Apricot trees (Prunus armeniaca) do well in many areas that experience relatively cold winters, such as continental climates with an average winter high of 25-degrees Fahrenheit, and the distances of U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10, which have an average winter low of 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Like all fruit trees, apricots require proper nutrition, diligent pruning, pest management and regular watering to make an optimum yield and aesthetic appeal.

Insert the probe of a moisture meter 6 inches into the ground at the bottom of the apricot tree. You have to water the tree once the meter reads between four and seven, signaling moist soil to a depth of 6 inches. Most moisture meters have a needle that points to the next gradations when inserted in soil: one, represented in red numerals, signals dry; four through seven, represented in green numerals, signals moist; eight through 10, indicated in black numerals, signifies wet. Rinse and dry the probe to work with after watering.

Water the ground around the foundation of the apricot tree into a depth of 6 feet. It requires between 10.8 to 16.875 inches of water to achieve a depth of 6 feet in clay soil, and it takes 1 gallon of water per square foot to achieve a depth of 12 inches. Therefore it requires 64.8 gallons and 101.25 liters of water per square foot to water the ground to a depth of 6 feet. Sandy or gravelly soils require less water, approximately 30 to 40 gallons.

Test the soil every 10 to 14 days for moisture content depending on precipitation in your town, as rainfall counts toward the water conditions for the apricot tree.

Spread 3 to 4 inches of organic mulch, such as composted wood chips, in a circle over the apricot tree root system after watering. Preserve a mulch-free space of 6 inches around the base of this tree on all sides. The mulch acts as insulation that boosts the water retention of the soil.

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