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Pruning an apricot tree - how and when

General    Lausanne, Switzerland

I'm attaching an image of a young apricot tree, and I've indicated where I would prune the tree. Am I doing this right, or overdoing it? It's very hard to find clear information out there.

Also, the timing of the pruning is not clear. Most sources say you should prune when the tree when dormant. However, on http://extension.usu.edu/files/public... I've found the following:

"Apricots bloom very early; consequently, all or most of the flowers or young fruits are
frequently killed by frost. Delaying pruning until after bloom may be advisable with apricots."


This doesn't appear to make sense - why would it advisable to delay pruning, when the flowers and fruits will likely be killed anyways?


Posted by: deactivated (25 points) deactivated
Posted: March 30, 2013




Answers

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Is your plant against a wall, so you are espaliering it? Here is a site for a tree pruned according to that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espalier It doesn't talk specifically about apricots, but it may be helpful to you. One thing you don't want, are limbs laying across each other, for they will rub when they get bigger and allow a place for bugs/diseases to enter. Make sure inbetween cutting of limbs, that you dip your pruners into 10% bleach, 90% water mixture, so you don't move any unknow pathogens around. This is good to do for every limb, but even more importantly, when you go to a different tree.
Wanted to add that you can prune after it blooms, that way you will know where the fruit is and prune accordingly, but most people prune in the fall when dormant or early (feb/mar, here in N. Idaho) before it sets out leaves..


Posted by: Angie Lee Morrow (18 points) Angie Lee Morrow
Posted: April 16, 2013




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