Growing Apricots - Zone 6a

We have a Goldcot and Sungold. They bloom about the same time in mid March. However, we haven’t had any fruit yet nor do we have any expectations of fruit here in z5… will probably get some at some point. The one concelation is that appricots are probably one of the best looking fruit trees you can grow. The blooms in the spring, the large green leaves in summer, and irredecent yellow/orange foilage in fall are staggering. Peach trees in comparison always look sad and droopy for some reason. Appricots on the other hand are stunning and make a terrific landscaping tree.

I think you are in for a treat with those trees you have.

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I am just north of Chicago. This is mostly Zone 6 (the “a” and “b” that everyone differentiates is an illusion in my opinion), in a few winters dipping into Zone 5, that is below -10° F., for one or two nights. My location is only 1/4 mile from the west shore of Lake Michigan, which I suppose tempers some of the late frosts, but surely not all of them. As someone posted, you have to be willing to put up with some failures. My Sweetheart gives fruit more than half the years, and I am willing to put up with that. Your biggest enemy is late frost (not frigid dips in January), but by all means take measures against plum curculio,which can break your heart by ruining the entire crop after it sets successfully after the last frost.

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