How to Grow Apricots Canada

By the SoilCommander Editorial Team, under the guidance of Nitin Sharma, Co-Founder · · How we check our facts

On this page
  1. Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
  2. Quick Facts
  3. At a Glance
  4. Diseases
  5. Pests
  6. Soil & Growing Conditions
  7. Growth Stages
  8. Harvest & Storage
  9. Plan your Apricots planting
  10. What the research guides add
  11. Apricot in Canada: climate data
  12. Growing Apricot in another region
  13. Sources
  14. Frequently Asked Questions

Apricots (Prunus armeniaca) — Deciduous tree, self-fertile -- only one tree needed for a crop (RHS), though USU Extension notes yield improves with a….

This crop carries an unusually heavy problem load: 6 diseases and 8 pests are documented for it, so most of the effort in growing it well goes into prevention.

Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)

Ripe apricots on the tree among green leaves — “Apricot fruits on tree, Niğde 2017-08-05 01-2” by Zeynel Cebeci is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

2 sources cited · Verified

Quick Facts

Ripe apricots on the tree among green leaves — “Apricot fruits on tree, Niğde 2017-08-05 01-2” by Zeynel Cebeci is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Apricot fruits on tree, Niğde 2017-08-05 01-2” by Zeynel Cebeci is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Factor Value
Drainage Well-drained (RHS); USU Extension warns it has little tolerance of wet or heavy soils
Lifecycle Deciduous tree, self-fertile -- only one tree needed for a crop (RHS), though USU Extension notes yield improves with a second, concurrently-blooming cultivar nearby.
Edible parts fruit

At a Glance

A bee pollinating a white apricot flower — “A bee on an apricot flower, Armenia 02” by Ավետիսյան91 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“A bee on an apricot flower, Armenia 02” by Ավետիսյան91 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Prunus armeniaca Apricot Blossom wilt Cytospora canker Silver leaf Coryneum (shot hole) bl… Bacterial canker (Prunu… Honey fungus Glasshouse red spider m… San Jose scale Tortrix moth caterpilla… Spotted wing drosophila Aphids Greater peachtree borer Winter moth Squirrels DISEASES PESTS

Diseases

Apricot leaf damage from Clastosporium (shot hole) disease — “Clastosporium disease of apricot” by Shuhrataxmedov is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
“Clastosporium disease of apricot” by Shuhrataxmedov is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Blossom wilt
low

Monilinia laxa

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page.

Cytospora canker
moderate

Cytospora spp.

USU Extension names cytospora/pseudomonas canker as a major apricot disease; recorded here against Cytospora spp. specifically since that is the fungal component USU names first.

Silver leaf
low

Chondrostereum purpureum

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page; RHS's spring/summer-only pruning rule is specifically to reduce this risk.

Coryneum (shot hole) blight
low

Wilsonomyces carpophilus

USU Extension names coryneum (shot hole) blight as a major apricot disease; the same species already linked to Peach.

Bacterial canker (Prunus)
moderate

Pseudomonas syringae pv. morsprunorum

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page.

Honey fungus
low

Armillaria spp.

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page.

Pests

A cluster of ripening apricots on the branch — “Armeniaca vulgaris Wild Apricot ჭერამი” by Lazaregagnidze is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Armeniaca vulgaris Wild Apricot ჭერამი” by Lazaregagnidze is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Two-spotted red spider mite with silk threads, magnified — Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Glasshouse red spider mite (two-spotted spider mite)
low

Tetranychus urticae

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page; USU Extension separately names spider mites generically.

San Jose scale
moderate

Diaspidiotus perniciosus

USU Extension names San Jose scale as a major apricot pest.

Tortrix moth caterpillars
low

Tortricidae

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page (no severity grading given).

Spotted wing drosophila
moderate

Drosophila suzukii

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page as damaging ripening fruit.

low

Aphididae (various spp.)

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page as "fruit aphids"; USU Extension separately confirms aphids as a pest.

Greater peachtree borer
moderate

Synanthedon exitiosa

USU Extension names greater peachtree borer as a major apricot pest; the same species already linked to Peach.

Winter moth
low

Operophtera brumata

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page as damaging fruits and leaves.

Squirrels
moderate

Sciurus spp.

Named directly on RHS's own growing-guide page as damaging ripening fruit.

Soil & Growing Conditions

A mature apricot tree — “Albercoquer al costat del riurau de Canyot, Senija” by Joanbanjo is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Albercoquer al costat del riurau de Canyot, Senija” by Joanbanjo is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Water: Water regularly during dry spells for the first two years, with consistent moisture especially important as fruit swells in early-mid summer, applied morning or evening to reduce loss (RHS)

