How To Plant An Apricot Pit To Grow A Fruit-Bearing Tree At Home

Apricots may not be as celebrated as other stone fruits like peaches and cherries, but their sweet-tart flavor and velvety texture pack a nutritious punch. They’re pretty versatile when it comes to ways to eat them. Enjoy them fresh, cook them down into a jam, or bake them into a cake or torte. Dried apricots make great snacks or party appetizers. If these petite fruits have won you over, try growing your own at home so you don’t have to run to the store to stock up on them when they’re in season. Besides their delicious fruit, apricot trees produce fragrant blossoms in spring and shade during the summer. Unlike some other fruit-bearing plants, apricots self-pollinate so you can grow just one tree. If you’re short on space, look for a dwarf variety that will easily grow in a pot. Start by saving the pit the next time you eat an apricot. Here’s how to plant it and grow it into a fruit-bearing tree in your own backyard.

When To Plant An Apricot Pit

Growing apricot trees from seeds can take some time, but the results are worth the work if you live in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5–9. Seeds need to stratify for four to eight weeks before planting in pots from late winter to early spring. Transplant the seedlings outdoors once they’re about 1 foot tall. The best time to plant apricot saplings is in spring when the soil is warm or in the fall so the roots can establish before spring growth begins.

What Kind Of Apricot To Plant

Starting with a ripe apricot purchased from a local farmer’s market is your best bet since these have a higher germination rate than apricots sourced from a grocery store. Those are often picked green, so their rate of germination success is lower. Look for local or heirloom varieties like Blenheim or Harcot.

How To Plant An Apricot Pit

Step 1: Extract The Pit

After eating an apricot, clean the pit and remove any bits of flesh that remain. Use a nutcracker or a small hammer to gently crack open the hard outer shell of the pit. You don’t want to crush the kernel inside.

Step 2: Soak The Kernel

Rehydrate the kernel by soaking it in a cup of warm water overnight.

Step 3: Stratify The Kernel

For successful growth, the kernel needs a period of cold that mimics winter to break its dormancy. Wrap the kernel in a damp paper towel and place it inside a resealable plastic bag. Store it in the refrigerator for four to six weeks until sprouts appear. Check the paper towel once a week to make sure it’s moist and to check for mold growth.

Step 4: Plant The Seed

Once roots appear, it’s time to plant the seed. Choose a deep pot, about 12 inches, to give the roots enough room to spread. Use a mixture of equal parts sand and peat moss. Plant the seed 1 inch deep with the root end pointing down. Water to dampen the soil.

Step 5: Keep The Plant Warm

Set the pot in a warm area that gets bright light, such as a south-facing window. Supplementing with a grow light can keep the plant from becoming leggy.

Step 6: Prepare The Sapling For Transplanting

The apricot sapling can be transplanted outdoors after the threat of frost has passed in the spring. Once the plant has grown to 1 to 2 feet tall, harden it off by gradually exposing it to direct sunlight for a few hours each day for about a week.

Step 7: Transplant The Sapling

Choose a sunny planting site with plenty of room for the mature tree’s branches and roots to spread. Dig a hole that’s twice the width and depth of the pot the tree is planted in. Plant in well-draining, loamy soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Water well.

If you plan to grow your apricot tree in a pot, transplant the sapling to a larger pot and move it outdoors to a sunny location after hardening off. Repot into a larger container every few years as it grows.

What To Do After Planting

It can take a few years for flowers and fruits to appear, so be patient. Once fruiting begins, each year your tree should produce more fruit. In the meantime, you’ll need to care for the tree.

• Stake a young tree to protect it from strong winds. Staking when planting reduces the risk of damaging roots if stakes are needed later on.
• Water twice a week for the first two months after planting to help strong roots develop. After the first year, rainfall is probably enough except during heat waves. Water potted apricot trees more often since they dry out faster.
• Apply low-nitrogen fertilizer in late winter and late summer.
• Every year in late winter, prune the tree before new spring growth appears to remove dead and crossing branches and to improve airflow. Cut off any suckers at the base.
• If the apricot tree is grown in a pot, insulate the pot during winter or move it near a building to shelter it from wind.