Apricot Calendar

Apricots flower so early that a single cold night can erase a year of work. The calendar below is about managing that risk and picking fruit at the right moment.

Key points

Spring frost, not winter cold, is the usual cause of apricot failure.
Site choice does the most to lower risk.
Pick late bloomers from your local extension list.
Harvest at tree ripeness, in several passes.

Why is apricot bloom such a problem?

Apricots are among the earliest fruit trees to flower, often opening while nights are still freezing. Extension fruit guides from Utah, North Dakota and New Mexico all single out spring frost as the main reason apricot crops fail, more than winter cold or pests.

The tree itself may be perfectly hardy, yet it loses the crop in most years if the flowers open too soon. Treat a full crop as something you earn with good site choice and a little luck, not something you should expect every year.

A useful habit is to log the date each year when flower buds first show color and the date of the last freezing night. After a few seasons you will know how many days of margin your site usually gives, which tells you whether apricots are a sound bet or a hobby gamble.

How do you pick a site that lowers frost risk?

Cold air behaves like water, flowing downhill and collecting in low ground. A tree on an open slope, with air able to drain past it, will often escape a night that kills fruit in a hollow. Planting on the north or east side of a building can delay bloom by a few days.

Walk the property on a clear, still evening and feel for the cooler spots. Avoid planting where a fence, hedge or wall traps cold air. Ask extension whether local orchards use any site features that you can copy.

Choose a gentle slope with open air drainage
Avoid low pockets and enclosed corners
Consider a slightly cooler exposure to delay bloom

Which varieties suit a cold or warm climate?

Varieties differ in chill needs, bloom date and hardiness. Late blooming types give you a better chance in frost-prone regions, and some are self fruitful while others need a partner. In North Dakota and other cold regions, extension lists the cultivars that have done best locally.

Always start with your local extension list rather than a catalog description. A variety that thrives in one valley may bloom too early in another.

If you live in a region where late frosts arrive most years, consider treating apricots as an experiment alongside more dependable fruit, so a lost crop does not cost you the whole season.

How should you handle bloom nights?

Check the National Weather Service forecast during bloom and watch the stage of the flowers. Tight buds tolerate more cold than open flowers, and the more open the bloom, the less margin you have. A small tree can sometimes be covered overnight with a breathable cloth that does not touch the blossoms.

Never use plastic that traps moisture against flowers. For larger plantings, ask extension about options that fit your scale and about local rules on smoke, heaters or wind machines.

When should you prune and thin apricots?

Many extension sources suggest pruning apricots in late winter or after harvest, depending on the region, to reduce disease entry during wet weather. Open the center so light reaches fruiting wood, and remove dead or diseased limbs first. Apricots fruit on short spurs along older wood and on young shoots.

In a heavy fruit year, thin after set so fruit are spaced along the branch. Thinned fruit grow larger and branches are less likely to break. If frost has taken most flowers, skip the thinning and let what survived grow.

How do you know apricots are ready to pick?

Apricots do not sweeten much after picking, so waiting for tree ripeness matters. The ground color should change from green to a warm orange or yellow, the fruit should give slightly, and it should come off the stem with a gentle twist. Fruit on the same tree ripen over a week or more.

For example, if the sunny-side fruit is soft while the inner fruit is still firm, pick in two or three passes. Ripe apricots bruise easily, so handle them gently and keep them cool.

Keep picked fruit shaded and cool and eat or process it within a short time. If you plan to dry or can apricots, use only tested procedures from the National Center for Home Food Preservation or your extension office.

What about disease and pest management?

Brown rot on blossoms and fruit, bacterial problems and several insects can trouble apricots. Wet weather during bloom raises the risk of blossom blight. Clean up mummified fruit and prune out dead wood to reduce carryover.

Treatment advice depends on your state and changes over time. This guide offers no product names or rates. Your extension fruit guide is the right place for current options, and every product must be used as its label directs, with attention to pre-harvest intervals and to protecting bees during bloom.

When to get local help: Ask your county extension office which apricot varieties have fruited reliably near you and how local growers handle bloom frost.

Sources and further reading

Last reviewed: November 2026. Educational information, ranges only. Confirm timing with your county extension office.

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