North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Bernie Nikolai <Nikolai@v-wave.com>]

Del, Don't be surprised at apricots fruiting and surviving well in northern
Minnesota.  Several Canadian varieties are very hardy, and easily take -40F
and colder.  The trees survive well for us here in central Alberta.  We
don't grown them much, as they bloom in late April, early May here, get
zapped by frost every year, and we might get a few "cots" one year in five
if we are lucky.  Westcot was the best apricot I've ever eaten, and its
fully hardy for us here in zone 3!  That would be my first choice for you to
try.  

You will have better luck than I will have if you try to grow apricots in
northern Minnesota.  I'm originally from Manitoba, and apricots produce most
years in southern Manitoba, due north and northwest from you.  The reason is
you get a quicker turn from winter to spring, with a more sudden transition.
As a result the blossoms are less likely to freeze vrs. growing the trees in
central Alberta, where we get milder weather in early spring, then back to
cold again.  I'd guess you could get apricots every second year at least,
perhaps two out of three years, so they would be worth growing in your
climate.  Good luck.
Bernie Nikolai
Edmonton, Alberta


At 01:01 PM 8/12/01 +0000, you wrote:
>A couple weeks ago a friend in the town of Bemidji (25 mi from us) said he 
>was picking apricots. Apricots! I came running, ate my fill of delicious 
>cots on the small university campus on a main thoroughfair. This town is in 
>on the northern end of zone 3. The trees were not protected by buildings. By 
>the rotting fruit and seeds on the ground I'd estimate it put out at least 
>bushel of fruit. One delivery fellow stopped to say "You're late, Ive been 
>enjoying these great peaches for a couple weeks!" Apricots rotting along a 
>main sidewalk in northern Minnesota, some things will never make sense
>I've corresponded with Bob Purvis about it, and his conclusion so far is 
>it's Moongold, with a slight possibility of Scout. This tree is 6 to 8" at 
>the base. Next to it is a much smaller apricot (2-3" base) which still has 
>not ripened.
>I called the grounds keeper and he had no way of knowing the variety or 
>planting date. I asked a friend with a digital camera to go take pics, I 
>loaded them onto the nafex yahoo site (4 pics listed as northern 
>apricot).Unfortunately, too late for pics of the large trees fruit.
>
>Years back I corresponded with Gary Stedmiller in Bizmark S.D.about 
>apricots, does anyone have a fresh e-mail address for him?
>
>I've gathered a bag of seeds. Be happy to share them. The presumption is 
>that this is a selfruitful tree with no other pollinizers around, and will 
>come true to form. I've had such poor success grafting apricots onto my 
>manchurian stock, I have hopes of just starting from seed.
>Has anyone raised cots from seed? Thoughts on stratifying?
>Will be checkng on the small tree again shortly. Del
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
>
>
> 
>
>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 
>
>
>
>


 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/