Fruit Trees in Pots

Hi,

I'm new here, and would like your opinions.

I have just received four fruit trees on dwarfing rootstocks that I intend to grow in large 65cm pots on our patios. They consist of an apple, pear, plum and cherry. Pollination shouldn't be a problem as there are several fruit trees in neighbouring gardens.

Have any of you had success growing them this way. Any tips?

 

Hello mbweim, I'm sure you will get lots of help from gw memers. I would only suggest making sure they dont ever dry out, without over watering especially in Springtime. Good compost, staking initially and restricting the amount of fruit initially will help. I do hope you keep us posted as to how you get on.

 

I have just bought some fruit trees on dwarfing stock too, and was contemplating keeping the pear and morello cherry in containers; the pear so I can protect it in winter if necessary and the morello cherry so can keep it nearer the house where the cats and dogs will chase more birds from the fruit. The main problem I have found so far with larger containers is making sure they have enough water as hans said. It is really surprising how quickly they can dry out in sunny weather. I already have a quince, 2 blueberries, a vine and an apple in containers, but have not encouraged fruit yet- this year will be the first!

 

Liz - wow! Where do you get blueberries as plants? How big do they grow?

 

Hi jervis, you will find blueberries in the fruit section of most mail order plant catalogues these days, or try a big garden centre. Mine came from Spaldings. I only keep them in containers because they like a very acid soil, and I used to live in Cambs where it is limey, I have an area were they might be OK now, if it's not too shady.
There are quite a few varieties, mine are quite large now, about 2-3', but you can get low growing ones which form little spreading clumps.
They are delicious! I eat the fruit as they ripen, they flower [insignificant] and fruit all summer in dribs and drabs.

 

You could just buy a small tub of organic blueberries from the supermarket and squish out a few seeds.

They are related to rhododendron so should be grown in good acid conditions or ericaceous compost. From seed they'll take 3-4 years to bear fruit (and should be prevented from earlier fruiting to encourage a strong healthy plant) but they are relatively long lived so can produce for 15 years if maintained. Pruning and maintenance are complicated so I'll give a linky to a 4 page .pdf file.

http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/spfiles/SP284-E.pdf#search='pruning%20blueberries'

Edit: After several tries I can't get the short url format to work (works OK on a different board) so I've given the plain long url.

[ 17. January 2006, 12:06 PM: Message edited by: frogesque ]

 

I've grown a couple of apple trees, but am still only in the second year

 

id really prefer to use john innes type compost here, or use the water retaining gel with the compost