apricot trees

[brakedancer]

my old apricot trees finally died off 3 years ago and 2 years ago I replaced them with new ones out of a catalog company and they didn't make it though last winter..I am looking for something larger that a sapling..

does anyone know of a nursery that carries nice apricot trees..

thanks

[Nainoa]

I haven't personally bought their apricot trees... But every fruit tree/bush/root/berry, I've ever bought from Stark Bros [Note from admin: Your post has been edited. Please read forum policy before posting again. Thank you.] has been great...

The only time I've had things die from them was due to my own underestimation of the tenacity of rabbits!

[BLACKJACK]

Are you checking to make sure they're zone 4 trees??

Looked at that web site, they do have some zone 4 apricots and peaches but I'd still be leery of buying from them, I like to get trees from the same latitude as I'm in. For that kind of price, go talk to your local nursery, they could probably order you some that are winter hardy in your area.

[Powerstroke]

Are you checking to make sure they're zone 4 trees??

For that kind of price, go talk to your local nursery, they could probably order you some that are winter hardy in your area.

+1!!

A big concern, and last year was a perfect example, is whether certain fruit trees are winter hardy here. Talk to someone local about varieties that are hardy enough. Also the arboretum may have some suggestions for you.

[reinhard1]

i've got a few apple, pear, and plum but apricot's? guess i never thought they would grow here at all. this does interest me. so do you actualy get fruit on these trees, and if so can you also grow peaches as well here in this state? thanks. good luck.

[flipper]

No peaches, apricots yes. My neighbor has one that does well.

[Dotch]

I have a peach tree going on year 3, if it makes it through its 2nd winter. We shall see. I have my peach baskets and crates on order just in case. Reputedly there are some trees that bear in Waseca just up the road from Bugtussle. My Dad had a couple apricot trees when I was growing up, a Sungold and Moongold and they bore fruit about 1 in 10 years. They typically bloom so early there are few bees out or the flowers got frozen off. Still, it's fun to monkey with some of this stuff and see if you can get by with it. Here's a U of M guide for variety selection and some of the same bad news I just wrote.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1125.html

I don't know the location of brakedancer but they are available in Owatonna at a nursery on the east side of town. PM me for the name. I have had good success with their trees growing well. Of course sticking 16 year old composted sheep manure in the hole, it's hard to screw it up.

[brakedancer]

yes mine were sungold and moongold and one produced fruit every year for about 20 years the other only produced fruit a couple times ..always flowered but very seldom produced fruit..and towards the last years limbs were slowly dieing off... My wife made jams and I even made a batch of wine..they were very good eating as we could pick them when they were ripe as opposed to picked green and shipped here from Chile or California

So back to my orginal question..does anyone know of any nursery that handles them?

[brakedancer]

guess I should have said nurseries in the west metro area...the nursery where I originally bought the trees is now out of business..

[flipper]

Dotch, have you seen these mythical peach trees in Wasqueaka?

[reinhard1]

there seems to be two types of peaches that may produce fruit in Minnesota. contender and reliance. check out ramsey gardners site... good luck.

[Dotch]

I have not personally seen them flipper but know of other oddball trees (or is it oddballs with trees?) there that are out of their "comfort zone". It wouldn't surprise me. Because of the shelter even in metropolitan Bugtussle on a day like today, it feels a lot warmer in town than it does out at the ranch.

We had the same problem breakdancer. One of the trees finally bought it after dying back over several years. Then of course we were done. The few times they did bear, we'd get a 5 quart pail or so. Mom made some awesome jam out of them. Living in the country in a relatively open spot in those days made them more prone to problems. That and the winters then were longer and downright brutal as opposed to what we've experienced more recently. At least they sure seemed that way.

Update: Took a look at the peach tree this noon and preliminary indications are that it is alive. Scraping off the bark on some twigs with a knife in a few small spots revealed green tissue below. Easy winter so I am hoping it's OK.