Surely, everyone is familiar with the period when the garden is drowning in the bloom of apricots, and the trees set a large number of fragrant fruits. But here’s the trouble – apricots fall off while still green, without ever delighting us with their taste. Why do apricots drop off while still green?
Reasons for Premature Fruit Drop
There are a huge number of factors that lead to this process:
- Weather conditions. In warm and moderately humid weather, the plant blooms profusely and sets a large number of fruits, but the plant is unable to “feed and grow” them (lack of nutrients). To save itself from weakness, the apricot independently drops part of the future harvest.
- Lack of nitrogen in the soil. The yellowing of leaves and the cessation of growth will also help determine that the soil is depleted.
- Excess or deficiency of moisture. Apricot is a rather capricious plant and requires careful care. It reacts to the slightest disturbances in care and drops the crop.
- Infestation of insects or fungal infections. Pests of any origin lead to a general depression of the plant, which is unable to please with a full-fledged harvest.
- Lack of pollinator plants. Numerous varieties need the help of a relative during flowering for pollination and setting fruit. Unpollinated flowers can also set fruit, which then fall off (such fruits are unable to develop, they are incomplete).
There are a huge number of reasons why green apricots fall off. And they are very diverse. For example, if unseasonably warm weather is observed in the middle of winter, the buds of early varieties wake up. But with subsequent frosts, the pistils hidden in the bud are damaged. Fruits appear but fall off undeveloped.
Apricot also drops green fruits due to violations of agricultural technology – they should be eliminated.
Tip! Before starting work, you should carefully study the algorithm for planting a seedling. This will help avoid many subsequent problems.
If the apricot tree forms an ovary, which then falls off, then the reason for this is a lack of nutrition: the plant should be sprayed with urea (50 g per 10 liters of water). A safe and effective folk method for preparing a nutrient mixture for stone fruit crops also works well:
- Fill a tightly closed container with green mass (chopped weeds, alfalfa, nettle) to ½ volume.
- Place the container in the sun for the green mass to ferment.
- Add wood ash at a ratio of 0.5 kg per 50 liters of the product.
- Pour water and infuse for 14 days.
- Strain and dilute with water in a ratio of 1:1.
- Under an adult specimen, you need to pour up to 40 liters of solution.
With high temperature and severe dryness, the condition of the soil should be monitored. If necessary, the plant is watered with warm water (2-3 buckets under an adult tree). Water should soak the ground well to a depth of up to 70 cm. This requirement is mandatory, as the apricot forms surface roots.
Adverse weather conditions can lead to the development of fungal infections. Large-scale damage can only be eliminated with the help of special preparations.
The reason for the infertility of stone fruit plants can also be high levels of soil acidity. The introduction of dolomite flour will help solve the problem: 0.5 kg of the preparation is mixed with the soil in the trunk circle of 1 sq. m., abundantly watered.
Apricot requires constant attention and care. Sometimes the apricot drops green fruits, but this problem can be solved. Nevertheless, this capricious plant is worth settling on your plot to enjoy delicious and healthy fruits.