Apricots Died On Tree

Question

Up until last year I’ve managed to get some apricot from my fruit tree as long as I could beat the critters to them. Last year the tree was really loaded with fruit but they all died on the branches leaving only the pits still there. Will these fall off on their own or will I have to remove them individually? I live about 70 miles South East of Kansas City. I’ve had several medical problems since last Spring and am still recuperating so don’t know if I’ll be able to prune back all my fruit trees soon or not. Past prunings I have thinned out and topped the supposed dwarf trees I purchased from Stark Bro’s. Many of the trees are over 20 ft tall

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Answer 1

They do appear to be dwarfs. It isn't uncommon for them to reach those heights.

As far as what is going on with the fruit- This appears to be Brown Rot disease. This will be a lifelong disease that will not leave the trees. Without yearly treatment, and careful pruning on a strict schedule, it will never produce another edible crop.

You may try to contact your local extension service. They can offer more advice, and help you to craft a plan to maintain the trees.

This link will help you to find the closest extension service to you: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/extension-search

These articles will offer more information on Brown Rot:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/apricots/diseases-of-apricots.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/peach/brown-rot-fungus.htm