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GROWING FRUIT TREES IN CONTAINERS
The information contained in these pages are
focused on the Northern California climate and may need to be modified for
other areas. If you have any questions please feel free to
e-mail us.
CONSIDERATIONS
FOR CONTAINER GROWN FRUIT TREES
When growing fruit trees in
containers, there is generally more care required than for the fruit trees that
are planted in the ground. Generally, fertilizing should be done more often,
especially for citrus. We recommend using the Master Start(5-20-10) once every
4 to 6 weeks during the growing season. Also, watering must be done more
frequently. Generally, watering will need to be done 2 to 3 times a week during
early to mid Spring, while almost daily watering may be required during the hot
summer months. Some factors to consider for the frequency of watering are the
container size, the exposure to wind and sun, the type of soil you use, and the
outside temperature. Generally, the larger the container, the less frequent you
will have to water. Smaller containers generally dry out faster than larger
containers. The more wind your plants are exposed to, the more water they will
need. Wind can dry your containers out quickly, even if it isn't a particularly
warm day. Also, depending on your soil mix you may need to adjust your
watering. Soils that drain very quickly will need to be watered more often than
soils that are heavy and retain water. In the end, you will have to be the
judge of when and how much to water. |
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For those who are new to container
gardening, be observant and check your plants at least a couple of times a
week. For those who want to container garden, but aren't sure they will
remember to water, set up a drip irrigation system for your container plants
and use a timer. That will alleviate some of the worries.
FRUIT TREES THAT GROW WELL IN
CONTAINERS
Not all fruit trees will grow well in containers
for long periods of time. If you want to grow a fruit tree in a container for
just a couple of years, then you can grow just about any fruit tree. However,
if you want to grow a fruit tree in a container for its entire life, then you
may want to try some of the fruit trees listed below. The size of container
plays a factor in what you can or can't grow. Generally, you will want to use a
container that measures 18 - 24 inches wide and about the same depth. Larger
containers can be used as well. Wine barrels cut in half are often used. It
really doesn't matter the material of the container as long as there is
adequate drainage. Some of the fruit trees that can be grown well in containers
are dwarf meyer lemons, dwarf kumquats, dwarf eureka lemons(will require
regular pruning), genetic dwarf nectarines, genetic dwarf peaches, and some of
the dwarf apples(varieties on the Mark and M-27 rootstocks only grow 8-10
feet). Also, pineapple guavas, chilean guavas, or strawberry guavas can be
grown successfully in containers. Other dwarf citrus may do okay in large
containers with regular pruning. |
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