Fruit tree bloom could be early?

Apricot 'Sungold' Mar 11, 2017

This week's forecast calls for weather not just in the sixties, but reaching into the seventies and possibly even eighty degrees F by the coming weekend. If the warm weather we've been having causes early bloom of fruit trees, blossoms could be caught by freezes.

Apricots are notorious for early bloom. Pictured is Prunus armeniaca 'Sungold' at Denver Botanic Gardens that was in full bloom this past weekend. Apricots may only bear fruit one year out of five (?) here on average because blossoms get caught by freezes in late March and April. The good thing about apricots for a homeowner is that they make a handsome ornamental landscape tree even if there is no fruit crop.

'Sungold' apricot bloom closeup

The bigger concern is with our other fruit tree species that may start to break bud as chilling requirements are met and temperatures allow them to resume growth. They need moisture to do this as well.

Along with cold temperatures, moisture has been lacking so far this spring. Watering your fruit trees is likely a good idea on the Front Range if the current dry conditions continue. Thankfully, our mountain snowpack is now around 130% of normal so we have water to irrigate.

Photo credit: Both apricot photos Carl Wilson