In the practice of growing apricots every now and then there are cases when a healthy-looking tree refuses to bear fruit. It has no signs of disease, even grows well and pleases with spring blooms, however, year after year leaves gardeners without a crop. Why does the apricot behave so illogical, only the most experienced stone-crop lovers know.
Why apricot does not bear fruit
In fact, there may be enough reasons not to start bearing fruit in an apricot tree:
- One of the main reasons for the lack of crop may be the wrong choice of location of the plant. If spring water is stagnating on your site or water has been standing for a long time during the summer lingering rains, the apricot will be uncomfortable on it.
- In addition, the composition of the soil in the garden will affect fruiting. If it is heavy loamy, waiting for the harvest will not be easy. Apricot needs airy loamy substrates. The soil should be slightly alkaline, humic, with an obligatory admixture of nitrogen, fluorine and potassium.
- Another reason for the lack of fruit is often insufficient lighting. Apricot tree came to our gardens from the brightly sunlit areas and quiet valleys, so it requires a long daylight and protection from cold winds.
Apricot in nature chooses quiet and bright slopes, protected from the north winds
But if the place for the apricot tree is chosen correctly, but there is still no crop, other reasons should be considered:
- improper watering - apricot can shed ovaries not only from too wet, but also from over-dried soil;
- untimely pruning - with too early or belated pruning or its complete absence fruit branches may fall off;
- lack of fertilizing - in each growth period, one must not forget to introduce organic and mineral fertilizers;
- frosts - trees survive colds up to -28 ° С; however, buds from which flowers could bloom also suffer at -1 ° С;
- infection with diseases and pests - with an inattentive attitude to the health of the tree, he may not have enough strength to fight diseases;
- protracted spring and summer rains - at this time the most weakened apricots suffer, who survived the winter poorly and did not receive preventive treatment.
Do not forget that you need to determine the causes of infertility, taking into account the age of the plant. They directly depend on the apricot development stage, since each of them may have different needs.
Young tree
An apricot tree in the first years of life may refuse to bear fruit:
- due to a weak root system;
- due to lack of nutrition.
Young apricot tree may not have enough nutrition
The roots of young trees can suffer even when planting, when some inexperienced gardeners mix the fertilizers poorly, do not place a thin layer of ordinary earth between them and the root system. In this case, tender roots are able to burn themselves. It takes time for them to replace new ones.
The lack of fertilizing is dangerous, because it is the organic matter that is necessary for young trees to prepare for full fruiting. Organic fertilizers can serve:
- compost;
- divorced fermented manure;
- humus.
Adult tree
If the apricot tree ceases to bear fruit older than 5 years, most likely, it lacks mineral fertilizing. The highest peak yield of this crop falls on the age of 5-7 years, then the number of fruits should gradually decrease. If your apricot tree has already yielded berries, but there was no peak in the allotted time by nature, then it was not fed with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
The main cause of adult tree problems is mineral starvation
When several years ago apricots bloomed in the garden of the author of these lines, a lot of buzzing insects immediately appeared around them. This picture at first touched and instilled hope. But when the flowering was over, not a single fruit appeared on the branches. A closer study of the branches, as well as specialized literature, explained the problem - scavenging insects not only carry pollen on themselves, they also enter harmful spores of fungi. These pathogens penetrate the stigma of the flower pestle, then end up in the ovary. After that, all the tiny fruits we fell and fell.
Old tree
If the old tree has ceased to yield, then most likely it needs:
- anti-aging pruning;
- frost protection.
Old trees need anti-aging pruning
Special pruning is needed in order for new shoots to appear, which can give an ovary next year. On old branches, such buds may be few or not at all.
Another problem of the old tree can be the lack of preparation for winter, in particular, whitewashing of the trunk. The fact is that the trunk cracks more with age, the cracks that appear create a gate for the penetration of infections and pests.
Why does the apricot blossom, but not bear fruit
Often an apricot tree blooms in spring with a violent color, bypasses all the dangers in the form of night frosts, forms a mass of ovaries and completely crumbles. As a result, only one young leaves remain on the tree. If apricot flowers fly around before they have formed an ovary, this may be due to a lack of pollination.
If the apricot lacks nutrients, it can completely reset the ovaries
But if the ovaries appeared and then crumbled, most often in this way the plant gives a disappointed gardener a signal that he is sorely lacking nutrients for further development.
And since it is more important for him to survive than to give a harvest this year, this ballast drops the tree. The same situation occurs in case of lack of watering.
How to make apricot fruit
The most decisive part of gardeners solves the problem with an ax.
It should be noted that an ax can not only cut down a tree under the root. The older generation of gardeners uses this tool with more cunning. Several different friends from the Voronezh region said that with an ax you can reduce the scope of the roots, that is, just chop them up. But you need to do this with a square. Each year on one side. And one more popular sign - if you hit an apricot tree with a butt on the trunk and voice threats, it will surely be scared and will yield an excellent harvest next year.
