Tomcot is a modern apricot variety, and one of the best-suited to temperate climates. The fruit size is larger than is usual for apricots. The fruit is ripe when the orange skin develops a red flush on the side facing the sun (actually a mass of tiny red dots) - usually middle to end of July in the UK.
Growing any apricot in the UK is a bit of a gamble, but our experience is that you should get a crop one year in three. Success is more likely if you train the tree as a fan on a south-facing wall, and protect the blossom from spring frosts. All in all, worth a try if you have a bit of spare space.
**All prices include delivery. We offer a discount on orders of multiple bare-root trees for delivery at the same time - this will be shown at the checkout.
Delivery period: Pot-grown trees can be delivered from September onwards. Bare-root trees can be delivered from mid-November onwards. Within those periods you can specify your preferred month of delivery during the checkout process. It is best to order as soon as you can to ensure items are reserved for you.
*Mature heights: Height shown is the approximate height of the tree when mature (after 5-10 years), not the height when supplied. See photos of trees as supplied. Actual mature heights may vary considerably dependent on your local conditions and training and pruning regime.
Stock availability: Items showing as 'sold out' will probably be available again next season. If you would like to reserve in advance use our enquiry form - this does not commit you to anything.
Tomcot is self-fertile and does not need a pollination partner, although fruiting may be improved if there is a compatible tree of a different variety nearby.
Important: advice about pollination
Whilst most apricot varieties will only succeed in the UK and northern Europe if grown as a fan on a south-facing wall, Tomcot can also be grown as a free-standing tree provided you have a sheltered spot with a sunny aspect - but if in doubt, fan-training is a safer bet.
A mature tree will produce several hundred fruits in a good year. As the fruitlets form, thin the clusters to 2-3 fruits per cluster.
The main challenge for growing Tomcot in the UK is that it flowers (like all apricots) very early in the spring, at a time when there are few insects around and there is a risk of damage to the blossom from frost. A good spring is a big help, but if you are growing against a wall you can help protect the blossom by covering with a frost-protection fleece if frost is forecast (remove it during the day).
Tomcot is self-fertile so does not need a pollination partner, although cropping is improved if there is another apricot variety nearby. In a good spring Tomcot can produce a lot of blossom and a heavy fruit set, in which case some thinning may be useful - this ensures larger fruit size of the remaining fruits, and, more importantly, maximises the flavour.
Tomcot prefers well-drained soil, and does not tolerate water-logging (but is drought tolerant).
Whilst most apricot varieties are hardy trees, bacterial canker is a potential problem. However the simple precaution of keeping pruning to a minimum and only pruning in late spring will minimise the risk.
Training and Pruning for 1-year old trees. If you are planting a 1 year-old tree (either a bare-root tree or a tree supplied in a 3L container) in open ground, start by cutting the stem back to about 30" / 75cm above the ground immediately after planting. This will encourage branches to emerge the following spring and summer.
Planting instructions.
Pruning instructions.
Developed at Washington State University, USA, in the 1980s.
