On a lovely sunny day there is nothing so satisfying than a walk around your garden and picking fresh chemical free fruit from trees and bushes you have planted and nurtured ~ the taste alone will amaze you when compared to what you are used to in a Big Box Store (BBS). Here are some suggestions on what fruits to grow in containers, on a deck or balcony in a small home garden.
3 Small Fruits to Grow
Over the years, articles have been written on these fruits so please see the links for further information.
- Three easy to grow small fruits recommended for your garden – my #1 choices
- Blueberries I planted three different blueberry bush varieties which will mature at different times and extend your fruit producing to months. Check variety as two bushes may be needed for pollination
- Rhubarb – this hardy perennial is often overlooked but can be the basis of a variety of tasty treats – always a great dessert alone or mixed with berries
- Strawberries – these are so easy to grow in your flower garden (as a border), in a pot (on your balcony) as they need little attention and give much in return. The only varieties we grow are “everbearing” and the little plants flower and bear fruit until they are covered by snow. They winter over easily requiring only “dead” leaves to be removed in the spring. First ripe strawberries consumed mid May!
3 more Fruits to consider
- Three fruit trees, for your home garden, easy to grow in a container but need more care :
- A Fig : This tree is a bit of a “weed” but a prolific fruit producer once it gets going. Our small fig this spring has about 3 dozen baby figs
- A Kiwi – the arctic variety we grow is one of the first signs of new life in our garden each spring. A great privacy wall when trelliced ~ with an abundance of delightful small fruit
- A Lemon – Meyer Lemon Tree – Daytime temperatures are now in the double digits (over 10 Celsius that is) so time to move our Meyer lemon tree from its winter home in the garage to the terrace. The fragrance, taste and juice from our home-grown lemons is unparalleled and will astound you. Lemons grow all year-long – an added bonus. Our little lemon tree continues to amaze and delight
Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces,
I would still plant my apple tree ~ Martin Luther
Notes
- Start small and add plants – rhubarb and strawberry are rewarding to start
- A good time to buy fruit trees and plants is in the late spring when often they are greatly reduced in price
- Remember to buy plants and trees which are indigenous to your area and ecosystem
- Kiwi (and grapevines) are best grown at home on a trellis and do need pruning each year and if not controlled can take over your garden – kiwi is my pick of these two
- It may seem back to front – that the larger fruit trees have been recommended for containers. That is exactly my reason ~ these trees usually grow so large that most people do not consider them for a small yard but not so in a container
- Watering plants grown in containers in hot weather is crucial as they need steady watering – a mulch helps to retain moisture
- There are many dwarf varieties of fruit trees such as pear and apple which grow well in a small garden or even container that you should perhaps consider. And there is always espalier.
The only way to become knowledgeable about growing your own fruit is to try one or two. Enjoy!
Caramel & Parsley Links
- How to Grow Blueberry Bushes in a Small Home Garden
- Fresh Local Certified Organic Blueberries
- How to grow Rhubarb
- How to grow the Fabulous Fig
- Kiwi – A Sweet treat to grow and eat
- Fresh Lemons from our tree
