Apricots belong to the Rosaceae Apricot genus, and the sun-facing part usually has blush and spots; dark yellow flesh, white, yellow, or yellow-red skin, ripe fresh apricots taste sweet and sour.

The nutritional value of apricots is also relatively high. Golden sun apricots contain protein, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and minerals, which have a strong protective effect on cardiovascular health and a good effect on enhancing physical function and skin care.

It is not recommended to eat apricots that are not fully ripe, because the content of toxic substances is too high, which can easily cause food poisoning.

The apricots contain apricot glycosides, which are toxic, so people with poor liver function, pregnant women, mothers, and children should not eat them.

Apricot, deciduous tree. Terrestrial, plants glabrous. Leaves alternate, broadly ovate or round-ovate leaves, with obtuse serrations on the edge; two glands near the top of the petiole; pale red flowers solitary or 2-3 connate, white or reddish.

Round, oblong or oblate drupe, the peel is mostly white, yellow to yellow-red, often with blush and spots in the sun; dark yellow flesh, sweet and juicy; the surface of the nucleus is smooth without spots, and the edge of the nucleus is thick and grooved.

Seeds are bitter or sweet. The flowering period is March-April, and the fruiting period is June-July.

The picking of apricots is the most important agricultural activity in the year, and many people do not know how to pick apricots.

1. Picking time

The right harvest time can ensure the highest yield, reduce losses, and ensure good apricot quality. The apricot ripening period is in the high-temperature season. The sun is very strong at noon. It is not suitable to pick apricot fruits.

Otherwise, the overheated apricot fruits will be concentrated together, which will aggravate the respiration, make the fruits ripen, lose the storage and transportation capacity, and the quality of the apricot fruits will also decline quickly. It is advisable to pick after 10:00~12:00 and 16:00 on sunny days.

2. Picking tools

Hand-picked

Most of the apricots are picked by hand. Especially for the apricots that are supplied to the market or exported as fresh fruits, in order to ensure a bright and intact fruit surface, hand-picking is the most reliable.

High stools should be used to pick fruit as much as possible to reduce the number and frequency of fruit picking on the tree. When picking apricots, you should choose apricots with a darker color and no green color, and apricots with a soft feeling when you pinch them with your hands.

This kind of apricot has a higher maturity. When picking apricots, the apricots will fall off when you touch them lightly.

Harvester

If apricots are planted in a large area, the manual harvesting of fresh fruits is labor-intensive and the fruit damage rate is high. Therefore, the 4GZG-25 traction-type forest fruit vibration harvester has been developed. Using this machine can greatly reduce labor intensity and improve harvesting efficiency.

Fruit picker

There is a handy fruit picker for apricot trees that can also be used to pick apricots.