JD Van Deventer's Kwekery/Nursery

Cultivar; Solitare - SL 620

Clone Number; SL 620

Origin; RSA, ARC Infruitec May 2012

Royalties/ Levies; ZAR 6.30 Royalty, R1100/ha year 3, R2200/ha year 4+

Yield; excellent

Fruit use; Fresh

Type; fresh, blush, freestone

Shelf-life; good

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Water requirements; 12957.1 m3 / ha

Soil type; loam, silt or sandy, well-draining soil with a pH of 6 to 6.5 is recommended. Apricots do not tolerate high levels of boron, chlorine, sodium or brackish soils

Sun requirements; 8 hours of full-sun

Chill hours; 200-400 hours

Pruning; It is best to prune apricot trees in late winter or early spring when the new leaves and flowers begin to show. Cut off the thinner branches with narrow crotches (ie; those flimsy branches that grow more up than outwards) . In addition, apricots should be thinned out once the fruit sets in, this is because a too heavily laden tree will  produce smaller fruits than normal.

Soil depth; apricots require deep soil to grow well, a depth of 1,5 metres is recommended

Care; It is best to protect apricot trees from excessive winds, and ensure that you plant them in an area that receives little frost as they are susceptible to late frost. Painting the bottom of the trunk with a non-caustic, quick-drying paint can help reduce the effects of extreme cold and/or harsh sunlight as they are heat sensitive.

Fertiliser requirements; Apricots do best when Nitrogen, Phosphorous and potassium are applied  

Pollination requirements; self-fruitful

Successful test-crosses; not applicable

Bloom time; end of August

Harvest time; mid November

Vigor; strong

Size and shape; semi-spreading

Tree age; generally will fruit in it's second or third year, but may take up to five years to yield at it's maximum potential

Average life span; fruits for 20-25 years, lives for 40-150 depending on the rootstock used.

Susceptibility to pests and disease; not enough data

General notes; fruits are delicate and must be handled and transported with care