North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Michelle Horner" <shelly2@wi.rr.com>]

Maybe all of us die-hard apricot lovers will have to resort to my brother-in-law's technique.  It is something we've discussed here before and I think he tried it at my suggestion, even!  Of course he had to take it up another notch--he has rigged his tender fruit trees with christmas lights--on a thermostatically controlled relay.  He has protected his peach, apricots, and plums the last three years this way.  They are in high plains Arizona and stuff blossoms end of February and often gets nipped.  He has been very successful.  And they have no bugs--he never has to spray anything!!   Michelle Horner  zone 4/5  SE Wis.

----- Original Message -----

From: Alan Haigh

To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 8:15 AM

Subject: [NAFEX] later blooming cots

I grow Harglow, which is reasonably hardy for the northeast, at least down to Z 6.  It blooms almost a week later than most here. This has not saved the crop for me after about 8 years because the hard frosts have come outside that window, which is often the case with later blooming cultivars or cultivars that are a few degrees more bud hardy- most years it isn't enough to make a difference.  Apricots are by far my most fragile trees, incidentally.  Sometimes I can't even pinpoint why the fail on a given site.