Apricot
Prunus armeniaca
A fruit, planted at any time of year.
In September: nothing to do. It can be planted now.
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Apricot, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant a pot-grown apricot. | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Plant a bare-root apricot. | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Protect the apricot from frost. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Pollinate the apricot by hand. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Mulch the apricot. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Prune the apricot while it is in growth. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | none | none | usual | usual |
| Pick the apricots. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Planting
Plant a pot-grown apricot at any time of year, 3 to 5m apart depending on the rootstock. Strong source: RHS.
Plant a bare-root apricot November to March, 3 to 5m apart depending on the rootstock. Strong source: RHS.
Protect the apricot from frost
When frost threatens the blossom, cover overnight with fleece, hessian or an old sheet on canes.
Usually March. Strong source: RHS.
Pollinate the apricot by hand
Around noon on dry, sunny days, dab a small paintbrush into each flower in turn to move pollen.
Usually March. Strong source: RHS.
Mulch the apricot
Spread a thick layer of home-made compost or well-rotted manure around the base of the tree.
Usually March to May. Strong source: RHS.
Prune the apricot while it is in growth
Prune on a dry day, with dry weather forecast for at least the next two days.
Usually April, and July to August. Strong source: RHS.
Pick the apricots
Usually July to August. Strong source: RHS.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.
What not to do
Don’t prune in autumn or winter
Prune stone fruit only in spring or summer, in dry weather, to lower the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker.
October to March. Strong source: RHS.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Apricot” comes from.