When we think about growing fruit, we think about the vast orchards of apple trees. Perhaps the fantasy is being the owner of acres of land, and perusing through the various fruit trees and bushes, picking one for a snack at our desire. Unfortunately, this isn’t accessible to everyone, is it? However, if you do want to grow fruit and have a small back garden, then you have no need to worry because it’s doable anyway. That’s right, you don’t need one luxury of endless land to be able to grow your own fruit successfully! With these top tips, you’ll have your own miniature orchard in no time.
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Dwarf Trees
Dwarf trees are the perfect alternative to the usual larger tree if you’ve got a small back garden. These smaller varieties of trees are grown on rootstock, which is the underground part of a plant from which above-ground livestock can be produced. Because of this, the tree’s growth is stunted to usually a maximum height of around two meters – which is perfect for the smaller back yard. For a tiny apple tree, you’ll need M27 rootstock. Each fruit and tree will require a different variation of rootstock, so be sure to do your research depending on what it is you want to grow.
Buy the Right Plants
In order to make your little fruit garden the success you so desire it to be, it goes without saying that you’ll need to make sure you’re buying the right plants. Although most fruits do prefer to be positioned in direct sunlight, if you do have a slightly shaded garden there’s no need to panic, you may just have to adjust what it is you’re planning to grow. Fruits of the berry variety, for example, blueberries, blackberries, redcurrants, and gooseberries grow well in semi-shaded conditions.
You’ll also want to consider where it is you live and the weather that you get regularly before deciding on which fruits you want to grow. Tender, citrus fruits, for example, will not grow well up North because of the climate. When starting your fruit garden, March is the ideal month in which to do it. Pick a day when the soil is neither too wet nor too dry and remember to look after your little fruit patch properly.
Develop a Fruit Wall
Have you ever thought about coating the walls/fences in your garden with trellises and ultimately with fruit? Paired with your dwarf trees, a trellis covered wall or fence could be the perfect solution to growing fruit in your small garden, without taking up all of the space.
However, it does take work. You’ll want to fashion the plants into a particular shape in order to let the fruit grow efficiently. Alternatively, you can buy them ready formed, but sometimes the satisfaction you get out of doing it yourself is worth the work you put in! A fan shape is perfect for fruits such as apricots, peaches and cherries, and a more horizontal approach for apples and pears. Just remember to do your research to find out the best way to grow your chosen fruit.
A fruit wall is not the only a space-efficient way to grow fruit in a smaller space, but it’s also a beautiful feature to have in your garden anyway. Did you know, that having features such as this, can actually increase your home in value too? If you’re selling your home on with a quick sale company such as https://www.readysteadysell.co.uk/ for example, chances are a feature like this will not only bump up the value on your home but gather a wider interest with potential buyers. This is something you probably hadn’t even thought about when starting your fruit garden, but the more you know, the more it seems appealing to start one, right?
Using Containers
Finally, if you really are hard pushed for space and want to make the most of what you have, a lot of fruits actually grow really well in containers. By growing them in a pot, it means they’re more likely to grow and prosper year-round, than if you leave them vulnerable to the winter elements such as frost and snow because you can take them inside when it gets too cold. Although chances are that being in a pot will stunt the growth of the fruit itself so it won’t get as big as it normally would, but this isn’t an issue. You can even grow smaller variations of fruits like figs in these pots.