Start Growing Fruit Trees Now

It’s no secret that fruit trees can produce a bounty of fresh food once they are established and will continue to do so every year for many years. But it's also worth remembering that this does not happen overnight, this can take many years to achieve. It varies, but fruit trees may take between two and 10 years to produce anything substantial and that's why I think it is important to start growing fruit trees now. Don't wait, get started now and those two, three, five, seven, or even 10 years will come and go by very quickly. There's a famous quote, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is now. If you're currently renting or you live in a city apartment and all you have is a balcony you can do this too. I think it's especially important for those who plan to buy a property to grow a large orchard or food forest in the future.

Keep them in pots

The easiest and most convenient thing to do is to head to your local nursery and pick up small and young fruiters and keep them in pots. Fruit trees kept in pots will keep them small, manageable and easy enough for you to move around to follow the sun, or to move house with. At the same time it is giving the tree the opportunity and time needed for it to grow and mature. Just imagine moving from your tiny apartment or rental house to your own land in five or 10 years time with your fruit trees already well on their way to full maturity. They may even be fruiting regularly by then. Start growing your fruit trees now, grow them in pots and you can take them with you to your permanent property, if that is your goal. You won't have to wait to rush out to buy your favourite fruit trees and wait another few years because you will already have them and they will be at the fruiting stage already. This means you can solely focus on setting up raised garden beds and planting out your annual veggies instead. Even if you don’t have any intention of buying land, you can grow an abundance of fruit in pots on a balcony or paved courtyard.

Investment in the future

Buying fruit trees when they are small and young is a great investment in the future. Not only are young and smaller trees very affordable but they will save you money on having to regularly buy those fruits in the years to come. It's very unlikely your fruit trees will produce anything of substance in the first few years but if they do then that's great! Think of them in the same way as you would your superannuation or stock portfolios. Start small now and in the first couple of years you won't see many returns. However, as you purchase more varieties, as they age and grow, you consistently apply compost and fertiliser and lovingly prune and care for them, they will continue to grow bigger and mature and produce more frequently.

Education

Starting sooner rather than later also gives you time to learn and understand the art of gardening. Knowing how much sunlight your fruit trees need, when to fertilise, when and how to prune and dealing with pests, diseases and deficiencies. All these things are learned over time and through trial and error, practice and patience. The sooner you start, the quicker you will understand what they require from you. Nobody starts off as an expert gardener, everyone has to start at zero and this is a great place to start. I personally believe that fruit trees are much easier to care for than a vegetable garden beacuse they require less maintenance and are much more forgiving. Learning as you go is in my opinion much easier with fruit trees than annuals. It’s important to know that everyone makes mistakes, everyone will have to deal with pests, with insufficient nutrients, extremely hot days, and a lack of water.

Examples

If you’re interested in starting but you aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry because I have listed some great examples below. Some you may want to consider buying include but are not limited to:

Citrus - lemons, oranges, limes, mandarins, grapefruit, cumquats, finger limes etc
Apples and pears
Stone fruit - peaches, nectarines, plums, cherries, apricots
Nuts - Almonds, pistachios, macadamia
Avocados
Paw paws, papaya, babaco
Persimmon
Pomegranate
Mulberry
Coffee
Tamarind
Feijoas and guavas
Mango
Figs

Some of the above, like mulberries and figs will fruit much sooner than others, in fact they may produce in the first or second year.

How to choose

I think there are a few things to consider before buying any plant, especially fruit trees.

Deciduous

Consider deciduous trees. Deciduous trees are an excellent choice because they offer another amazing resource. Apples, stone fruits, pomegranates, mulberries and many more will lose all their leaves in winter. These leaves make for excellent mulch, for creating leaf mould or for adding to any compost bins you may have.

What do you like eating

It might seem obvious but if you don’t like the taste of grapefruit, papaya, or cherries then you should probably not grow them, opt for things you do enjoy as long as they can grow in your climate.

climate

Your climate can also dictate the type of plants you can and can’t grow, ask other gardeners in your area or the staff at your local nursery, they will be able to point you in the right direction.

Size

It’s also important to consider the eventual size of the trees. In many circumstances, dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees are available and are perfectly suited to smaller spaces and pots.