15 Fruit Trees That'll BURY Your Pots in Fruit (Nobody Tells You This) | PART 2, by Easy Bed Gardening on YouTube. 23 min 33 s.
- Video length
- 23 min 33 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour to plant, then ongoing
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Check your hardiness zone and the tree's chill hours before buying. Match the chill hours to your local winter so the tree can set fruit.
Buy a grafted tree, not a seedling. Check the graft union is clean and the roots are healthy before you pay.
Choose a tree that suits your space: columnar apple for narrow spots, calamondin or Key lime for near year-round citrus, papaya for fast fruit in 9 to 12 months.
Pick a pot at least 30 to 40 litres with drainage holes. Put crocks or gravel in the base and fill a third with potting mix.
Set the tree so the graft union sits above the soil line. Fill around the roots, firm the mix and water until it runs out the bottom.
Place the pot in full sun, sheltered from strong wind. Turn it a quarter turn every few weeks so all sides get light.
Water when the top few centimetres of mix feel dry. Feed with a potassium-rich fruit feed through the growing season.
Hand-pollinate with a soft brush if flowers drop without fruit. Brush inside each open flower and move between flowers.
Cover blossoms with fleece or move the pot under cover when frost is forecast. Cold snaps at flowering are a common cause of no fruit.
Prune lightly after harvest to keep the tree compact. Repot into a slightly larger pot every two to three years.
Tips and common mistakes
Many fruit trees need a compatible partner for pollination, so check before buying a single tree.
Flowers with no fruit usually mean poor pollination or frost damage, not a bad tree.
Citrus like calamondin and Key lime need winter protection in cold zones, so plan for a greenhouse or bright indoor spot.
Keep the graft union above soil level or the scion may root and you lose the dwarfing effect.
Questions
Do I need two trees to get fruit?
Some trees self-pollinate, but many apples, pears, plums and cherries need a compatible partner. Check the label or ask the nursery before buying just one.
How big will a potted fruit tree get?
Dwarf and columnar types stay small enough for a patio, often around 1.5 to 2.5 metres in a pot. Pruning and pot size keep them in check.
Can I grow these in a cold climate?
Yes, if you match the tree to your hardiness zone and chill hours. Tender types like papaya and citrus need winter protection or a heated space.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
