DIY Ideas
19 Wild Berry Garden Ideas to Grow a Delicious and Low-Maintenance Harvest
19 wild berry garden ideas to grow a delicious and low-maintenance harvest: berry patches, hedges, trellises, containers, guilds, native shrubs, mulched rows…
10 Best Fruit Trees to Grow in Pots
Container fruit trees are perfect for patios, balconies and small gardens, and you can move them to shelter in winter. These 10 best fruit trees to grow in pots are compact, productive and forgiving.
Container basics
| Item | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Pot size | Start at 40 to 50 litres and size up |
| Soil | Loam-based compost with grit for drainage |
| Watering | Deeply when the top few cm are dry |
| Feeding | Fruit or citrus feed in the growing season |
| Winter | Move citrus indoors; wrap other pots |
Best fruit trees for pots
- Dwarf lemon for fragrant flowers and year-round fruit in mild climates.
- Meyer lemon for sweeter, thin-skinned lemons.
- Calamondin for small sour fruit and a neat shape.
- Fig for big leaves and a heavy crop in a sunny spot.
- Olive for silvery leaves and drought tolerance.
- Dwarf peach or nectarine for early summer fruit.
- Columnar apple for a slim tree on a balcony.
- Dwarf cherry on a dwarfing rootstock.
- Kumquat for small fruit you can eat whole.
- Pomegranate for a dwarf, heat-loving tree with red flowers.
Tip: Lift heavy pots with a trolley or pot feet and get help rather than straining your back, keep fertilisers and any sprays out of reach of children and pets, note that fig sap can irritate skin so wear gloves when pruning, and make sure balconies can safely take the weight of large, wet pots.
FAQ
What is the easiest fruit tree to grow in a pot?
A fig or a Meyer lemon is very forgiving in a sunny spot.
How big a pot does a fruit tree need?
At least 40 to 50 litres, moving up to 70 to 100 litres as it grows.
Can potted fruit trees stay outside in winter?
Hardy ones like apple and fig can with wrapped pots; citrus needs frost protection.
Keep reading
You may also like
DIY Ideas
15 Small Fruit Garden Ideas to Grow Fresh Produce in Small Spaces
15 small fruit garden ideas to grow fresh produce in small spaces: hanging strawberries, berry walls, dwarf lemons, gutter gardens, grapevines, potted…
DIY Ideas
Kallax Storage Hack Solutions for Taming Your Overwhelming and Messy Craft Room
Kallax storage hack solutions for a messy craft room: inserts, bins, wheels, desk combos, yarn and fabric storage, paper sorting and labeling…