Growth Stages

Early apricot blossom on a bare branch — “A bee on an apricot flower, Armenia 01” by Ավետիսյան91 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“A bee on an apricot flower, Armenia 01” by Ավետիսյան91 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Stage BBCH Notes
Planting and establishment 0 Best planted in autumn when soil is warm and damp, though any time November-March works (RHS). USU Extension gives US orchard spacing of 18-22ft between trees; choose a site free of perennial weeds and avoid planting in lawns due to conflicting irrigation and feeding needs.
Flowering and pollination 6 Blooms very early, when few pollinating insects are active, so hand-pollinate with a small paintbrush over several dry sunny days (RHS); protect blossom from frost with fleece overnight, removed by day. USU Extension states this early bloom makes apricot highly frost-susceptible -- in Utah, fruiting occurs in only about 3 of 5 years as a direct result, and later-blooming cultivars are the main mitigation.
Fruit development and thinning 7 Thin fruitlets once cherry-sized, cutting unwanted ones in half with secateurs so they drop off, leaving those remaining 5-8cm (2-3in) apart (RHS); USU Extension gives closely matching advice at grape-size, thinning to one fruit every 4-6in. Prune only in spring or summer, never winter, to reduce silver leaf and bacterial canker risk (RHS).
Ripening and harvest 8 Ripens late July to August; ripe fruit is soft, richly coloured and comes away easily, but bruises easily too (RHS). Protect ripening fruit from birds and squirrels with secure netting or fruit sleeves before it starts to colour up.

Harvest & Storage

A bowl of freshly harvested ripe apricots — “Albaricoques (Prunus armeniaca)” by Juan Emilio Prades Bel is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
“Albaricoques (Prunus armeniaca)” by Juan Emilio Prades Bel is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

When to pick: Ripe fruit is soft, rich in colour and comes away easily from the tree when lifted (RHS); USU Extension similarly describes fruit turning yellow/red and softening, harvested July through August.

Storage

Best eaten straight away and bruises easily; can only be stored for a few days fresh, though it dries and preserves well (RHS).

Plan your Apricots planting

When to sow and plant Apricots depends on your own frost dates. Check the Canada vegetable planting calendar. To work out where it fits in your beds, sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner.

What the research guides add

Apricots ripening on the tree
Apricots ripening on the tree. Photo: “Абрикоси” by teteria sonnna from Obukhiv, Ukraine, CC BY 2.0.

The apricot’s problem is not winter cold but timing: it flowers so early that a late frost can take the whole crop.

  • Apricots bloom early in spring, so the blossoms can be damaged by early spring frost and choosing a frost-free site is very important (Illinois). NC State says to plant in a protected area, not in a low-lying frost pocket. (Illinois Extension, NC State Extension)
  • NC State says winters must be chilly enough to meet the tree’s chilling requirement, and spring should be dry and frost-free. (NC State Extension)
  • The tree is dense and can reach 15 to 40 feet tall and wide, and should be planted at least 10 feet from patios, water pipes and sewer pipes (NC State). Illinois says spacing depends on the rootstock, climate, soil fertility and pruning. (NC State Extension, Illinois Extension)
  • It needs full sun and moist, well-drained, fertile soil. (NC State Extension, Illinois Extension)
  • Illinois advises taking soil samples a year before planting and adding well-rotted manure and compost according to the soil test. (Illinois Extension)

Apricot in Canada: climate data

Station Last spring frost First fall frost Frost-free days
Edmonton, AB 24 May 12 Sep 110
Winnipeg, MB 23 May 22 Sep 121
Charlottetown, PE 16 May 17 Oct 153
Toronto, ON 30 Apr 16 Oct 168
Vancouver, BC 18 Mar 10 Nov 237

Frost dates and frost-free days are the median values for the stations in Environment and Climate Change Canada climate normals with the highest data-quality rating (1981–2010 normals).

Growing Apricot in another region

Planting dates, frost timing and local advice differ by country. Use the guide for where you garden.

Sources

The full list of 2 sources behind this guide (Royal Horticultural Society, Utah State University Extension) is in the references of our UK guide to apricots; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What problems affect apricots?

Our data links 6 diseases and 8 pests to this crop. See the sections above for each one and how to manage it.

Plan next season before the problems start

Short-season growing is arithmetic before it is technique: days to maturity against frost-free days decides what will finish at all. The Canada Garden Planner does that subtraction for your region before you sow.

Get the Canada Garden Planner →

Instant PDF download · Written for Canadian growing conditions

SoilCommander Editorial Team — under the guidance of Nitin Sharma, Co-Founder

Every growing guide is checked against RHS, USDA Cooperative Extension, and other named horticultural authorities before publishing. How we check our facts.

How this guide is put together

The growing data on this page — planting windows, pests, diseases, soil and site requirements — comes from named horticultural sources, listed in References below, checked against Canadian hardiness-zone and frost-date data, with provincial agriculture and university extension sources cited directly where one exists for a crop. An automated pipeline assembles that verified data into the page you're reading: it selects which facts to lead with and builds the surrounding prose and layout. It does not invent a date, a source or a number — where a verified value for a field isn't available, the page leaves it out rather than guessing. A person reviews and publishes each page; nothing goes live unverified.

Vegetable Growing Guides Canada

Crops With the Same Problems

  • Shares Cytospora canker with Almond.
  • Shares Winter moth with Sweet Cherry.
  • Shares Tortrix moth caterpillars with Kiwi Fruit.
  • Shares Greater peachtree borer with Peach.
  • Shares Tortrix moth caterpillars with Rosemary.

Related Problem Guides

Last verified 2026-10-24

Related guides

More from the same group (fruit & berries):

Relevant next steps

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