edenhana

Apricot

Fussier than peach or plum about climate, apricots crop most reliably in areas with dry, settled weather at blossom and fruit-set time, which is why Central Otago and Hawke's Bay are New Zealand's classic apricot-growing regions. In wetter, more humid parts of the country, poor fruit set and bacterial canker (also called gummosis, seen as oozing sap on branches) are common frustrations. Needs a genuine winter chill to flower well, like other stone fruit.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
400cm
Harvest
Ready in about 3-4 years
Difficulty
advanced
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
15-30kg per mature tree per season
Cost to grow
~$25 NZD
Grocery value
~$140 NZD
Mature height
4m
Flowering season
Aug, Sep
Evergreen
No, deciduous
Common diseases
Bacterial canker/gummosis, Brown rot
Common pests
Aphids

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: June-August. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: June-July.

Growing stages

  1. Planting & establishmentBare-root, winter (June-August)

    • Plant bare-root while dormant, in the most open, free-draining, full-sun position available
    • Bacterial canker (gummosis), seen as oozing sap on the trunk or branches, is more of a risk in wetter, humid areas; good airflow and drainage help reduce it
    • Water regularly while establishing; it's dry weather specifically at flowering and fruit set that apricot wants, not low water overall

  2. Early growthFirst 1-2 years

    • Prune to an open, vase-like shape in the first couple of winters for good light and airflow through the canopy
    • Fruit set is most reliable where spring weather at flowering time is dry and settled, a genuine limitation in wetter regions
    • First proper crop is usually 3-4 years away

  3. Flowering & fruiting

    • Bees are the main pollinator; the same cool, wet spring weather that reduces fruit set directly also keeps bees from flying and working the blossom
    • Brown rot can turn ripening fruit to mush in wet weather, remove and destroy affected fruit rather than composting it
    • Thin fruit clusters to one fruit every 10-15cm along the branch for larger, better-quality apricots

  4. Maturity

    • Established trees in favourable, dry-summer regions yield 15-30kg of fruit per season
    • Keep watching for bacterial canker on branches and prune out and destroy affected wood promptly
    • Pick when fruit gives slightly to gentle pressure and has fully coloured, rather than by size alone

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