Planting And Caring For Dwarf Trees

Planting And Caring For Dwarf Trees

If space is a concern for you but you really would love to grow your own fruit, dwarf trees may be your solution. The size difference between a dwarf fruit tree and a standard-sized tree is that a dwarf is usually less than 10 feet tall as opposed to a full size, which can grow from 20 to 40 feet tall.

The varieties offered in dwarf variety can be limited, mostly with apples and peaches. If you are purchasing peaches, nectarines, almonds, apricots and citrus such as lemons or limes, you can often find what you are searching for.

Examples of dwarf fruit trees available include:

•    Apple – Cortland, Enterprise, Goldrush, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp
•    Pear – Beurre Bosc, Bartlett
•    Cherry – Balaton Pie Cherry, Blackgold Sweet Cherry
•    Plum – Burbank Elephant Heart, Bubblegum Plum,
•    Peach – Elberta, Belle of Georgia, Blushingstar Peach
•    Lemon – Meyer Lemon
•    Lime – Kaffir Lime
•    Oranges – Moro Blood Orange, Washington Navel, Bouquet de Fleur Sour Orange
•    Mandarins – Gold Nugget, Murcott Mandarin, Dancy Tangarine
•    Grapefruit – Rio Red, Chinese, Melogold

Dwarf trees are great for people who have apartments in that they do well in containers. Keeping them in containers also makes them easy to prune and harvest. Younger trees will also bear fruit faster. If you are growing your dwarf tree in a container, you can use almost any type including those made of plastic, clay, metal, ceramic or wood, as long as there is adequate drainage. When planting your dwarf, start with a container at least six inches wider than the trees root ball.

Dwarf trees need well-drained sandy soil with a moderate amount of fertilizer. It is best to put your potted tree in a place that gets full sunlight, although there are some varieties that do well in partial shade. A dwarf tree like a full sized tree will require regular pruning. Pruning will not only keep the tree healthy but will also help maintain the shape of the tree. Most pruning is done during the trees dormancy, just before active growth begins in the spring. Some summer pruning can be done to remove branches and to maintain the tree’s small size.

During the winter, move your dwarf fruit tree indoors and away from drafts. Trees in pots should be watered as needed, be sure to look at the tag that comes with the tree to determine how much water is required. Fertilizing should be done at least once every four to six weeks during the trees growing season.

Because the tree may outgrow its pot, its best to make sure you transplant the tree into a larger pot before it gets to big, approximately one size up every two years.

If you are looking for a dwarf tree to plant outside due to restricted yard size, there are also dwarf ornamentals. Take into consideration your areas hardiness zone before picking out your tree, as you would when planting any other tree. Also determine whether you want an ornamental that flowers. Most dwarf ornamentals will be ten feet in size or smaller. Dwarf ornamentals available include:

•    Japanese Maple
•    Alberta Spruce
•    Weeping Redbud
•    Tina Crabapple
•    China Girl Dogwood
•    Stewartia
•    Persian Ironwood
•    Franklin Tree
•    Fir – Meyer’s Fir, Korean Fir, Balsam
•    Chase Manhattan Dwarf Ginkgo
•    Dwarf Larch
•    Weeping Youngii Birch

Growing dwarf trees can be fun and entertaining, whether you have to go small because of room or just because you want to.

Find More Best Fruit Trees To Grow Indoors Articles