So…does anyone in the north have this issue with trees planted in soil that drains well or an arid site that doesn’t get runoff water? I have a dry slope that is already dedicated to peaches and nects. I was planning on making room for an apricot. If I can’t keep one alive there, then there isn’t much hope for an in-ground tree.
Yes, what I’m saying is cambium cells too full of water are prone to rupture- the hardening off process is entirely about shuttling water out of vulnerable cells. But you know that.
@Palmer @mamuang peach will be your best bet. Apricot on American plum is 100% failure always. Myro 29C is a good rootstock and probably my favorite is Manchurian apricot. I’ve grafted some on Myro 29C this winter. Several died. It’s supposed to be 100% compatible.
I’d say stick with peach and apricot seedling/Manchurian apricot if you can.
Dax
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Peach seedling for cot is problematic because of peach tree borers. I often forget to look out for them on apricots because most varieties I have are on myro, but the CA nursery I get Tomcot from grafts it on peach. Where borers are an issue, I see no reason to use peach over myro, which is also more adaptable to various soil conditions.
Absolutely agree. Excellent point, Alan.
Dax
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Just wanted to thank everyone for their contributions on this thread, it has turned in to a great one. This is a perfect example of what I love about this whole web site. I (or anyone else) can post about a problem, and suddenly we have experts who offer insights and possible explanations of the problem, as well as more novice fruit growers who share their own experience and confirm that this isn’t just happening to me. Both are equally helpful.
My experience is exactly like many of yours. My apricots started off great this spring and leafed out to about 1/2 inch or so, then everything wilted and the trees died-just like many of you. We did have a VERY wet spring, so that could be it from what you guys are saying. But some of the diseases linked also sound remarkably similar to what happened to my trees, so I’m reading up on those.
@Bradybb - To answer your question about the other link someone gave me, I should have posted it…here it is:
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So they can find a peach trunk without the canopy? I got the impression they go to the canopy first, then crawl down to the trunk.
I often see people talking about Manchurian Apricot as root stock but rarely if ever hear anything about the fruit they make. Is it any good at all for fresh eating? Are they close in size to other ap’s? Thanks Dax
No, they do find the base- it has been a problem at more than one site for me- now I know to check the base of the Tomcots I manage with peach roots.
Interesting point, though. Amazing they can find that little bit of exposed peach wood- perhaps if I planted the trees below the graft line it would solve the problem. Unfortunately my production methods in the nursery make that very difficult.
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Only based on what I’ve read is it’s edible but not great. There is a chance thru cultivation you may come upon a very good tasting one, however, not all that likely.
Dax
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I might have a puget gold tree that is showing some issues …definite damage showing up (lots of grafts on it)…Satsuma branches look horrible.
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Reviews online make the manchus’ taste sound lackluster.
Saint Lawrence Nursery of upstate NY claims it has found a naturalized strain of manchurian worth eating. They call it Adirondack Gold. (They found it in the Adirondacks, of all places). I almost bought it, but wavered as no one else has mentioned if it is any good.
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I just had three peaches and one apricot die suddenly despite trying to bloom. No girdling at all, no canker that I’m aware of. I pruned my stonefruit at the end of March, it wasn’t supposed to rain but ended up raining the very next day quite a bit. Any connection?
My trees are on a nice slope but my soil is clay.
Also, one of my peaches but and one apricot had a major limb die back but the tree is still alive. Will it succumb to this sudden death next year if only a limb died now, or they might be okay?
If your orchard is in Westport that is surprising. I’ve often had cots die that were similarly protected from drastic temp swings by large bodies of water, but not peaches. Rain after pruning in not likely related- I prune during and before rain every time it rains in my seasons of constant pruning- my first pruning season runs from mid-Dec into April and the second starts in July and continues through Sept, although the second doesn’t require me to actually ever prune during precip, but hours preceding it.
Bob, I an not that far away from you, and I can grow the trees just fine. My latest trees are in fourth and fifth leaf. I have a harder time hsnging on to the fruit!
Hi, I’m in Waterport, not Westport. But Lake Ontario is right next to me. They were my two largest peaches (3 yrs old) and one was only in the ground one year. I have a 3 year old nectarine right next to it that is perfectly fine. If nobody knows the cause how can I prevent it?? 
Could variety be the problem? What died was a Peentau, a Babcock and the small one was Indian Free. Out of 15 apricot trees the only sudden death was the Blenheim (despite the bad reviews in my climate I still wanted to try the fruit).
What was your low temp of winter? That is likely when damage actually occurred. I know that in favored areas up there some commercial apricot production occurs.
I don’t really remember the record low, and am struggling to find it online too. I don’t recall it going below -5 before wind chill which was due to that bomb cyclone that occurred this year. Definitely nothing over -10 but I doubt it got that low. When I pruned in late March there’s wasn’t any dead wood. So frustrating
You can go to the weatherunderground website. Put in you city and state. Then, they have chioces of forecast, Today, 10 days, Hourly, Calendar, History. It is the CalendarA category that you can put in your location, month and year, it will give your the forecast of that time.
I don’t believe damaged cambium shows dead wood until spring.
I had a few dead peach trees from lows here between -10 and 13. However they were not known to be hardy varieties. What varieties did you lose?