How to Grow Apricot
Apricot At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Tree Fruit
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -23°C
Plant Family
Rosaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Buy a young grafted apricot tree and plant it in early spring while it is still dormant (bare branches, no leaves), about 4 weeks before your last frost. Pick a variety bred for cold winters, and give it the warmest, most sheltered sunny spot you have, like the south side of a wall. Most apricots pollinate themselves, so one tree is enough, and it starts fruiting in about 3 years.
Apricots flower very early in spring, so a late frost can kill the blossoms and with them the year's fruit. That is why the sheltered spot matters most, and why it helps to cover the tree with an old sheet on frosty nights while it is in flower. If few bees are about during that early bloom, dab each flower with a small soft paintbrush to spread the pollen.
When To Start
Apricot needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Apricot?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Apricot Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Apricot Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant your apricot tree in a warm, sheltered, sunny spot
30 days before your last frost
Prune your apricot now, in summer, on a dry day
90 days after your last frost· every year
Cover apricot blossoms with a sheet on frosty nights
1 week before your last frost· every year· optional
Look for ripe apricots: fully orange and sweet smelling
110 days after your last frost· every year
Water your new apricot plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Hello from your apricot check-in! Keep the soil evenly moist, never soggy, while the roots settle in.
About 30 days after you plant it
Your apricot tree has had a few months to settle. A ring of mulch around the base, a hand's width from the trunk, keeps roots cool.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Apricot's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
400 cm
Plant Spacing
500 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
Yes: Fan.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Plant your apricot in full sun, at least 8 hours a day, out of cold winds.
- 2Give it deep, well-drained soil with compost mixed in, since its roots rot in soggy ground, and leave about 4 m of space around it.
- 3Water deeply every week or two through the first summers, and whenever the fruit is swelling in dry weather.
- 4Spread compost or worm castings around the tree each spring, keeping it a hand's width from the trunk.
- 5When the fruits are the size of a marble, thin them so they sit about 10 cm apart, for bigger fruit and stronger branches.
- 6Prune in summer, on a dry day, so the cuts heal fast and diseases have less chance to get in.
- 7The pits, leaves and stems are poisonous to people and pets, so never eat the kernels inside the pits and keep pets from chewing them.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
400 cm
Mature Height
400 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
14 days
When to Pick
Pick when fully coloured, fragrant and slightly soft; they bruise easily
How to Harvest
- 1Apricots are ripe when they are fully orange, smell sweet and give slightly when you squeeze them gently.
- 2Hold each fruit in your palm, then lift and twist it gently so it comes away without its stem.
- 3Check the tree every day or two, since the fruit ripens over a week or two.
- 4Handle them carefully, as they bruise easily, and lay them in a single layer.
- 5Eat them within a few days, or keep them in the fridge for up to a week.
- 6Halve and pit any extras to freeze, dry or turn into jam.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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