The Best Times to Transplant Apricots

Transplanting Time

• The best time to transplant is during early spring in the northern and eastern regions of the country. When transplanting in areas with mild winters, such as California, you can transplant the tree as late as the fall. Choose a dormant, bare-root, 1-year-old tree for transplantation.

Site and Soil

• The site and soil is just as important as the right time when transplanting apricot trees. Apricots grow best in well-drained, loose soil. Improve soil fertility by adding damp peat moss or compost to the original soil in enough quantity so that half of the mixture remains the original soil. Plant the tree in an area of full sun for best growth. In regions with very cold winters, plant on the north side of the house. This will help the trees warm later in spring and the later-appearing blooms will be less prone to spring frost damage.

Tree Traits

• Select a site that will allow the tree to develop without being cramped. Since trees are self fertile, two trees are not required for pollination. Apricot trees have a mature height of 20 to 30 feet and an average lifespan of about 75 years. Trees generally start to produce fruit three or four years after transplanting with standard sized trees producing three to four bushels of fruit and dwarf varieties producing about two bushels.

Pruning

• Prune apricots trees regularly to allow light and air into the inner tree area. Regular pruning also helps to maintain height for easy harvesting. The tree bears most of the fruit on the 1- to 3-year-old spurs that resemble short branchlets. The recommended time to prune to attain good shape is between late winter and early spring just after flowering but before the growth of foliage.