Just so you know, apricots are very susceptible to bacterial diseases, and it is recommended they be summer pruned, not pruned in the spring, at least in California. If you see brown oozing sap, it's likely bacterial, and next year you will want to hold off in the spring and prune in late summer.

Apricot branches on a whole are brittle, so I have read the main thing to worry about is letting them grow too far horizontally or get too much fruit on them. Your little branch should be fine.

Carla in Sac

That's good to know. How about grafting; is late summer also a good time for that? I ask because I want to coincide pruning and grafting (scions being available).

Carla gave good advice. Grafting in late summer will not usually work. You could try some budding at that time. The pruning of apricots needs to be done when rain is unlikely and the fruit has been harvested, July works. It is the rain that spreads the die back disease through the fresh cuts. Al