In my experience, storing the apricot pits dry until you wish to stratify
them is not a good idea; as the seed inside dries out as well.
Interestingly, the drying of seed seems most prevelant in larger seeded
varieties.
I cold stratify right away since I have some grow lights in the basement and
I am just way too impatient to wait! What I would recommend is storing them
with moist peat moss until ready to cold stratify. Mold and fungus do not
like to be jostled, so every few days move the pits around in the bag they
are being stored in. Before placing them in cold stratification, clean the
seed and use a new bag & peat moss.
While planting seed in the fall is much more convenient, I have had very
poor results with germination and I have put too much time & effort into my
crosses to have them left to chance. Actually, I baby my seedlings for 2
years in pots, then plant them out and let mother nature have a go with
them. I have found that it isn't a fair assessment of hardiness by planting
out seedlings in their first year; as an extremely harsh winter may take
them out due to their juvenlity and not their inherent hardiness.
Dean Kreutzer
Over the Hill Orchards
www.overthehillorchards.ca
Regina, Saskatchewan Canada
USDA zone 3