Container grown fruit trees

Doug Woods · Feb 28, 2007

I have a vision, wigwam style containers that produce manageable bush grown fruit in containers.
Can anyone recommend dwarf fruit tree variaties for the following:
Blackberry
Cherry
Blueberry
Rasberry
Grape
Plum
any any ther successfull ideas you may have grown.
Many thanks

Scotkat · Feb 28, 2007

I have bought two blueberry bushes and also want to grow them on in containers be interesting to read what comes out of this thread DW

Doug Woods · Feb 28, 2007

I forgot to ask if it is worth buying the cheap trees from the Likes of Lidl etc or do you have to like everything in life buy expensive if you want quality?
Has anyone had any sucess with the cheap varities?

compostee · Feb 28, 2007

I bought 3 dwarf cherry trees from J parkers. I've never had a problem with either the trees or supplier. The trees are about 5yrs old now and the 'STELLA CHERRYies' has fruited well, harvest increases with every year that passes. I wouldn't know about the other trees / bushes you're asking about. But i reckon if you buy cheap from lidl's and it doesnt work out, well you haven't lost a fortune. Woollies also sell small fruit trees. But with all these shops that keep their plants indoors in false light, I find their plants are usually on the dry side and need sunglasses when brought outside. Others will have better views on this subject. An interesting idea you have though, Don't forget to post pics on here when you have done it.

Marley Farley · Feb 28, 2007

I too have used JParkers. I have a dwarf Apple & a Cherry.. Both 5yrs old now & have fruited well every year.... I prune them if needed & top dress the pots each year & feed as well....

leonora · Mar 1, 2007

Me too..I have an apple and a peach tree. The apple tree has a few tiny buds on it today! Last year the peach tree fruited for the first time -three small but perfectly formed fruit!

windy miller · Mar 1, 2007

Hi all,
I've just been given a Blueberry - which at the moment is just a 12" stick in a pot. There are a couple of buds just beginning to form.
I want to keep it in a container if poss?? What should I feed it with, if anything?? Will I need another one to get fruit? Is full-sun ok??

Sorry lots of questions :rolleyes:

Marley Farley · Mar 2, 2007

Hi Windy,
I found this for my daughter in law. Hope it is some help.... : She has 2 now in large containers... Into their 3rd year now I think..

If you have purchased your blueberry plant during its winter dormant season, then there is no need to do anything except plant it, until the plant emerges from the winter.

You will notice that the buds swell as Spring draws nearer. The large, fat buds near the tips of the shoots are your flowers and fruit this season and the smaller ones are shoots and leaves.

As temperatures rise, these buds burst open and growth starts.

SPRING
When the leaves have emerged fully, usually towards the end of April, your plant will need its first feed.
A balanced, ericaceous, fertiliser (rhododendron / azalea fertiliser) is recommended.
A dessert spoonful (50g) is sufficient for young plants, sprinkled evenly over the root system of the plant.
The amounts used should be increased slightly over the years. [IMPORTANT NOTE: Fertilisers used for tomatoes and vegetables are generally not suitable as they do not contain the correct balance of nutrients. Any form of animal manure is also unsuitable for blueberries].
Enjoy the spring flowering season!

SUMMER
Repeat feeding the plant at the end of June because blueberries have a second stage of growth in late summer.
The whole of your plants' root system should be kept moist throughout the growing season, preferably using rain water as this tends to be acidic.
As the fruit starts to colour, try to cover the plants with bird netting to avoid theft of your precious blueberries!
In mid to late summer, long canes will grow up through the bush. This is the framework for the future. Pinching out the tips of this growth will encourage a bushy plant, as done for fuschias and chrysanthemums.

AUTUMN
This is the time for tidying up and mulching. Avoid deep cultivation close to your plant, to avoid damaging shallow roots.
The addition of a well rotted woodchip mulch to the surface around your bushes will conserve moisture and help to control weeds.

