What pests and diseases hit apricot and how do I manage gummosis?

Gum oozing (gummosis) in apricot and other stone fruits is a response to stress, injury and infection, often linked to bacterial canker or fungal cankers, borers, sunscald, waterlogging or pruning wounds. Manage it by reducing stress and infection: ensure good drainage (stone fruits hate wet feet), avoid trunk injuries from implements, whitewash trunks to prevent sunscald, prune only in dry weather and disinfect tools, and cut out and remove cankered, gum-oozing wood back to healthy tissue, then protect cuts. A recommended copper or Bordeaux paste on the trunk and a dormant spray help against bacterial and fungal cankers. Control trunk and shoot borers, which create entry wounds, by removing affected wood and recommended treatment. Holes in fruit are usually borers or fruit-feeding insects, managed by sanitation and timed sprays. Other apricot problems include brown rot and aphids. Keep trees vigorous with balanced nutrition; a healthy tree gums far less. Follow label and KVK advice for any chemical.