I live in Georgia and I’m thinking about growing apricots. I can’t find much information about it. Obviously I know it will be difficult and I won’t get fruit every year, but that is fine.
What I am having problems with is this:
What varieties to try. I am going to try to the Tomcot, which has been recommended. As for other apricots, I have no information. I was thinking about the Golden Sweet, which apparently flowers over a month-long period. I thought that might be a bit of protection in case of late season frost in that it shouldn’t kill all the blossoms. The other one I was thinking about was Brittany Gold whose description says something like “produces where others have failed.” So…like, the Deep South?
A good spray schedule for my area. Obviously I’ll have to spray differently than in California but can’t find any info.
The best apricot guy I know is
Bob Purvis
Purvis Nursery & Orchard
1568 Hill Road
Homedale, ID 83628 Purvisrc@msn.com
I would contact him and see if he has suggestions. Other forum members may have additional ideas. Do you know how to graft?
We have some Georgia growers here will hopefully be able to give more information on apricots in your area. For me it is looking like Tomcot and Hoyt Montrose are the most reliable; the latter is one of the few that made it through a freeze this spring.
I think it is safe to assume that disease issues will be similar to peaches, but that pests may arrive sooner. I have a reliable apricot variety that I grow in NY that is vulnerable to scab- because it blooms so early it also has to be sprayed earlier for it than peaches.
The advantage, of course, is that apricots miss some later pests and even seem too far developed many years to attract plum curculio here by the time they arrive.
Hey there, I’ve been searching the posts for info about growing apricots in the South and came across this. Have you had any luck growing apricots in Georgia? I’m in 7b NC and would love recommendations on varieties. Thanks!
Reviving this old thread. Southern grower here! I’m trialing the following east of Dallas, Texas(8a). Sure hope at least one of them works out! I want a reliable crop of apricots each year!
Tisdale (Found 2 1/2 hours south of me in Belton) 600 chill hours
Peggy(Found in Mineral Wells - 2 hours West of me). 700-800 chill hours
Moorpark - 600 chill hours
Sweetheart - 700 chill hours
Royal - 400-500 chill hours
I’m only a year in so nothing to report other than Tisdale, Peggy, and Moorpark are alive while Sweetheart and Royal are on their way from Legg Creek. Hopefully some other growers see this thread. This forum has been an amazing source for various other fruits. Older threads like this end up being invaluable.
I would think that what you need are tree covers and a bunch of incandescent lamps to keep your cots from freezing when you get frosts in Feb and March! My ant lives in Dallas and she has almost never eaten any cots from her 7 yrs old tree, because of late freezes/frosts.
I am in zone 7a southern middle TN… and did my best to find a variety that would work for my location…
Like you not expecting it to be a dependable fruit producer year after year… but more like having the HOPE of getting some in good years.
I planted a moor park apricot last spring and it grew nicely… seems to be happy in my food forest bed… hope to at least see blooms this spring… if i do get fruit in the next couple years… well that is the HOPE. Waiting patiently.
North TX here. I have Peggy, Tisdale and Chinese/Mormon in ground. Planted last winter. So far so good. No buds opened during our first false spring last week. Wondering if any these taste good enough for the hassle.
I know this is a old thread but I wanted to chime in. I have a 6 year old Tisdale. I am in North Texas zone 8a. The past 3 years it has bloomed but has never set fruit. This year for the first time I have one fruit on the tree. I honestly believe this particular variety needs a pollinate (even though it was listed as self pollinating). I think the only reason I got this one fruit set is because last year I grafted another apricot (that graft has 4 apricots set on it) to my frankenstein tree and a bee went to flowers on it then back to the Tisdale.
I kept my more park apricot 3 years here… it did ok year 1… but late June when the heat came on it dropped many leaves except for at the limb tips. Then the rest of the season… it survived but never flourished.
The first two springs it put out 2 or 3 blossoms… but no fruit set.
It did that leaf drop thing each year and never really grew any. Third spring… no blossoms and leaf drop again… it got the axe.
Next spring … going to graft some spring satin plumcot onto my plum trees… may be as close to an apricot as i can get (hopefully).
I have put out a Moorpark this year in northern FL, 8b. It grew well, about 5 feet, no leave drop in summer. But new growth died back in the spring with a frost end of March. I figure the biggest problem is going to be late frosts
I wonder whether early leaf drip is not so uncommon with apricots.
I have a Tropic Gold going on about 5 years. It’s bloomed a few years but never set fruit. It’s not a good example perhaps as it’s in a horrible sun location and has some low bark damage.
Regardless this tree also has exhibited leaf drop really early a few years. Strangely after this unbelievably hot and dry summer here is holding it’s leaves well in line with my other fruit trees.
So I don’t know what the deal is. Perhaps others can report if this is an apricot thing.
What variety are you growing? I tried Dorma (looks ok in first year) and Heritage. Also ordered Caroline from Ison, but got a pink fruiting variety- not sure what that is, not Caroline. Everything besides Dorma died in the heat of the summer.
Hopefully some other growers see this thread. This forum has been an amazing source for various other fruits. Older threads like this end up being invaluable.