Mary Fisher wrote:
I'm in inner city Leeds, Yorkshire so there's no point in southerners
bothering to reply - conditions are very different :-)

I want to get an apricot tree, I'm assured that they will produce fruit here
if grown in a protected, sunny site.

I can do that but not with a wall behind it, which is recommended, unless we
build one which would have to be done from the friendly neighbour's garden.
He's co-operative and wants to build a garage in that spot anyway -
eventually.

The site is reasonably sheltered and gets full sun (when it's out!). The
local temperature is higher than in less built-up regions.

Would it help to put a temporary panel of a less heat retentive material -
wood, plastic, glass - until a wall can be built?

Would the panel (hem!) advise training the apricot as a fan or other shape
or having it as a small tree? I'd prefer it to be flat against the
fence/wall.

Do I need to know anything else?

Mary,

I'm on the Leeds/Wakefield Border in East Ardsley, and 2 years ago I put
in a maiden Apricot, against a wall. It's made slow progress, so I can't
report flowers or fruit yet. I'm training as a fan against the wall. I
thought I was mad (the family think so too :-) so I'm really glad to see
someone else wanting to try this. I'm not sure Kay has an apricot? I don't
remember seeing one when she showed me round her garden a couple of years
ago.

I'm sure you could get an apricot started before the wall is in place -
but you'd have to be very very carefull building the wall not to damage
the tree. I think one of the reasons a wall is usefull is that you can
support fleece for covering the apricot, should there be danger of frost
when the tree is in flower.

Jim