Spindly Apricots

[vomog]

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?

[Brooklyn1]

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.

[Higgs Boson]

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

HB

[vomog]

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.

[Brooklyn1]

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

1. Pole: young trees from 7?30 cm diameter
2. Mature tree: over 30 cm diameter, reproductive years begin
3. Old tree: dominate old growth forest; height growth slows greatly, with majority of productivity in seed production
4. Overmature: dieback and decay become common
5. Snag: standing dead wood
6. Log/debris: fallen dead wood