By Mowerman
East Sussex coast, United Kingdom
Pollinating Apricot tree. I have a small standard Apricot tree growing in a pot which has been over-wintered in a greenhouse.
The blossom is now beginning to appear. Does the blossom need to be pollinated to produce fruit which will necessitate moving the tree outside?
Many thanks
- 17 Mar, 2021
Answers
Can you in fact use the tree's own pollen? I thought it had to be from another compatible tree, difficult so early as no others will be in bloom?
17 Mar, 2021
In my experience, most apricots are self fertile, though a few require a different variety blooming nearby at the same time, and all will bear more heavily if pollinated with a different kind.
Putting it outside for pollination will only work if the bees in your neighborhood are awake, though! :)
18 Mar, 2021
yes you can use the same flowers from the same tree. an elderly neighbour has an apricot in his conservatory and he uses the a paint brush method and gets a reasonable number of fruits. he also mists the blossom with a warm water spray. he insists it helps the fruit to set.
18 Mar, 2021
You use same flowers from same tree as SBG says, a small paint brush does the job
Your tree makes me envious, mine is outside in the soil and is a disgrace, due to peach leaf curl it is more like dead sticks and is on borrowed time until I get rid of it
18 Mar, 2021
Oops sorry - was thinking of apples...Hope you get some fruit!
18 Mar, 2021
I would go along with the brush for cross-pollination. I would also keep the tree in your greenhouse for another couple of months if possible. Silverleaf can be a problem with apricots and is often transferred onto the tree with rain splashing from the soil to the tree leaves.
18 Mar, 2021
yes you will need to pollinate the flowers if you want fruit.
either put it outside during the day and let the insects do it for you [bring it in on a night especially if frost predicted or get a soft paint brush and go round each flower with pollen from different flowers.
17 Mar, 2021