Why Is My Apricot Tree Too Tall and Out of Control?

An apricot tree that has been allowed to grow unpruned for several years becomes a tall, densely branched structure with most of its fruit production in the upper canopy — far out of reach — while the lower canopy is shaded out and unproductive. Reducing an overgrown apricot to a manageable size is achievable but requires spreading the renovation over two to three years to avoid the tree going into excessive vegetative response (producing masses of vertical water shoots) and becoming even harder to manage.

How over-tall trees develop

Unpruned apricots on standard or semi-vigorous rootstocks grow strongly upward — often 30–60 cm or more of extension per year from the main scaffold branches. Without summer pruning to redirect or contain lateral growth, the structure becomes taller and more congested each season. The lower branches are progressively shaded out and become unproductive, and the tree's fruit-bearing capacity concentrates in the upper canopy.

Renovation strategy: year one

In the first summer (June–July), identify the two or three tallest scaffold branches and reduce each by roughly one-third of its length, cutting to a well-placed lateral facing outward and downward. Also remove any crossing branches, dead wood, and branches growing vertically. This starts to reduce height without triggering the extreme water-shoot response that follows heavier pruning.

Year two and three

Continue reducing the height by one-third of the remaining scaffold arms each summer. By the end of three seasons the tree should be at a manageable height, with better light penetration into the canopy. Remove any water shoots (vigorous vertical growths) promptly — either rub them off in early summer before they lignify or cut them back in summer. Once at the desired height, maintain it with annual summer pruning.

Switching to wall training

If a free-standing tree is simply too large and productive for its site, wall-training against a suitably sized structure is worth considering for a young tree. An old, large standard tree that has outgrown its space is best replaced with a new fan-trained tree on a dwarfing rootstock rather than heavily reduced.