No flowers on my apricot tree?

[frdnicholas]

The tree is a dwarf and is 3 years old and is about 5 ft tall and at least that wide. I'm in zone 8b Southeast Coastal Georgia. I thought flowers came in March. Maybe the tree's still too young? Or could there be another reason??

 

[MiniOrchardDude]

Hard to tell since it is young. However, my experience with non-flowering trees (peaches) was due to lack of fertilizer. I have sand soil. Yes sand soil not sandy soil it is almost beach like sand.

MOD

 

[Meadowlark]

A picture would help...but Apricot trees are an early bloomer so if it was going to bloom it should have by now.

It takes about 4 years to produce fruit, maybe less if you are lucky.

 

[frdnicholas]

I did add rabbit manure. compost and fruit spikes. I guess I'll just wait till next year. I'll try to include a picture; I'm just pretty poor with my camera.

 

[redback]

G'day frdnicholas,
To my eye pruning and seaweed are needed.
Cut off all the branches that are growing less than two foot above the ground. Then prune the rest of the tree to a vase shape. This means chose the four most healthy-looking branches spread evenly around the tree and cut off the rest including the central ones. This gives you the open vase shape that most trees are pruned to. You can then trim the four main branches back to a length that looks structurally sound. Drastic I know but this is the way with unpruned fruit trees.
Give a seaweed (high potash) spray to all the leaves and around the dripline. Weed around the dripline first, remembering these are shallow rooted trees. Mulch.

 

[cpp gardener]

I’d start at 18” and top out at 3’, but otherwise what Redback said. Check out Dave Wilson Nursery and their backyard orchard pruning videos.

 

[frdnicholas]

Would it hurt the tree to wait till fall when the leaves are all gone, or should it be done as soon as possible?

 

[MiniOrchardDude]

Pruning branches you dont need should be done as soon as possible. You want that energy to go into the others parts of the tree. That also goes for suckers. When they start sprout it's best to do it then but I know we cant always catch them early.

MOD

 

[redback]

Would it hurt the tree to wait till fall when the leaves are all gone, or should it be done as soon as possible?

You can do it now but if you've never done it before - and the idea of killing it by mistake has entered your head - I have sympathy. Maybe start by pruning all the small branches in the center of the tree and then take out anything damaged or diseased and any branches crossing over each other. Leave the choice of the four main branches to remain for a little while.

 

[frdnicholas]

I've cut the bottom branches and some in the middle of the tree so it will get more air and sunlight. I'm not clear on what a "vase" shape would be. Also, when I choose the 4 main branches, do I trim the length of those branches? I'll try to add some new pictures so you guys can see what I might need to still prune. I'm so grateful for the help and this forum which is always a delight to post on and read.

 

[redback]

This shows a nectarine that has been pruned to the vase shape.

 

[frdnicholas]

I took some more pictures, but I'm not sure if they are from an angle that will help. There are 2 branches that have grown much taller; should I prune them or let the rest of the tree catch up?

 

[redback]

There are 2 branches that have grown much taller; should I prune them or let the rest of the tree catch up?

Cut them back to their base. Cut off all branches less than 1'6" above the ground to the main trunk. Cut off any branch higher than 4'0"-5'0" above the ground just past an outward looking node or branch. Then trim all branches back to three or four foot in length at an upward growing shoot.
Stop and look at what you've done. Not much more to do now.