"Best" apricot for New England (6b)?

General Fruit Growing
#14

They all bloom too early in west Texas so you might as well try the best eating varieties: Tomcot, Robada, Orangered, and Golden Sweet. Thin them heavily on the yrs they fruit. Don’t water too much before harvest and maybe you can grow some 26 brix Orangered like I grew outdoors this yr. That’s as good as an apricot gets.

1 Like
#15

Thanks. I was hoping you had a late bloomer I hadn’t been able to find.

#16

Oh I’ve got one of those. Sugar Pearl’s from Henry Fields. Supposed to bloom after every other apricot. And the last two yrs that’s been true. It sets lots of flower buds and never blooms. That’s about as late as it gets… in a way… :confused:

1 Like
#17

I knew you’d know. I’ll see what I can find to go with my orangered. Thanks

#18

Mpigg,

I have read the following are late blooming apricots:

Early Blush (mid-late)
Moorpark (mid-late)
OrangeRed (late)
Moniqui white (late)
Zard/ Canadian White Blenheim (late)

#19

I have not found OrangeRed, Moniqui or Early Blush to be appreciably later. Zard, CWB, and Hoyt Montrose are one week later on average. Its not clear how much one week is going to help though.

3 Likes
Late blooming apricots?
#20

@scottfsmith Thanks for sharing your direct observations. Most helpful.

#21

In most years one week will not help in Lubbock (Texas panhandle). However I might as well plant the latest available. Thanks Scott.

1 Like
#22

You get more chilling than I do down here in Alpine but not as much as Amarillo where I grew apricots for 30 yrs. The amount and timing of chilling will affect bloom time. So what happens in one yr or location won’t happen in another. The Sugar Pearls may not be blooming down here due to inadequate chilling. Maybe on a good yr in Lubbock it would. It’s all a crap shoot with apricots.

#23

Did you have any nectarine success in Amarillo?

#24

All this talk of apricots was driving me crazy.

1632×1224 466 KB

It’s a cold dark rainy day here. Craving those sweet liquidy cots-- erp!

1632×1224 513 KB

2 Likes
#25

Harglow is about 5 days later than others in the Har series and I’ve never known it to have a crop survive a frost when others were burned out. Same deal with the Reliant peach and other tastier somewhat hardy varieties, although with the peach it is about winter bud hardiness.

Loring and all its sports are always sold with a warning not to grow them in frost susceptible sites but I’ve never lost a crop from these when others bore well.

I don’t doubt that there is a basis for these warnings but they just haven’t panned out for me.

1 Like
#26

I only remember trying Redgold. During those yrs I didn’t realize the possible quality advantages of nectarines. Were I back there again I’d try things like Harko and Mericrest for hardy types. Also some of the higher chill CA material like Honey Royale and Honey Kist.

#27

Scott, can’t find any info on NJ-21-107. Do you know if rutgers ever named and released it?
Thanks!

#28

I’m not Scott, but I just got mine delivered a week ago from ACN. :grinning: It’s called Ilona and it appears in ACN’s 2017 print catalog. Not sure if it’s listed online yet. I had to call and order.

1 Like
#29

Yup thats it! No Ilona for me this year unfortunately, I was just looking at it and all the blossoms got fried :frowning:

#30

I live about 70 miles north of Lubbock and moorpark , orangered , robada , and tilton have all bloomed. Montrose and sugar pearls have not. Lubbock is enough warmer that some of these might work for you. Tilton is recommended south of Plainview. I have tried a few nectarines and I would not recommend them unless you are prepared to go all out to control thrips.

#31

Neither would bloom here either. At least not so far. I think our winter is too short and not enough chilling.

Every apricot I tried in Amarillo bloomed but too early. Amarillo gets about twice the chilling we do in Alpine. Lots of chilling can be a double edged sword. Too much and things bloom too early, not enough and they may not bloom at all.

Our apples appear to be slow to bloom this yr because the winter was so warm. That could turn out to be good depending on freezes from here on.

#32

Has anyone heard of Iowa or Hardy Iowa apricot? I came across Bob Pruvis’ scion list on his website and saw this variety. His description says that it is a later blooming variety (“later than most”).

I am of course interested because of it providence.

#33

I’ve got something my wive’s family calls an Iowa peach. Sets a ton of little yellow, fuzzy and sweet peaches every year.

1 Like