Vibaco Australian Apricots

What Makes Vibaco Australian Apricot Special?

• Sun-Kissed Color: The fruit has a beautiful golden-orange skin, often with a lovely red blush on the side facing the sun.
• Honey-Like Taste: Unlike some sour local varieties, the Vibaco is famous for its high sugar content and smooth, velvety flesh.
• Low-Chill Variety: It’s bred to handle the slightly warmer winters of the Australian plains, which are very similar to many parts of North and Central India.
• Fast Grower: In my nursery, I’ve noticed that this variety catches height very quickly. Within two seasons, you’ll see a well-branched canopy ready for fruiting.

 How to Plant & Use

Apricots hate waterlogging around their roots, so always plant them on a slight mound if your garden soil is heavy clay. If you are using a pot, go for a 20-inch drum to give the roots space to breathe. Space your trees at least 12 feet apart to allow for good air circulation.

Pro Tip: Pair this with our Grafted Snow Queen Nectarine to have a complete summer fruit basket growing in your own backyard!

Health & Garden Benefits

• Eye Health: Loaded with Vitamin A (Beta-carotene), which is excellent for vision.
• Heat Hardy: Once the plant is 2-3 years old, it becomes quite tough and can withstand the harsh Indian Loo winds.
• Beautiful Shade: The tree grows thick, heart-shaped leaves that provide great shade for smaller shade-loving plants underneath.
• Organic Harvest: Growing your own means no harmful wax or carbide chemicals that you find in market fruits.
• Long Life: With just a little bit of care against “deemak” (termites), this tree will keep fruiting for decades.

Nursery Secrets – Detailed Care

• Sunlight: Give it a South-East exposure. It needs that early morning “meethi dhoop” (soft sun) to trigger flower buds, but the strong midday sun helps in ripening the fruit.
• Watering: During the scorching months of May and June, water daily. However, when the tree sheds its leaves in winter (dormancy), stop the daily watering. Just keep the soil barely moist so the roots don’t dry out.
• Soil Mix: Mix 50% Garden Soil, 20% Sand (for drainage), and 30% Gobar Khad or Vermicompost. This keeps the soil loose and airy.
• Fertilizer: In January, just before new leaves appear, give it a heavy dose of Vermicompost mixed with 50g Neem Khali and 2 spoons of Bone Meal. For extra sweetness in the fruit, add a little bit of Potash when you see tiny green fruits.
• Pruning: Cut back the main leader branch when the plant reaches 5 feet. This encourages “side-waali” (lateral) branches where the actual fruit grows.

Expert Note: As per ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) studies, low-chill stone fruits like the Australian varieties are now successfully being adapted for the sub-tropical regions of India.