It is interesting that apricots trees I have growing away from my house have holes in their leaves and don’t look particularly healthy, although they don’t usually die- they just don’t bear fruit, whereas the trees I have growing against the east and south walls of my house have healthy leaves and produce fruit generously. The productive parts of the trees are those closest to my white walls.
That could all make perfect sense in that the white walls intensify the sun to dry out and even kill the fungus spores mentioned. The problem is that at other sites nearby, apricot trees remain healthy and productive while growing out in the open, until they suddenly die. No shotholes in their leaves, like my trees get.
I always assumed it was bacterial leaf spot. I’ve never gotten around to submitting a sample to a plant pathologist.
Has anybody attempted to amend their soil with sand or any other planting techniques to improve drainage? This is a common practice by commercial farmers, in my neck of the woods, who grow stone fruit and berries.
I mixed play sands in the soil in the low spots where I planted my fruit trees and no issues so far. We went to Disney World about 9 years ago and all their fruit trees in the green house were grown in white sands and thriving.
Thank You, I can accept that I will have years with crop loss to frost. I’d like to set myself up to minimize that by choosing varieties that have a better shot if possible. Of course they have to have good flavor though. No gain if the fruit isn’t worth eating.
Almost any home grown, tree ripened apricot will be immensely better in flavor than ones you can buy at a store. Lasgerdi Mashhad is excellent anyway. I didn’t try yet Hoyt Montrose but it is generally described as a good fruit.
The Italian apricot variety Ivonne Liverani is described as having good resistance against Monilinia infection. I grafted a couple sticks this year (got them at CRFG scion exchanges in my area). Here are some descriptions.
maiolifruttiantichi.it: Found in the area of Faenza (province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy). Tree of medium vigor and intermediate precocity, high and constant productivity, fruits on spurs and branches. Fruit of medium size, skin orange-yellow, flesh orange and flavorful. For fresh eating. Mid-season ripening, June 15-25. fruttidoro.com: Tree of medium vigor and intermediate precocity. High resistance to monilia (brown rot) and spring frosts. High and constant productivity. Fruits of medium size and ovate shape, skin yellow-orange, flesh orange, sweet, does not store for a long time. Ripens June 20-30.
The study “Breeding programme for Monilinia laxa (Aderh. et Ruhl.) resistance on apricot” (A. Nicotra et al., Acta horticulturae 701:307-311, 2006) found that ‘Ivonne Liverani’ used as a parent produced progenies with the highest percentages of seedlings resistant to brown rot.
“SweetHeart” is the marketing name invented by Stark Brothers, the original name of this variety is “Homedale”. I grafted it last year, will likely have a couple of fruits to try this summer. Here are some descriptions.
Bred by Garfield Shults in Homedale, ID. Patented by Stark Brothers; filed in 1984; patent issued in 1986. Was marketed by Stark Brothers as “Double Delight” and currently sold as “SweetHeart”. Homedale, ID is the current location of Bob Purvis’ orchard.
Patent info: Discovered in 1970 as a chance seedling at Homedale, Idaho; probably a seedling of Wilson Delicious. Extended bloom period; somewhat spring frost tolerant. Tree is very productive, spreading, hardy, and self-pollinating. Medium sized fruit ripens over a relatively long period (up to 14 days) and is juicy, meaty textured, deliciously flavored, and has an orange skin with an attractive bright red blush. Freestone. Sweet kernel. Representative dates of first and last pickings at Homedale, Idaho, are July 12 and July 23. https://www.google.com/patents/USPP5651 (exp. Apr 23, 2004)
Oh yeah? Ever made concrete that way? I’ve read that claim for years and assume that it can be done, but any clay can be altered into a silty or sandy soil- it’s just a matter of how much stuff you are willing to add to your clay.
A home grower with clay soil can change the texture of enough soil to nourish a fruit tree by adding sand and I’ve done it. I’ve converted blue potters clay into a good growing medium with large quantities of sand and compost. The thing is that it’s easier to just make raised mounds of a new soil than blending clay with sand and compost.
However, if you incorporate the clay into the mix, your trees will be better anchored and less prone to blowing over. They will also be better able to withstand periods of drought.
But then, a good top soil on top of a heavy soil would accomplish the same thing with less work.
Sandy soils do produce higher brix fruit than clay soils in the humid regions, simply because they hold less available water.
Me? no, i sadly use portland cement and only use concrete for housing and parking. However i have had to remove it when people added sand and killed there grass and trees. It also depends on what kind of clay, Denver which used to have the brown smog from the brick and concrete making (Coming back thanks to all the transplants) has been used for mining clay for concrete and brick making thanks to our bentonite and montmorollinite clay. The state uses sand in most places to make bike paths and dirt roads, When they hit parts that are not bentonite or montmorollinite they just bring it in add sand and viola! Not all clay becomes concrete, when we get a inch or two of water massive flooding happens, I assume the clay where your at would not do that.
I don’t believe that you live an hour and forty minutes from me and my apricots are 1/4 inch big. Tiny things. So few made it through all of the rain. Same for my peaches. The plums, and pears are excellent right now but in a week, who knows? Could not spray today because of the wind. Will try again tomorrow.
