As you may recall, Hurricane Hilary took out my apricot tree last week. Yes, I’m still a bit miffed about it. You may also recall as I wrote in the post about the medicinal uses of peaches, we had a bunch of volunteer peach trees spring up earlier this year. I transplanted most of them to the fenced orchard. And they got me to wondering whether apricot trees could also be started from seed. It seemed logical.
So I did a little searching online. Growing trees from the seed is quite simple. And with apricot trees running $35-75 online, it seems the only way to go. Fortunately, a friend has two trees in her yard and was happy to let me come get some. I now have several dozen apricots that are waiting to become trees.
I found a few sources for growing fruit trees from seed. The general instructions are the same, with slight differences among the three sites. Be sure to start several seeds for each tree that you want to end up with.
How to germinate apricot seeds
1. Get some apricots. Ideally, get apricots from a locally grown tree, since it is more likely to grow in your zone. Eat the fruit. Do not throw away the pits.
2. Squeeze the apricot pit with a nutcracker. Do so gently (how do you crack a nut gently, pray tell?) The kernel inside—it actually looks like an almond—must not be damaged.
3. Place the apricot kernels (you are doing more than one, right?) on a damp, not dripping paper towel. Fold up the towel, enclosing the kernels inside, and place it in a Ziploc bag. Label.
4. Place the bag in a warm, dark place. (Alternately, another source asserts that the seeds must be stratified for 60 days. I’ll be trying both and report results.)
5. Check the seeds in about one month.
Plant the apricot seeds
6. Once the seeds have germinated, prepare the pots for planting.
7. Fill the pots with potting soil and make a small indentation for the germinated seed.
8. Place the seed in the hole with the roots down.
9. Cover lightly with soil and water thoroughly.
10. Place the pots where they will get at least six hours of direct sunlight per day.
11. Keep the soil moist, watering about every few days.
12. Transplant the seedlings to larger pots when the seedlings have four sets of true leaves.
Plant the trees
When your apricot trees are at least 18” tall, it’s time to set them in their permanent locations. Keep in mind that apricot trees grow quite tall, so you’ll want to place them where they will have plenty of room to spread. Their blossoms are frequently killed by late frosts, so if at all possible set them in a warm area of the yard to maximize production even when the climate is not conducive.
Links to related posts:
References:
https://gardenseason.com/growing-apricots-from-seeds/
https://www.homefortheharvest.com/how-to-grow-apricot-from-seed/
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/apricots/growing-an-apricot-from-a-pit.htm
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