Apricot is considered the most unpretentious fruit tree that can grow on any garden plot and be its decoration, especially during the flowering period. In such a long-awaited summer season, apricot gives its sweet, juicy and healthy fruits, which are a favorite fruit delicacy for many. Usually the tree bears bountiful harvests, but in rare cases the fruiting process may not start. This happens for various reasons associated with improper care of the fruit crop. Having precisely determined this reason, you can again enjoy the delicious gifts of the apricot tree after a certain time.
Improper care of apricot means insufficient watering and feeding, irregular pruning and prevention against pests and diseases. Comprehensive care is recommended for this fruit crop throughout the year. It is necessary to start saving the tree by identifying the reasons, among which there are the most common.
The main reasons why apricot does not bear fruit
Watering
Apricot does not like an excess of moisture in the soil and stagnant water, as this leads to compaction of the soil. The tree needs a loose and well-permeable soil. With regular precipitation, additional watering is not required for the plant, such natural moisture is quite enough.
Mandatory watering should be in the initial period and during the period of active growth of shoots (approximately in April and May), as well as 10-15 days after the ripening of berries and again around November.
Top dressing
Experienced gardeners recommend using organic fertilizing for young crops, and fertilizers with mineral components are required for full fruiting of trees. It is recommended to apply mineral fertilizing to the soil once a year. This is superphosphate in an amount of about 900 g, ammonium nitrate - about 400 g and potassium chloride - 250 g.
Trimming
A high-quality and plentiful harvest of apricots depends on timely and regular pruning of young shoots that grow from the main skeletal branches. Only shoots that have reached a length of 35 to 50 cm and those that grow inside the crown or vertically are subject to pruning.
Double pruning can also be done, which also contributes to a bountiful harvest. The first is held in early March, and the second in mid-June. After the first pruning, a large number of new shoots with flower buds appear. The second pruning consists of pinching the upper bud on young branches and encourages the growth of shoots, on which flower buds are formed for the next season. They (new shoots) are protected from spring frosts, as they bloom a week or a half later than usual.
If an adult tree has ceased to bear fruit, then it needs anti-aging pruning. In this case, not only new shoots, but also old skeletal branches are subjected to the procedure.
Spring frosts
Night frosts in April-May are often one of the main reasons for the lack of fruiting.Sharp changes in day and night temperatures during apricot flowering lead to the fall of flowers or to their inability to pollinate. Freezing and flowering is, most often, a zero harvest of fruits.
If you try to postpone the flowering period to a later date, then frost can be avoided. The tree will bloom later if:
- Water the trees abundantly in late autumn;
- Tamp snow near the trunks in late February - early March;
- In March, whitewash the trunks using a lime mortar;
- Use smoke;
- Apply auxins.
Auxins are special solutions for spraying fruit trees, which are applied in late autumn and can delay the beginning of flowering by about 7-10 days.
Soil composition and planting site
It is not recommended to grow apricots in an area that is exposed to drafts and sudden gusts of wind. It is also good if at least one more apricot grows nearby, which will become a pollinator tree and will be the guarantor of a regular and abundant harvest.
Full fruiting also depends on the soil on which the fruit trees grow. On a plot of land with apricots, fertile soil with good drainage qualities is required. Air exchange and moisture permeability are its main components. Apricot does not like clay soils, as well as areas with nearby groundwater.
Pests and diseases
Preventive measures in the spring and autumn period will protect the apricot from the invasion of pests and the appearance of diseases, which also cause an irregular harvest. It is recommended to spray crops with Bordeaux liquid (two percent solution).
Regular and proper care of an apricot tree should begin with the purchase and planting of a young seedling and continue throughout its life. Diligence, care and attention to the fruit culture will surely bring a long-awaited bountiful harvest.
