North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lee Reich <leeareich@gmail.com>]

Part of the problem is our fluctuating winter temperatures causing 
de-hardening and increased susceptibility to such diseases as valsa canker. I 
tell prospective growers that the trees die either quickly or slowly.

Lee Reich, PhD
Come visit my farmden at http://leereich.blogspot.com/
http://leereich.com/

Books by Lee Reich:
A Northeast Gardener's Year
The Pruning Book
Weedless Gardening
Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden
Landscaping with Fruit
Grow Fruit Naturally

On Dec 19, 2013, at 5:14 PM, Alan Haigh wrote:

> I don't think it makes a whole lot of difference what rootstock you put
> them on- apricots are fragile things in the east.  No one knows why they
> die or when they will die.  They may remain hardy for a decade and then for
> no apparent reason suffer cambium death.  Last winter was mild and there
> were no crazy fluctuations in temps going into spring but I lost more trees
> than any previous season.  I searched for answers but found none.
> 
> It wasn't at just one site but at 4 or 5, including what should have been
> ideal places, either on top of a gentle hill in Westchester or on the edge
> of the Hudson river a few miles up.  None of the apricot trees on my own
> property died and it is not a good site for frost protection- I suffer
> frost damage when most of my clients sites are immune.
> 
> I'm not asking for ideas- I think I've probably covered the bases-
> certainly Robert Purvis couldn't help.  In the dry west, apricot trees are
> as tough as they come and they do great in the high desert where temps
> fluctuate wildly.  They may not always have fruit but they can live a very,
> very long time.  I reckon is has something to do with the humidity and too
> much water in their cells here.
> 
> On my property Alfred works great with a little scab control and Orangered
> looks very promising.   In Westchester, most sites, the Harrow varieties do
> just fine with Hargrand being he toughest and best Har that I've tried.
> I'm hoping for good things from Tomcot as a bit south of me growers rave.
> Earlyblush is also promising.
> 
> Just expect to have to replace them now and again.
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