Apricots love sunlight, grow well on different soils, but it is better to plant them in well-aerated, fertile areas, but they poorly develop on soil with high acidity.
The tree is windy and drought-resistant, at the place of cultivation, salinization of the soil and stagnation of moisture should be avoided, in a suitable area, seedlings develop very quickly. Unsuitable for planting apricot lowlands, where cold air stagnates.
The place is chosen well-lit by the sun during the day - the apricot for the season should get the maximum amount of heat, this will give them the opportunity to survive the winter period without any problems.
Apricot planting dates
Like other stone fruit crops, it is better to plant apricot in the spring before the buds begin to swell (this period in most regions begins in April). During autumn planting, seedlings often die from frost, especially if there is little snow, due to the weak development of the root system.
How to choose a seedling
For planting, annual plants with lateral branches that are evenly distributed along the trunk are better suited. It is not necessary to plant seedlings with sharp angles of emergence and with shoots formed from adjacent buds. Such branches can subsequently break off under the weight of the fruit, which can cause the death of trees.
Landing and care
The culture planting scheme is 5 x5 m, 2-3 weeks before planting, it is necessary to prepare a planting pit, dig it 60-80 cm wide and 40-50 cm deep, fill it with fertile soil, with fertilizers (500 g superphosphate, 400 g sulfate potassium and 1 bucket of manure). When planting, the root neck of the plant cannot be sprinkled with earth, it should be 5-7 cm higher than the soil (when watering, the soil will settle slightly, as a result, the root neck will drop to the required level).
After planting a seedling, it is necessary to make a hole for irrigation by pouring a small roller around the circumference, after which it is good to water (at least 1 bucket of water per plant). Even if it will rain or cold weather, it is necessary to water the planted seedling - wet soil well eliminates the cavities formed between the roots, which significantly improves the survival rate of the plant.
Apricot Care
The first 2 years, the trunk circle should be mulched with rotted manure, thin sawdust, or peat. It is important to carefully and often loosen the soil in the near-stem circle, preventing the soil crust from forming and weeds to grow. Further care consists of feeding seedlings and watering.
It is not necessary to form a crown for an apricot seedling, it will form on its own. In the early years, an apricot planted in a suitable place and with good care can grow more than 1 m during the season. To prevent individual branches from growing naked, they are shortened by 1/3 of the length. After the appearance of the fruits, the active growth of the tree subsides. After that, it will only be necessary to trim the injured and dry branches.
Watering apricots
Although this crop is drought-resistant, it is still difficult to grow apricot without regular watering. The tree suffers greatly from dry wind and moisture-free air.
The first time to water the plant - you need it as soon as possible, it is carried out before the formation of inflorescences.
This has a beneficial effect on the development of apricot, increases the number of leaves and ovaries, forms the necessary moisture reserve.
Another watering is necessary immediately after flowering.
This improves the filling of the fruits and accelerates their ripening, improves their taste, and contributes to the accumulation of sugars.
The last watering is carried out in the second decade of August.
Apricots do not require autumn and winter watering - it will increase the vegetation period of the plant, the shoots will not have time to fully sleep and the tree will not have time to prepare for wintering.
Apricot cultivation will be successful if you properly care for the seedlings, feed them on time.
Apricot tree dressing
Apricot grows quickly and bears fruit well, if the site has the required amount of macro and trace elements.
It is only necessary to take into account that nitrogen (especially if it is in excess) will increase the vegetation period, potassium will decrease it, phosphorus activates the formation of flower buds.
If you feed the plant with a nitrogen-phosphorus mixture, then the ovaries on the branches will become more.
Phosphorus-potassium top dressing reduces the acidity of the soil, increases the amount of vitamins, and makes the color of the fruits better.
It is advisable to carry out 3 mineral dressings during the warm period, in the first decade of June with nitrogen containing compounds, in the first decade of July with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus compounds (nitroammophoska is suitable), in the first decade of August with potassium and phosphorus containing nitrogen compounds time should not be given to plants.
How to grow apricot from seed
Best for this are suitable seeds from apricot trees growing in your area. As a result, plants adapted to your climate, soil characteristics, unpretentious will grow.
Attention! Parental qualities are rarely inherited. But after sowing the seeds, you can get seedlings that are better than their parents in taste and size of the fruit.
Bones can be planted in 3 terms, in the summer - after the fruits ripen, they are washed well and, without drying, sown in the ground. A bed with crops in summer and autumn is regularly watered. In autumn, seeds are planted until October 10, so you do not have to store the seeds in the refrigerator or wet sand. You can dry them a little in the room or in the shade, not completely dried, put in a plastic bag and so contain the necessary time at room temperature. Before planting, they are soaked for 2 days in cold water.
For sowing in the spring, seeds must first be stratified. To do this, they are soaked on March 8-10 for 4-5 days, every day, changing the water. After that, the seeds are sprinkled with important sand (1: 3) and wrapped in polyethylene, the package is placed on a shelf in the refrigerator. Bone preparation lasts 40-100 days, depending on their maturity and variety. During this time, the bone cracks and a seedling begins to break through, at which time they need to be planted in the ground. If they hatch too early, then they must be moved to a place where the temperature is maintained from 0 to minus 2 degrees.
Sowing apricot kernels
A plot is prepared for sowing in a place well-lit by the sun, soil - rich in humus, seasoned with complex fertilizer.
Sowing is carried out to a depth of 6-7 cm, the seeds are placed according to the scheme 10 × 50 cm, before the start of work, the sowing grooves moisturize well.
After sowing, the bed should be mulched with compost or humus. Before the first seedlings appear, the soil is watered, weeds are removed and loosened regularly.
During the summer period, seedlings are fed 2 times with a solution of bird droppings, cow manure or urea.
With good care for the season, apricot seedlings have time to grow, and prepare for winter, in the spring they are planted in a permanent place.
