The article describes how to properly grow an apricot tree from a stone on your own. Step by step instructions with video. Growing an apricot tree in your garden is not entirely difficult if you only live in the southern part of Russia. If you live in the middle lane, it will be difficult, but possible. In Ukraine, in the central and southeastern part, apricots grow without problems. This is all due to the fact that apricot (read about the benefits of apricot) is a tree from the Rosaceae family and is considered an Asian fruit, it loves warmth and is afraid of severe frosts. But in order to achieve yields, you should choose a suitable variety that grows in your region, then there will be more chances. When growing apricot from stone, you should be aware that the tree may not retain the characteristics of this variety. For a better result, it is advised to plant a tree. Then the harvest will be guaranteed.
For growing you need:
- Apricot pits;
- Humus;
- Chernozem;
- River sand;
- Wood ash;
- Pot or box for germinating seeds.
Option number 1: immediately sow seeds in the ground
Stage 1: choosing an apricot kernel
The first thing a gardener needs to know is that you need to sow an apricot only in the fall, even better late. Now you need to find a couple of ripe fruits in order to extract the seeds from them. Apricots should, as I wrote above, choose only the variety that grows in your area. You should also choose ripe, large and undamaged fruits. Now you need to soak the bones in water at room temperature for one day.
Stage 2: sowing
Sow in an elevated area of the garden in a sheltered area free from cold drafts. To do this, dip one seed at a time into the ground to a depth of six centimeters. The distance between seedlings should be at least 10 cm. Plant at least 10 pieces at once. After all, not all will sprout.
Option number 2: germinate in a pot
This option is preferable, since we wake up to grow a plant at home, and after 6-8 months we plant a small tree. Another plus is that in the summer it will be possible to find excellent ripe apricots, which will serve as planting material.
Stage 1: preparation
To do this, three months before mid-spring, fresh apricot seeds must be rinsed under warm water and placed in a basin with water and potassium permanganate. All bones that surfaced should be thrown away. We leave the remaining planting materials in water with manganese for one day. Then we soak all the bones in new warm water without potassium permanganate for 10 days. The water should be replaced with fresh water daily.
Stage 2: planting in a pot
Now we are preparing a small pot for the future apricot. Pour a wet layer of washed river sand on the bottom to half of the vessel, on which put several seeds (the more, the better) at a short distance, then cover everything with the rest of the sand layer. Now the pot needs to be wrapped with cellophane wrap and placed in a dark place with a temperature of 0 to 5 degrees Celsius (you can safely put it in a refrigerator with a temperature of + 1-2 degrees). The sand should be moist for three months of seed treatment. But you can't fill in either.
Stage 3: growing a tree at home
After three months or even 4 months, the pot can be taken out of the refrigerator, sprouts should appear in it. We put the seedlings in a cool and not sunny place in the apartment and take care of them - we water them with dry sand.
Stage 4: planting an apricot in the garden and care
In mid-April, our small trees can be replanted to a permanent place. To do this, you need to make landing pits 60 cm deep and 70-80 cm in diameter. If you are going to plant several apricots, then the holes should be made at a distance of 3-4 meters from each other. The same pits must be filled up to half with a loose mixture of wood ash, humus and a fertile top layer of earth.
Now we plant our little apricot trees in each hole. We gently straighten the roots and fill them with prepared chernozem. Tamp the earth and make a side of the earth around the former pit. Water each tree with plenty of water, with the calculation of a bucket of water (20 liters) per bush, if the earth settles in the pits, then add black soil. Water the trees 2-4 more times throughout the summer, depending on the weather, if it rarely rains, you can water it more often. After each watering, sprinkle sawdust around the planted apricots.
In winter, you need to try to insulate the trees with something, wrap them. Apricots planted from the stone will be able to bear fruit in 3 years, provided that you took care of the tree, watered it and protected it from adverse weather conditions. It is better to immediately plant from 5-8 apricot trees, otherwise you can not wait for the harvest with one tree planted. How to prune a tree, see the photo below.
The formation of the crown of the apricot tree of two types in photographs:
Video how to plant an apricot:
Good luck in gardening!
