Instead of tarps I would use 6ml greenhouse plastic-it is UV protected and can be painted white with any cheap paint (to lower the summer suns heat transmission). It comes in 10',20',30'...up to 240' wide X 100' up to 500'+ long. 30' x 100' sheets cost about $100. They can be bought at any greenhouse wholesaler. I have some sheets that are 25 years old and still in good shape. It is tear/puncture resistant. We have had 80 mph straight line winds that have flattened our kennels and did nothing to the greenhouse next to them. Cut it about 12 inches wider and longer than you need and fold the edges over twice (4 layers using the extra 6") on the edges and sew it on any sewing machine with a double stitch rows like blue jean seams. Then add your eyelets every 2' or 3' so it can be tied on like you do a tarp. If adding it to a wooden frame all you have to do is use 1'x2' firring strips to hold it tightly to the frame without the eyelets or sewing. On a hoop pen you can run wooden rails along the bottom edges and fasten the greenhouse plastic with wooden firring strips (instead of nails I recommend using ceramic coated deck screws, they won't loosen with wind vibrations and from moving it around). I have designed a chicken tractor that is light and easy to move. Plan building some this spring-will take lots of pics as they are being built and will add them to my website with materials lists and exact dimensions and instructions.

You may have to be the first. I did a search on GRIN of the countries of origin of the apricot accessions and found that most are not named varieties. Maybe you could order scion and start a little experiment. The "Turkish White" comes from the U.S. Sorry I can't be of more help. Here is a link that might be useful: accessions of Prunus armeniaca L.

Hi ncrepair, Would you please tell me what state you live in or the general location or zone where you live? What Costco did you purchase your Chinese Apricot from? Also, I would love to know about the site where you are growing your apricot tree? Is it on the north side of your yard? Is it in a higher ground area or down in a valley? We had a Mormon apricot on the far south end of our lot that died a few years after we planted it, from a gusty wind storm that snapped the trunk. We have a Moorpark apricot on the south end of our lot too, just north of where the Chinese Apricot was and it's still alive, but unfortunately we only get a crop about every 8 - 10 years. We are located about 40 miles south of SLC in Zone 5b: -15F to -10F or 3A if you're using the Western Garden Book's zoning (they have their own separate zoning tables). We have a place on the north side of our lot where we could plant a Mormon apricot, but don't want to do a repeat and not get any fruit! I'd love to know the secret to your success! Also, do you or anyone else here know if the Chinese (Mormon) Apricot can be kept smaller--10 to 12 feet tall? Our Moorpark has a huge trunk and is very tall, as it's about 22 years old. We love the apricots on it, but getting a late frosts usually prevents us from getting more than a couple each year. We tried Christmas lights one year, and it didn't work for us. Has anyone ever tried leaving a sprinkler on under it all night to circumvent a late frost? Does that work? Many thanks!

It's a GREAT astilbe!!!! Forget about flowers, they are not very special or particularly showy, but foliage is to die for, especialy in a somewhat sunnier location. And it change colors in a fall, too! However, I must mention something strange in its behaviour in my garden. I don't know if this is a feature of this particular cultivar or just coincidence/fluke, but... I planted 3 clumps of it in 2005. Next spring 2 were nice and bushy, but one clump was looking somewhat depressed and never become a former self. I added another 3 plants in 2006 to the immediate area. In 2007 5 plants grew to my enjoyment and occupied about 15-18sf area, but one (2006'-loser) never sprouted. Also, I noticed some seedlings between plants, but there were just a few of them and I didn't pay much attention to that. In 2008 only 1(!) out of 5 clumps sprouted while other 4 produced just a few puny leaves and upon digging revealed a mass of dead rotted roots. However, all area where they were in 2007 now is literaly covered with fresh seedlings which looks like a happy campers and are true to the parent. I don't want to make any statements yet about general lifespan of this plant, but so far [in my garden] it behaved as a short-lived, but a self-seeded perennial.