THESE fruits are so expensive in the shops to buy yet are much easier to grow outdoors than peaches and nectarines. They don’t suffer from leaf-curl disease and thrive in average conditions.

Apricots prefer warmth, so grow them in a sheltered, sunny spot in fertile, well-drained soil.

You only need one tree as they will pollinate without a partner and if you are short of space, plant a compact kind which can be grown in a pot and will grow very slowly.

They should be ready for picking from late July to early September.

Varieties include ‘Flavorcot’, which flowers later than other types and is less susceptible to frost.

‘Moorpark’ is another good variety with its large fruits which ripen at the end of August.