Having your own private orchard can be a fulfilling idea. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t actually need a lot of land or a lot of expertise in growing fruit trees to have the perfect orchard. With just a little commitment and the right information, you can easily grow a wide variety of fruits in your backyard.
Besides, there are a ton of pruning techniques these days that would easily keep your trees at standard height, making sure that they don’t take over your property. But despite these, while growing your own fruits in most cases will require minimal effort, it will still need some dedication on your part.
From preparing the land to providing those seedlings with the right nutrients to grow, you must at least put a small effort and find time in your schedule to care for your yard. For beginners, a good rule of thumb would be to pick fruit trees that require the least amount of work but offer the highest yield as far as harvest volume goes.
Here are some of our top suggestions for you to start growing delicious fruit trees!
“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. – Eleanor Roosevelt
Apples
Apples are probably one of the most popular choices for most orchards out there and for good reason. Here’s why:
- First of all, apple trees don’t grow to dangerous heights and can easily be pruned without affecting the quality of the produce.
- Secondly, apples are a delicacy. It’s rare to find someone who doesn’t enjoy a refreshing apple every other morning.
There are several apple tree varieties to grow depending on your USDA climate zone, although generally most do well in zones 4-7. Also, you don’t need to create a proper orchard to grow them. You can plant them along your fence or just put one or two trees along your driveway for their beautiful appeal.
Apricots
Just like apple trees, apricots are also very versatile. They are mostly used for landscaping but can still produce a sizable harvest of fruits every year. Apricots are generally small fruit trees so you won’t have any issues with the height and size.
They produce beautiful green foliage and flowers that will completely transform your backyard. What makes them a huge catch is the fact that they need very little care. You will probably just need to prune once or twice annually and that’s it.
Tip:
Most apricot trees do well in USDA Zones 5-8, but can fail to produce fruits if exposed to a late frost.
Cherries
When most people talk about their top favorite fruits, it’s very likely that cherries will be somewhere in their list.
Whether sweet or sour, these little delights are always a refreshing delicacy and you can grow them easily in your backyard with very minimal effort. Cherry trees are incredibly beautiful too and you are going to enjoy their majestic blooms every spring. They are also some of the fast growing fruit trees out there.
Keep in mind: Sweet cherries normally grow in warmer climates. This would ideally be between USDA Zones 5 to 10. Sour cherries, on the other hand, would normally do well in USDA zones 4 to 8.
Plums
Plums make it to our list for two main reasons.
- First, they are incredibly resistant to diseases, meaning you won’t have to spend a lot of money on disease control.
- Secondly, they don’t grow as rampantly as other types of fruits.
Their growth can easily be managed to ensure you are able to optimize the space you have in your yard. There are also different varieties of plums but we would recommend Japanese plums like the popular Santa Rosa. This one does very well in USDA zones 4 to 9, although most plum tree varieties thrive in zones 3 through 8.
You may also go for the European plums like the Stanley. This variety is more suited for people who live in areas that have late and rainy spring seasons.
Be careful: One of the biggest challenges with plums is the fact that you will need to deal with pesky birds that love the fruit as well.
Persimmons
Persimmons are generally smaller trees and would be the perfect choice for the average small garden out there. Even when the leaves fall from the trees, you are still going to find a few fruits hanging on the fruit bushes.
The fruits are resilient and the trees are very ornamental. In other words, in addition to providing you with fruits, they also add a lot of decorative value to your landscape!
The common persimmon, which is native from Florida to Connecticut, west to Iowa and south to Texas, can be grown in USDA zones 4 to 9 and can tolerate temperatures down to -25 F.
Citrus
Citrus is a very popular choice partly because of its refreshing scent and beautiful blooms. The fruit is also very versatile but it mostly does well in USDA Zones 8, 9, and 10. Homeowners north of Zone 8 can try planting citrus in containers or on the south or southeast side of the house.
Citrus trees are evergreens and would provide thick and beautiful green foliage to fully accentuate your landscape. They also require very minimal punning.
Growing your own fruits isn’t nearly as hard as it seems. As long as you pick the right fruit varieties and put in some effort, you are going to love and enjoy the experience!
Need more help with your landscape? Talk to a local landscaper today and get free quotes in your area!
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