WINTER
Pruning is carried out after leaf fall, in mid winter while the plants are dormant.
For the first two years after planting, your bushes will need very little pruning, except general tidying up and shortening of very long canes to encourage branching.

Many growers remove all or most of the flower buds in the first year. This will encourage vegetative growth instead of fruit production, thus making a more substantial plant for the following year.

The philosophy of pruning is
*To stimulate new growth and keep the plant yielding large crops of big berries
* To remove unproductive, diseased, dead or dying wood
* To remove branches which are too high or too low
* To thin out overcrowded canes

Blueberries fruit on short lateral branches grown during the spring or early summer of the previous year. The strong canes that grow in late summer may produce fruit buds at their tips. If desired, these canes can be cut back by half in winter to encourage branching; this is at the expense of their fruiting tips.

First, remove any whippy green narrow growth from the base. This will never produce anything and is worthless
All wood that has born fruit the previous year can then be taken back to the next strong, young growth
When this is complete, stand back, look at your bush and start detail pruning and tipping branches that have died back. This will help to reduce fungal infection in future years.
Our rule here at our plantations is "If in doubt, take it out!"

At the end of pruning mature bushes you should probably have removed up to 1/6 of the bush.

Its very important to remove the prunings from your garden, either by burning or taking to your local refuse site.
Click to expand...

Doug Woods · Mar 2, 2007

Very usefull Marley, thankyou.
Windy, I love your quote, I hope your feeding her Chocolate biscuits.

Scotkat · Mar 2, 2007

Thankyou MF found this very helpful and interesting.

windy miller · Mar 2, 2007

Thank you sooo much MF

That's all my blueberry questions answered in one fell swoop!!

Marley Farley · Mar 2, 2007

:D :D So pleased it was helpful to you all.... :D

leonora · Mar 29, 2007

Planted a cherry tree today!
After that I had to give up, since the weather (thunderstorm!) defeated me!! I also need to plant the sweet peas and climbing rose, before I leave for Italy.

cajary · Apr 3, 2007

Hi,guys. Iv'e just planted a "Mini Red" apple tree(from V.Meuvens) It's self-pollinating and one thar doesn't need pruning. I've put it in a large container with a mixture of compost and soil. It looks happy (just throwing out some leaves). This one is my g-daughters (she planted it) and I would really like it to do well. Any hints to make it a real success?

lazy-gardener · Apr 16, 2007

I found hat most of the really cheap plants in woolies, lidl etc never come up to expectations-if they come up at all. Mine never have -mind you they were only tubers and bulbs but still never came up. Its probably worth paying a bit more and having one thats been looked after properly and is the exact one you want.

Log in or Sign up

Container grown fruit trees

Doug Woods Apprentice Gardener

Scotkat Head Gardener

Doug Woods Apprentice Gardener

compostee Gardener

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

leonora Gardener

windy miller Gardener

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

Doug Woods Apprentice Gardener

Scotkat Head Gardener

windy miller Gardener

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

leonora Gardener

cajary Gardener

lazy-gardener Gardener

fruit and veg grown in containers

Container grown Solanum Glasnevin (Chilean Potato tree)

Container Grown Clematis leaves discoloured

Overwintering container grown Euphorbia

Anyone know anything about Cercis grown in containers?

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

Container grown fruit trees

Doug Woods Apprentice Gardener

Scotkat Head Gardener

Doug Woods Apprentice Gardener

compostee Gardener

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

leonora Gardener

windy miller Gardener

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

Doug Woods Apprentice Gardener

Scotkat Head Gardener

windy miller Gardener

Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

leonora Gardener

cajary Gardener

lazy-gardener Gardener

fruit and veg grown in containers

Container grown Solanum Glasnevin (Chilean Potato tree)

Container Grown Clematis leaves discoloured

Overwintering container grown Euphorbia

Anyone know anything about Cercis grown in containers?

Share This Page

Useful Searches