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Wait until late summer to prune your apricot tree. Acquire sharp pruning shears and a pruning saw. Sterilize your tools in a 10% bleach solution or rubbing alcohol.
Many other types of fruit trees are best pruned in the winter while they're dormant, but apricot trees can be especially prone to catching disease. Pruning an apricot plant in the summer enables the tree to heal quickly and seal itself from moisture, which can cause damage and introduce disease. Trim your tree as soon as possible after harvesting fruit. At this stage, the tree will still be in a growth phase and will be able to heal more quickly. Pruning in late summer gives your apricot tree more time to grow new branches, which means that your tree will produce more apricots next year. The blades on your shears should be sturdy, not corroded, and able clip through smaller branches. A pruning saw is usually necessary to cut thicker branches. It should have a curved blade and wide teeth. Older tools can often be sharpened at your local hardware store. If you can't reach the top of your tree, you'll also need a sturdy ladder. Folding and leaning ladders not safe to use when pruning, as they're not stable on uneven ground. Instead, use an orchard ladder, which has a more sturdy tripod structure. Soak shears and saws for 30 seconds to make sure they're clean and won't transmit any diseases to your tree. If you're pruning multiple apricot trees, re-soak your tools in between each tree.