Growing fruit at home

If the thought of plucking lovely fresh fruit from trees in your own backyard has you salivating, then here are some tips for growing fruit that'll yield your own private smorgasbord.

According to Matthew Schmidt from Virginia Nursery, whether you're a city dweller with a small courtyard or someone with large areas at your disposal, the same rules apply when growing fruit.

Choosing When and Where to Grow Fruit

"The most important thing to do is to choose fruit that will suit your climate," he says. "Obviously tropical fruit like bananas and pineapples won't work so well in southern Australia, and things like apples, pears, cherries and so on will not grow so well in tropical conditions."

Soil conditions are also very important for growing fruit. "Most fruit trees require a similar sort of treatment, but there are certain types that work better in certain conditions," says Matthew. "Generally, fruit trees benefit from soil that has been turned over and has a good deal of organic material – whether it's compost or organic manure – mixed through it."

Growing Fruit in Small Spaces

For people with particularly small gardens there is a wide range of dwarf fruit trees available that can be grown in pots. There are also multi-graft varieties, which have up to three types of fruit on the one plant. Matthew says another option is to grow two or three fruit types out of the one hole, providing a similar result to a multi-graft fruit tree. 

"They grow together and complement each other," he says. "And you won't get one type of fruit dominating, which can sometimes happen when growing fruit with multi-grafts."

Another option for growing fruit in small spaces is to espalier your fruit trees. This involves 'training' a plant to grow flat against a fence without protruding too far outwards, and is perfect for narrow gardens. Apples and pears work particularly well as espalier plants.

Irrigating Your Fruit Trees 

Many fruit trees require a fair bit of water to prosper, especially during summer, so always be aware of local water restrictions. Matthew advises long, deep soakings for fruit trees, less often, rather than frequent short drinks. It's fine to water fruit trees with grey water, but only apply it to the soil beneath the tree and be careful not to splash it directly onto the fruit itself. Always read the labels of detergents you're using to avoid poisoning.