Randy: There is no right way and wrong way to prune an apricot tree. It's a matter of choice. I have chosen to spread mine for the reason you mention, as well as more direct sunlight on the fruiting branches. Others may have had good luck with more of a leader type shape. But if you have just planted your tree, you will not have to make this choice immediately. In fact, you can let the tree grow 2, 3 or even 5 years to see how it develops before making the decision to cut off the central branch. In your climate the biggest problem with an apricot tree will not be pruning, but rather how to get the blossoms through that last real cold spell. I am still digesting the results of the one we had following Easter, and it looks like there are some surviving apricots, but even 10 days later I'm still not sure yet. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I suggest you pinch back all but your leading bud at top of tree to maintain central leader and the dominance of the bud going most straight. You can let the rest of the tree grow for now as long as nothing threatens the dominance of the leader.

That sounds very much like winter cold damage. I removed a Hunza (on Citation rootstock) this year due to almost those same symptoms. Is there any growth lower down on the main trunk? That is what mine was doing. It might be a goner. Pale green leaves, no new growth, small leaves, leaf drop.... Mine did put out a bunch of new growth down low on the trunk which i really didn't feel like bothering with, so i chopped the tree down.

I am not sure why they said to wait - there is no demand of the plant that would call for that. We have a great many commercial lavender farms in the area and their practice is the one I advise as well. Start pruning your lavender at the end of its first summer. Unpruned lavenders do have a tendency to grow leggy or extend rapidly and if not addressed while still very young, these will develop a very bare woody interior and begin to splay or flop open. Not a nice look :-( So prune at the end of the flowering season (late summer/early fall) beginning that first year, removing the old flower spikes and just an inch or so of foliage. In spring as new growth emerges, you can prune back a bit tighter but never back into bare wood. As the plant matures, this early spring pruning becomes even more important as it keeps the plant compact and dense and encourages additional flowering tips. And prevents the flopping or splaying. So trim back lightly at the end of the season and a bit harder at the beginning of the season as new growth becomes evident.