fishoife:

Yes, you can grow apricots in coastal NC. Plant the Tomcot variety. I don't know for sure where you can find it, but find it.

Your apricot tree will require some care to remain healthy and produce edible fruit. Most important is dormant spraying with copper or another effective dormant season fungicide, but it may also be necessary to spray the tree with an effective insecticide like permethrin or imidan to get the fruit past the early insect stage. Plum curculio can be a very bad actor on apricots, and you should begin weekly sprays right at petal fall and continue for at least 5-6 weeks. After that you should be able to stop spraying as the fruit begins to ripen.

Once your tree begins to set fruit, the apricots will require rigorous thinning to at least 3-4 inches apart to grow to full size and quality. The tree should be continually pruned to an open shape, removing branches as necessary to permit sun in on the fruiting branches.

Squirrels like apricots, and if you have a lot of them they will steal all your fruit. I control my squirrels.

So it isn't as easy as just planting a tree, but it is possible. I have been doing it for years.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Wow thanks for all the info. yes very nice I will find that variety and give it a try.I have a spot It is full sun and full wind hopping to grow a plum in this same area will the pollen make a bad mix? I dont think I will get lucky enough to have a squirrel problem not to many of those around here.Well thanks for the info. Brad D. Nags Head

Raintree sells Tomcot:

http://www.raintreenursery.com/catalog/producttype.cfm?producttype=APRI

Carla in Sac