An apricot (Prunus armeniaca) is a must in the snack garden on the balcony. To ensure that the tree bears juicy fruit, important cultivation principles must be observed. Read here the best tips on how to properly plant an apricot tree in a pot and how to care for it in an exemplary manner.
How do you plant and care for an apricot tree in a container?
An apricot tree in a pot is planted in spring with a loose soil-compost mixture in a 30 liter pot with drainage. Care includes sparing watering, monthly fertilization and autumn pruning. Frost-free wintering or container protection is recommended.
How do I plant an apricot tree in a container correctly?
It is best to plant the apricot tree in spring in a pot with a hole in the bottom and a capacity of 30 liters, which you fill with a loose, permeablesoil-compost mixture. ADrainage prevents waterlogging. How to do it right:
- Place the root ball in a bucket of rainwater.
- Cover the bottom of the bucket with pottery shards or expanded clay as drainage.
- Fill the bucket with a mixture of organic potting soil (€12.00 on Amazon), compost and lava granules or sand.
- Plant a potted, water-soaked root ball.
- The grafting point is 5 cm above the ground.
- Water thoroughly with rainwater.
- Place the apricot tree in a pot in a sunny, protected location.
How do I properly care for an apricot tree in a pot?
You can properly care for an apricot in a pot if you water the treesparingly, fertilize it monthly and cut it in autumn. Read these in-depth care tips for an apricot tree on the balcony:
- In the first few weeks after planting, keep the soil constantly slightly moist with low-lime water.
- Water a mature apricot tree in a pot only when the soil surface is noticeably dry (finger test 2 cm deep).
- Add organic liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water every month from March to July.
- Cutting the apricot tree in autumn.
- Thimout dead wood, remove any shoots that compete with the leading shoot, cut back worn side branches to 10-15 cm.
Tip
Overwinter the apricot tree in a pot frost-free
An apricot tree in a pot is not completely hardy. The reason for this is the exposed position of the root ball, which is vulnerable to frost in the limited substrate volume. Ideally, an apricot tree should overwinter in a pot frost-free. If winter quarters are not available, cover the bucket with fleece. If you slide another block of wood under the container, the root ball is well protected from frost from below.
