Question
Two years ago I moved into a house that has a large apricot tree in the backyard. Last year was our first apricot harvest. The apricots got large a ripe, and looked great. But when I picked one and tasted it, is was VERY mushy and bland. Upon further investigation, all the fruit was this way. Does this mean that the tree is too old or maybe just a bad tree? I don't want to deal with the hassle of a fruit tree if I can't use the fruit.
Answer(s)
I don't know why your apricots were mushy - could be the variety or because many apricots are early bearers and if we have some freezing temperatures when the fruit is ripening, that freeze - thaw cycle could contribute to the mushy texture. I agree, don't keep a tree that you don't use the fruit. On the other hand, if it is a established tree with good structure, you may just want to keep as ornamental tree.
Generally fruit bearing trees have a short life span (25 years or less) and usually the quantity of the fruit decreases, but can also affect fruit quality.
Other Questions In This Topic
- I discovered on my peach tree there is a white larvae that has burrowed into the base of the trunk and a sticky peach colored substance is there. The rest of the tree looks healthy, but I only have about five peaches that made it this year. This is the third year for this tree, and when it was only a year oldit produced 35 peaches. Also, there are these black bugs with red heads on the tree that I have never seen before. HELP! I really want to save this tree!
- I am looking for a shrub or tree that can line my driveway but, the problem is that it is facing the south and gets little to none water. Can you suggest some drought resistant plants that will work for that particular area?
- We would like to plant a pasture (about 2 acres). We would like one that creates sod, like a lawn, rather than a bunch grass. It will be used to hold a hillside and eventually to graze a few animals. We could cut it for grass hay also. What would be the best varieties of seed to use for a pasture like this?
- This year we planted our first home garden. It was a lot of fun, but we need to know what to do to make it better next year. Specifically: our plants grew VERY large, but did not yield much fruit. What fruit we did get was typically small and misshapen. We did not fertilize, except some nitrogen along with dead lawn clippings last fall. What should we do this fall to get the soils ready for more fruit and less leaves next year?
- We currently have an elm tree in our front yard. It has been diagnosed with slime flux. We would like to plant another tree next to it,seeing as they said the stump was so big that they would just leave it. Will this cause a problem for any other trees? We want another large shade tree. Will it get the slime flux too if we plant it near it?
- How many gallons per hour are needed for mature fruit trees? Also how many times a week and how long each time should trees be watered?
- Our blue spruce has been around for 30 years. but the new buds have no needles and they are brown. Even up the center of the tree is brown with no needles. My father has put a bed of rocks around it and I am not sure if it is affecting it. We also had two crimson maples and they lost all of their leaves half way through summer. This year there are no leaves at all. Do the trees have disease?
- I would like to plant some fruit and nut bearing trees to assist us with our food supply. Are there some trees better than others?
