Moorpark Apricot Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on November 17, 2022

Planting instructions

Before planting your Moorpark Apricot Tree, you should ensure that your planting location is one that receives at least six hours of unobstructed sunlight per day or more. The soil in your planting area should also be somewhat loose, making for excellent drainage. Once you find a location with such conditions in place, dig a hole that is as deep as the plant’s root ball is tall and at least twice as wide. Backfill with healthy soil and give your Moorpark Apricot Tree plenty of water throughout the planting process.

Watering and nutrients

The Moorpark Apricot Tree is a plant that has relatively high moisture needs. Throughout most of its life, this tree will need water about once per week or once every 10 to 14 days during the growing season. However, you should also monitor the rainfall and hold off on your regular watering if your tree has received about an inch or more of natural rainfall during the week. You should feed your Moorpark Apricot Tree once during the early spring and once during the fall. For both feedings, you should use a fertilizer that has plenty of nitrogen.

Pollination

Pollination typically takes place quite easily for the Moorpark Apricot Tree. Each spring, this tree blooms with many flowers that attract bees and other pollinator insects. Since this tree is self-fertile, you need only one if you wish to produce a healthy harvest. However, if you plant more than one Moorpark Apricot Tree, which allows for cross-pollination, then you can expect your harvest to be considerably larger. As such, anyone who wants to maximize their apricot production should plant multiple trees.

Pruning

The ideal time to prune a Moorpark Apricot Tree is during the summer—just after the harvest. Generally, you can keep your pruning for this tree somewhat light and focus on thinning the canopy to promote air circulation. It is also quite beneficial to remove any branch that is dead, damaged or diseased. Pruning immediately after harvest will also give this plant time to heal before the cold winter weather arrives. When pruning, be sure to use sharp and sterile tools to preserve your tree’s health.

Pests, diseases and animals

Moorpark Apricot Trees can run into issues with both pests and diseases throughout their lives. The most common diseases that will harm this tree are powdery mildew, root rot and canker. Most of those issues arise as a result of excessive amounts of moisture, either in the soil or in the tree’s canopy. Insects can also be a prevalent problem for this tree. Some of the most common pests that will harm your Moorpark Apricot Tree are mites, Japanese beetles and borers.

Harvesting

The harvest time for a Moorpark Apricot Tree is relatively long as it spans from the start of July through most of August. During that time, you’ll notice that each fruit will ripen at a different rate, rather than all of the fruits turning ripe at once. A ripe apricot will be firm with a bit of softness. It will also have an orange or yellow color and give off a strong scent of sweetness. Any apricot that does not have that color, scent or texture should remain on the tree to ripen further.

Achieving maximum results

Although many gardeners believe it is best to prune a Moorpark Apricot Tree in early spring, this is not the ideal approach. Since Moorpark Apricot Trees bloom on old wood, pruning during late winter and early spring risks removing the season’s blooms. If this occurs, your Moorpark Apricot Tree may not produce any fruits later in the year. Also, be careful about growing this plant near roses. If you notice that roses near your Moorpark Apricot Tree have contracted powdery mildew, there is a high likelihood that your tree will contract the same condition shortly.

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