, and thanks :thumb:

 

I've never grown apricot either, but tend to think it cant be much different to peach, which I have grown for some time.

My thoughts are that it needs a protected spot due to the early flowering.
I tend to think that any half decent summer should be OK for them in the UK.

Peach leaf curl?
Dont mention Peach leaf curl.:(

 

Thank you Pete.

Mmmm peaches, now there's a thought

 

I've grown dwarf apricots in tubs twice. Both times they lasted 2 yrs, then they started leaking sap and died.:( After research, it appears it's some type of fungal infection.
They are self-fertile but not self-pollinating. They flower very early so there are no pollinating insects about. I used to hand pollinate them:wink:. I did get a decent crop from them.
To try to make them flower a little later you could try planting them in a West facing position.
I've never heard of Peach Leaf Curl affecting them:skp: and I was growing them on a patio with peaches/nectarines that were severely affected by PLC. In my research into why they died, no authority mentioned PLC. If the leaves curl up check the underside to see if it's insect damage.
They grow very "bushy" and are susceptible to being blown over in our, much too frequent, summer gales. Try using wide bottomed pots or weighing them down with something. Maybe gravel in the base or slabs on top of the pots.:wink:
I'm trying patio cherries this year.
Hope you have better luck than I did.:gnthb:

 

Oops. PLC can affect Apricots.:o It just doesn't make them bleed sap.

 

Thank you, Im getting some really useful info here :thumb:

 

Well time has passed since this thread and the Apricot has grown loads. It has flowered and I hand pollinated it with a small make up brush. It now has several well formed fruit growing. Only thing Ive noticed is that it has made lots of large leaves and quite a few of the older ones are falling off. Did you find this at all? I have also seen a small dribble of red liquid on the main stem. Hope this isnt the fungus infection you spoke of