Are apricots in our climate an alternative?

Key words: apricots, alternatives, late flowering, late picking time

Often companies have specialized in one or two crops. Because of the continuing crisis in the apple growing the question is posed whether there are, in addition to pears and sweet cherries, other alternatives. In the first place, it is thought here about apricots. On the one hand it is hoped in this way to spread the work and risk. On the other hand, climate change also plays a role. Therefore we have planted the first apricots in spring 2015.

Aim
The aim is to determine whether the selected varieties are suitable for our climatic conditions. Here we especially have looked for varieties with a late flowering time (and therefore should be less sensitive to spring frosts) and a late picking time (August), so the harvest is later than Sweetheart and earlier than Conference. In this way there is a spreading of labor. Moreover, there is no overlap with the imported varieties of the Southern countries.

Varieties, planting distance and rootstock
In spring 2015 and 2016 we have planted 13 apricot varieties. The trees will be trained as a spindle and the planting distance is 4 x 2 m. Most of these varieties are on the rootstock Wav-it® or Weiwa®.

In order to reduce problems with bacterial canker (Pseudomonas) it is important that the trees are standing sufficiently dry. Without a plastic covering the mortality would be too high in our climate. But we have chosen to establish whether the cultivation of apricots is possible without plastic covering. In this way, the cost to the grower can be reduced.

Conclusion
It is obviously too early to draw conclusions. The varieties that were planted in 2015 had a good start. In a number of varieties we now see the first fruits. Until now, we have only lost one tree of Helena Roussillon Aveira, the other trees look healthy.

Publications

Fruitteeltnieuws 29(11): 16-17

Zijn abrikozen in ons klimaat een alternatief? Published: 27-05-2016

Documents

Zijn abrikozen in ons klimaat een alternatief? () magazine article

Details

Activity type

Publication in industry journal/magazine

Activity work package

Performance of new fruit varieties

Activity number

PCFRUIT-WP2-A7

Activity contact

Vercammen Jef
pcfruit, Fruittuinweg 1, 3800 Sint-Truiden, Belgium
Tel.: +32 (0)11 69.70.81
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.pcfruit.be

Activity partner

pcfruit

Activity country

Belgium

Last edit

03-10-2016