Wow, it's loaded! Let us know if the bird scare technique works, birds are my nemesis....

Kevin

Kev I use the bird scare every year have been for about 20 years. Works well for me. I only use it when needed so the birds don't get use to it. Soon as the apricot is done I will remove the scare and it will be used a again for the plum. Then the grapes and so on.

Nice looking tree Campy. Looks like a good year for Apricots.

Here in the valley mine have already ripened and been picked. This coming Fall planting season I'm thinking of planting two additional varieties of Apricots. They just seem to bear fruit early and heavy. With three trees I can stretch the harvest season from early May through late August.

What type of apricot is that? Katy? Sunkiss? I have both, but only my Katy has fruit on it and they are no where near to being ripe.

I was thinking of asking Campy the same question. Campy what variety is your tree?

Mine is a Royal Blenheim.

Sorry guys, I usually save all labels but not this one. The house was almost finished when we planted the bare root trees and everything was so crazy. Wish I had a name to give you, just know its an early bloomer for here and it came from HD or Walmart.

I didn't know apricots grew well here? Do they grow well in the valley though with our crazy heat.

I don't know toucan. I live in East Mesa and it gets pretty hot here. It produced a lot of fruit this year and I expect 2-3 times as much next year. I think apricots do just fine. This Fall planting season I plan to pull two plums and plant two more apricots.

Royal Blenheim planted November 2011.

{{gwi:404257}}
{{gwi:404256}}
{{gwi:404255}}
{{gwi:404254}}
{{gwi:404253}}

Toucan,

There are several varieties that do very well here. Royal Blenheim, Tropic Gold, Katy, and Flavor Delight (which is technically an "aprium," but essentially is an apricot from all appearances). The trees seem to take the sun and heat better than a lot of other stuff that I've grown. In fact, my trees are so overloaded with fruit, I don't bother protecting them anymore. I just have way too much, unlike my plums.

You all got me real interested in an apricot tree. What is the very best tasting one. I don't have room at all, but will try to make room for one. The store bought ones are never that good is one ripened on the tree.

Up date----- Not one bird peak- Made Apricot jam today . Using my dehydrator in garage at the moment with 5 levels full its a 24hr dry. Its in the garage because it creates too much heat
Not much into cobbler ---so what else

Apricots do well here (in Maricopa Co.) because we have little late frost and they are early fruit (usually May over by June) before the heat. Need cultivars with only 300 chills or less, though in some areas and where they are planted the 350 chills (ex: Tropic Gold) and 400 chills (ex: Royal, Blemheim) can be productive. Any fruit ripening in July-Sept is dicey here.

If you are only planting one I would probably go with the Flavor Delight aprium mentioned or Gold Kist apricot on Nemagard. As always, even self fruitful varieties do better with a companion cross pollinator.

Never heard of Sunkist???? If I had a big yard and was adventurous I'd plant Chinese, Hunza, OrangeRed and Robada apricots. They may or may not do well here (experimental), but they are new enough that their chill hours are not firmly established. But plenty of people said Blemheim would do horribly here and ahem they were wrong.

I agree! I have a Gold Kist and a Blenheim and they are both doing very well up here at the North end of the Valley and had a little fruit off of each (they are very young trees just planted this Feb.). Don't know why but I seem to have better luck with buying locally be it big-box stores or mom and pop nurseries rather then spending more for mail-order trees. Perhaps they have a little time to get acclimated at the local garden center...