Getting Started
With the Grow Your Own movement rooting itself in our everyday lives, people everywhere are enhancing their yards (and their diets) by growing their own fruit. Some are lucky enough to have a large enough area to plant their own orchard, but others who don’t have as much room might feel like they don’t have a lot of options. Not true! If you’re renting an apartment, have limited or no space, or just want something for your patio, you should try growing your fruit trees in containers. In this article, which is part one of a two-part series, we focus on what you need to know to get started with this fun and surprisingly easy process.How to Plant Fruit Trees in Pots
Choosing the Right Container Most people choose to grow fruit trees in containers for easy mobility. For this purpose, the ideal container size is about 10-15 gallons — substantial enough to support a tree, but small enough to move easily (see photo at right). This size is perfect if you’re growing in a window or on a balcony or patio, so you can bring the tree indoors for protection when the weather starts getting too cold. It also comes in handy if you need to relocate your tree to an unheated garage, shed, or basement during winter. And containers are perfect for growing warm-weather varieties, like citrus trees, banana plants, or fig trees, in areas where the climates are cooler than where the trees would grow naturally. Start small, with a 5- or 7-gallon container. As the tree grows within its container, it will eventually become root-bound. Before this happens, you can re-pot it into a larger container. You will be able to tell that your tree has become root-bound to its current container by its lack of vertical growth. It will still produce leaves and even fruit at this point, but you might want to start looking for something bigger to support continual growth and increased production. No matter what size you choose, your tree won't grow for very long if it doesn't have adequate drainage. Make sure the container you use has holes (usually in the bottom and/or sides), so that any excess water can drain, and air can access the soil. This will help you to prevent potentially fatal diseases like root rot.
Growing Fruit Trees in Containers, Pt 2 »
Follow the link for an interview with Stark Bro's and more helpful advice on growing fruit trees in containers from About.com.
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