10 Best Fruit Trees to grow in containers
If you are living in apartments or small spaces where you don’t have much space to grow anything, you can still grow fruit trees in containers. Dwarf fruit tree varieties can be grown in containers. Growing fruit trees in containers has some advantages: You can move them anywhere you want and grow varieties that are not frost-tolerant. This can enable you to move them indoors during extreme winter conditions.
Dwarf fruit trees can grow up to 12 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Fruit trees can be grown in containers that are made of plastic or ceramic. The minimum size of containers should be 24 inches deep and wide. You can place them in stands that have wheels. This can help you to move them from one place to another easily. When growing fruit trees in containers, make sure you mix equal amounts of compost when preparing the potting mix. The best potting mix for fruit trees is 70% compost, 10% sand, 10% perlite and 10% vermiculite.
Best fruit trees that can be grown in containers:
1. Oranges
Orange trees are not frost tolerant, and you have to move them indoors during the winter. These fruit trees require 6 to 8 hours of sunlight. The Soil pH should be between 6 to 7.5. They need well-draining soil rich in organic matter to grow. Fruit production can take up to 2 years. Calamondin and Trovita are some dwarf orange varieties you can grow.
2. Apple
Choose a self-pollinating variety. Apples grow best in well-draining, slightly acidic soil. They require 4 to 6 hours of sunlight. It can take up to 3 years for apples to produce fruit. Honey Crisp and Cameron Select are some of the dwarf apple varieties.
3. Cherry
Cherry trees take about 4 years to produce fruits. They require 4 to 6 hours of sunlight everyday. They grow best in fertile well draining soil that is slightly acidic. Sunburst and Lapins are some dwarf cherry varieties.
4. Chikoo
Chikoo trees require fertile well-draining soil to grow well. The soil pH should be between 6 to 8. It takes about 2 years for the tree to produce fruit. They require about 5 hours of sunlight every day. Hasya and Alano are some of the best chikoo varieties to grow.
5. Pear
Pear requires fertile well draining soil that is slightly acidic to grow well. The soil Ph should be between 5.8 to 6.2. Pear takes about 2 years to produce fruit. Pear is not frost tolerant. Conference pear and Durondeau pear are some varieties you can grow.
6. Papaya
Papaya grows best in full sunlight. They require well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. The soil pH should be between 6 to 7. Red lady papaya is a high yielding disease resistant papaya variety.
7. Plum
Plum grows best in well-draining, fertile, slightly acidic soil. The soil pH should be between 6 to 6.5. It can take about 2 years for plum to grow. Plums require 6 to 8 hours of sunlight every day. Golden plum and Pixy are some of the dwarf plum varieties.
8. Figs
Figs require 5 to 6 hours of sunlight every day to grow well. They grow best in well-draining, non-alkaline soil. The soil pH should be between 5.5 to 6.5. Figs start to produce fruit after 2 years. Little ruby and Ficcolino are some dwarf fig varieties.
9. Peach
Peach requires fertile deep well-draining soil to grow well. The soil pH should be between 6.5 to 7. They grow best when they get 6 to 8 hours of sunlight everyday. Fruit production can take 2 years. Golden queen peach and dwarf yellow peach are some dwarf peach varieties you can grow.
10. Lemon
Lemons require 6 hours of sunlight. They grow best in fertile well-draining soil rich in nutrients. Soil pH should be between 5.5 to 6.5. It can take 2 years for fruit production. Bearss lime and Khaffir lime are some dwarf lemon varieties you can grow.
Read more:
- Companion planting for fruit trees.
- Best organic fertiliser for fruit trees
- How to grow papaya at your home
- How to grow pomegranate in your home.