Most of the lovers of this fruit are looking for opportunities to give the fruit tree a second life. And as a rule, they succeed in finding ways to do this.
Do not put an end to a tree that does not bear fruit, since there are many ways to resume fruiting
Pollination
Of course, for a good harvest you need a stable pollination of flowers, since for the most part apricots are self-infertile. They need pollinators, so it is best to have at least 2 different varieties of trees in the garden. Sometimes, to save space, apricot lovers plant 2 copies at once in one landing pit, which will grow side by side. Such a technique makes it possible for the branches of their crowns to weave and pollinate even from a light wind.
You can also plant cuttings from different varieties on one tree or lure such pollinating insects as bees to the site.
For pollination at the stage of active flowering, the presence of bees
Feeding and watering
The falling of an ovary that has already appeared can for the most part come from a lack of mineral nutrition. To prevent it, you need to remember to moisten and feed the plant throughout the season. These processes are most convenient to combine with each other:
- Water the apricot for the first time in spring before starting flowering. At the same time, fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizers is applied.
- For the second time, top dressing with nitrogen along with watering should be done exactly half a month after flowering is over.
- The third watering, combined with top dressing, must be carried out a month after the appearance of the ovaries, when the fruits begin to pour. From this point on, top dressing will be required, containing more phosphorus and potassium.
- The fourth watering with simultaneous top dressing is important to do after the harvest is harvested, and flower buds are already forming on the shoots for the next year. This top dressing should contain only phosphorus-potash fertilizers.
It is important to keep in mind that any nitrogen-containing compounds in the second half of summer will damage the apricot.
Method of Professor Kolomiyets
The method of Doctor of Sciences Kolomiyets is based on enhanced feeding of trees. As early as the forties of the last century, with the help of top dressing, he managed to force to bear fruit even one-year-olds (in the second spring after vaccinations). Moreover, subsequently, the trees annually increased their yield. The feeding procedure is as follows:
- In mid-April: 1-1.5 handfuls (for one-year-olds) or 1.5-2 (for two-year-olds) evenly disperse azofosks (or nitrophosks) in the near-stem circle (70-80 cm in diameter) and cover them with a rake in the soil.
- In mid-May: the same fertilizer in the same doses.
- At the end of May: the same fertilizer in the same doses.
Azophos top dressing stimulates apricot trees to bear fruit
In exactly the same way, you can give an incentive to increase the yield of adult trees that have already entered fruiting. In this case, the specified dose should be increased to 5 handfuls on the trunk circle.
Crown formation
If the inflorescences crumble after night frosts, it is no longer possible to help the current year’s crop. However, it is worth taking care of bearing fruit for the next year.
It is known that the best yield of fruits is obtained on the growth of last year. Therefore, no later than the first decade of June, young branches should be cut in half. If the shoot is weak, it can be cut off - by a third or even a quarter.
During summer pruning, it is recommended to decisively shorten the branches, if not by half, then by at least a third
After trimming from the axillary buds of the tops, several shoots of the second growth wave will appear at once. Young apricots usually give a more powerful increase. In older trees, the shoots will be slightly smaller and shorter. But in any case, future flower buds will be laid on such growths.
These shoots will be covered with flowers next spring. And this will happen 8-12 days later than the appearance of buds on old branches. This technique helps to delay flowering and increase the chances that the frost will already pass. When spring night frosts destroy the freshly blossomed buds on neighboring branches, young shoots will slowly bloom, set fruits and give an excellent harvest.
Video: apricot pruning
Hauling
A popular method among gardeners is hauling. Its essence is that the tissues will not be able to fully conduct nutrition and the tree will start the reproduction mechanism.
It is better to carry out such an experiment by dragging a branch, which in case of failure will not be a pity to remove.
The operation is carried out no later than May. Sequencing:
- Choose the largest skeletal branches and at the very base.
- Drag and drop them with dratva or wire wrapped over a nested burlap.
- After 2 months, remove this loop.
The hauling of a tree is carried out by wire over burlap.
This operation is simple and safe. The most important condition for its success is to remove the banners in time. Otherwise, the windings may tightly grow into the bark and form a wound.
Many experiment lovers from different regions, without saying a word, confirm that next year the tree will begin to bear fruit generously.
Banding
To ring, in late spring you need to select non-prolific skeletal branches, then:
- Remove from the base of the branch a strip of bark up to 2 cm wide.
- Turn it downside down and secure it so that it cuts.
- Wrap the cut-out place with film and be sure to remove it after 2 months.
When ringing a branch, it will be important to carefully cut a narrow strip of bark
During this time, the bark will grow to the trunk, and the supply of nutrients along the branch will be slightly suspended - this is how the laying of new flower buds is stimulated.
Remember that cutting a ring wider than 2 cm is dangerous - the branch will be depleted and gradually dry.
