When you think of fruit trees, do you imagine great orchards heavy with the weight of apples, pears and plums? Or sweltering Mediterranean locations, harbouring fragrant citrus growing in the wild?
Well, you too could be picking fruit from a tree – but much closer to home. On your balcony, in fact, even if you’ve only a small space to work with.
Citrus trees can be grown in pots and be put outside in summer in a sheltered, sunny position when the weather warms up.
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There are some patio fruit trees, however, that will withstand winters in a patio pot too.
Fruiting plant specialists Chris Bowers and Sons (chrisbowers.co.uk) from Whispering Trees Nursery in Norfolk, have identified two apple trees plus a pear, cherry and a plum that are all perfect for pot-growing on a patio, small garden or balcony.
“Super-column trees are ideal for patio and terrace gardens and thrive in containers,” says John Bowers, son of the nursery founder. “What makes them so special, apart from their hearty cropping, is a greatly simplified pruning process.
“They take up very little space and enjoy a freely spurring nature creating abundant crops which ripen very well and quickly, benefitting from the hours of sunlight. This also encourages sugar production enhancing the flavour of the fruits.”
Mr Bowers has selected five varieties that can all be grown this way.
1. Apple ‘Red Falstaff’
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This is an indomitable cropper with frost resistant blossom. The handsome fruits are bold red and crisp. They will store for several weeks. This newer variety has great disease resistance.
2. Apple ‘Limelight’
These are very easy to grow and manage, perfect for those who like green apples. It has a refreshing, juicy flavour and average frost resistance.
3. Pear ‘Concorde’
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Bred from the famous ‘conference’ pear but with a sweeter flavour, this is freely producing from late September and throughout October. It is a compact, easy to manage tree and self-fertile, with excellent frost resistance.
4. Black cherry ‘Sunburst’
A reliable, decadently sweet black cherry with large, black juicy fruits, it’s the hardiest and most reliable sweet cherry for a colder climate – and it is self-pollinating, says Mr Bowers.
5. Plum ‘Jubilee’
An excellent cropper regardless of the weather, and a much better and tastier plum than the ubiquitous Victoria, Mr Bowers advises. It ripens early with an abundant yield of rosy purple, egg shaped fruits with yellow, finely flavoured flesh.
How to grow fruit trees in pots
Plant a tree in a 20-litre container and use a loam based compost. Water well after planting.
Use a slow release fertiliser that can be pushed into the compost. Alternatively, use a seaweed based foliar feed that should be applied every three to four weeks in the growing season.
Water at the base of the tree every day when it is warm and dry, or every two to three days otherwise.
Pruning is simple – just pinch back all side shoots to three or four buds in late summer. The main growing or leader shoot can also be shortened at this time of year if desired.
Do you grow fruit trees? Have you ever considered growing them in pots? Why not share your experience in the comments section below?
Also read: Gardening on a budget
Sorry Jan, how about you speak to some Aussie “fruiting plant specialists” to get an Australian perspective on this. Two different apples, a plum, pear and a cherry won’t create too much interest here. IMO
I agree. Aussie growing conditions are different so an expert, in Australia, speaking on fruit trees in pots would be preferred.