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Apricot Pollination
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Posted by macd London uk (My Page) on Fri, Feb 24, 06 at 23:11
| I have grown an apricot tree from seed, which flowered late year, before the bees took to the sky. Hand pollination didn’t work and I don’t know why. Flower buds are starting to swell again this year, and I would love to get some fruit. Can anyone please advise? I thought that all apricots were self-fertile. Is that the case? Do I need to use pollen from a different apricot or can I use pollen from a sloe or some other prunus species? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Apricot Pollination
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- Posted by deeds1 the far SWUK-9 (My Page) on
Thu, Mar 2, 06 at 4:39
| Sorry to tell you but not all apricots are self-fertile, and unfortunately the pollen of another prunus species won't do. |
RE: Apricot Pollination
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Could frost have got your flowers shortly afterwards?
I find, after pollinating (with a very soft shaving brush), that I need to protect the blossom from frost because it is so early.
If that doesn't work and if you want to try grafting a recognised self fertile variety onto your tree, let me know - I could do you some cuttings of Farmingdale and/or Moorpark. |
RE: Apricot Pollination
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| The advice and offer of scions is appreciated. I would like to know whether the seedlings can produce good fruit before grafting over. If I dont get reasonable fruit, then they will certainly become rootstock for something like Moorpark. I dont know about the frost. I am sure we had frosty nights at that time, but I dont know if it killed the flowers. I have managed to source some apricot flowers so, I am going to try again in a couple of weeks time.
Apricots are delicious fresh from the tree, but virtualy inedible from the fruitier, making them a very worthwhile crop. Its just a shame that they flower so early. Maybe they are a good crop for polytunnels and blowflies? |
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