It is important not to ring all large branches at once - this will be too much stress for the plant. Apricot can die completely from a lack of nutrition.
Also, the effect of this method does not occur as fast as from the constriction. Harvest after banding will appear no earlier than in 2 years.
The neighbors who did ringing last summer were already looking forward to stewing compotes this year. Imagine their disappointment when fruiting practically did not occur. However, this is not a reason to be upset, you need to wait another year. In addition, it is noted that when using banding, the number of fruits on the branch will increase with age.
Disease and Pest Prevention
Often, in the absence of an apricot crop, their diseases or settled pests are to blame. From such troubles, a two percent Bordeaux fluid helps well. Preventive spraying with this drug is best done in late autumn and early spring, when the buds are still forming. This treatment not only protects apricot trees from the ubiquitous pests, but also increases resistance to possible temperature drops.
The negative experience of the loss of apricot fruit of the past years made us think about protecting the future crop. Now every autumn (in October) chemical treatments are carried out in the garden. But the exact duration of these procedures is determined by each gardener individually, based on weather conditions and climate. Our main criterion is that the tree should not completely fly around. At the same time, you can not be afraid to miscalculate with the weather - this drug is not washed off by the rain and is not afraid of cold weather. For the third year, the usual spraying with two percent Bordeaux fluid gives a good result.
To prepare the Bordeaux mixture yourself, you need to combine slaked lime with copper sulfate. All garden centers have copper sulfate packages in the required proportions. Packages:
- weighing 300 g is used to prepare a 3% solution of Bordeaux liquid;
- weighing 100 g - for a 1% concentration.
Copper sulfate is used to make Bordeaux liquid.
In advanced cases, fungicides can be called for help:
- Topaz;
- Topsin;
- Horus.
They must be used strictly after studying the instructions on the package, no later than 3 days before flowering. The second treatment will be required after flowering, and the third, control - not earlier than half a month after the second.
Photo Gallery: Apricot Disease Fungicides
- The drug Topsin is used for the appearance of apricot diseases
- Chorus Helps Deal With Plant Diseases
- The drug Topaz is used to combat apricot diseases
Video: how to prepare Bordeaux liquid
Growth Apricot Processing
Back in the first half of the last century, researchers F. Vent and G. Erksleben discovered growth hormones in plants. Auxins called them (from Greek - increase).
C. Darwin also played a noticeable role in the discovery: he discovered in plants a substance "which is affected by light and which transfers its action to the lower part of the plant."
Auxins, according to the chemist's guide, have become the prototype of plant hormones.
Since almost the entire territory of Russia can be subjected to late spring frosts, it is possible to protect flowering trees by postponing the start of flowering. Preventive treatment of a tree with auxin solution reliably copes with this task.
Preparations
Now, auxin-based drugs are actively sold in specialized stores and garden centers. One of the most effective representatives of growth enhancers is Emistim or Charkor.
A broad-spectrum bioregulator Emistim is sold in the form of metabolic products of fungi from plant roots. Growth substances are phytohormones of auxin and gibberellin nature. The drug is used in the cultivation of fruit crops. This tool increases the resistance of plants to stressful conditions and increases the yield of fruits.
Emistim increases tree resistance to adverse conditions
The root stimulant Charcor is a mixture of substances of natural origin and a complex of 2,6-dimethylpyridin-1-oxide with α-phenylacetic acid.
Charcor increases the growth rate of tree roots
The stimulant increases the density of the primary roots and their growth rate, as well as growth maturation.
Charkor, like Emistim, belongs to the class of non-toxic drugs.
Apricot processing
Spraying branches and trunks with any growth regulator is carried out 3 times:
- Together with spring preventative treatments.
- With the beginning of budding.
- After flowering, in the form of spraying to accelerate photosynthesis and improve the appearance of the fruit.
To spray an adult apricot tree, a solution of 1 ml of Emistim in 10 liters of water is diluted.
To strengthen the root system, solutions of Emistim or Charkor are used at least 2 times per season:
- In the spring, when blooming trees.
- During the appearance of flower buds.
A solution is prepared for spraying: 2 ml of the drug is diluted in 20 l of water. This amount is poured under one fruit tree.
Auxins are also used to reduce pre-harvest shedding of fruits. Sprinkling apricot at the beginning of the ripening of the crop significantly reduces the amount of carrion.
The scavenger is poorly stored, has a non-marketable appearance, sometimes for this reason most of the crop disappears.
Pre-harvest spraying slightly inhibits the pouring of the fruit. However, such a crop will be much longer stored and will be able to withstand diseases.
Video: why apricot does not bear fruit
In order for the apricot to please us with its harvest, you need to monitor this plant from the first year of its planting: starting with the right choice of the place of residence of the seedling, ending with constant care. If the tree will regularly receive watering, top dressing and protection from adverse environmental conditions, it will certainly respond to the care with an excellent harvest.
