Spindly Apricots

 
Hi there.

I'm growing Apricots from seed in France and now have 8 saplings about
2 ft high. They are very spindly and need support. Should I nip out the
growing tip to encourage bushing?




--
vomog

 On Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:48:33 +0000, vomog


No and No... they don't need support, they will develop a stronger
root system without support... and leave them to grow and soon they
will begin to branch.  It's much too soon to think about pruning.
You're growing trees, not shrubs.

 
Are they getting enough sun?  Spindly often applied to plants that are
not getting enough sun.

HB

 
Higgs Boson;926465 Wrote:

I've been growing them in a greenhouse. It's been very warm this spring,
and certainly not lacking sun. Having had great luck with Peach from
seed, I assumed the same for Apricots.




--
vomog

 On Sun, 12 Jun 2011 07:24:59 +0000, vomog


Stone fruit trees don't do very well in a greenhouse, they become
stunted.  In order to properly develop these trees need to be exposed
to the elements, to temperature fluctuations and wind - without
movement the root system won't attain full form, without
contraction/expansion from alternating temperature neither will the
above ground portion develop a strong structure.  And those are not
saplings... get those seedlings outdoors.

Tree Stages

1. Seed
2. Seedling: the above-ground part of the embryo that sprouts from the
seed
3. Sapling: After the seedling reaches 1 m tall, and until it reaches
7 cm in stem diameter
4. Pole: young trees from 7–30 cm diameter
5. Mature tree: over 30 cm diameter, reproductive years begin
6. Old tree: dominate old growth forest; height growth slows greatly,
with majority of productivity in seed production
7. Overmature: dieback and decay become common
8. Snag: standing dead wood
9. Log/debris: fallen dead wood