Are there any fruit trees one can grow in a large pot in the balcony?
I live in the sourthern US with a fairly warm climate.

Ersalan

On May 5, 3:59 pm, Ersalan Rahman wrote:
Are there any fruit trees one can grow in a large pot in the balcony?
I live in the sourthern US with a fairly warm climate.

Ersalan

Citrus would be good. If it doesn't get down to hard frost in your
area then in a large tub (2 ft wide or more) various citrus will be
quite rewarding provided you give them full (or nearly full) sun,
protection from strong wind and a little care.

My first choice would be a lemon, the leaves and flowers are quite
attractive and you have a very good chance of getting edible fruit.
The skin and juice are used frequently in cooking. An orange,
mandarin or grapefruit would also be nice but not quite so useful in
cooking. You may be able to get these grafted on to dwarf root stock
which will make tub culture easier. Or even a multi-graft that has
several at once.

A cumquat is also attractive and it is naturally a smallish tree. The
fruit make excellent preserves. If your climate is really quite warm
then tahitian or kaffir limes become possible if there is no frost.
If you have no idea what the difference is between all these things
then find out before you choose.

Your choice will depend on why you want a fruit tree in a tub.

In a tub you will need to pay attention to watering as they will dry
out easily in hot weather and you will need to add appropriate (not
too much not too little) fertiliser several times a year.

David

Ersalan Rahman wrote:
Are there any fruit trees one can grow in a large pot in the balcony?
I live in the sourthern US with a fairly warm climate.

Ersalan


I agree that dwarf citrus in a container might be good. However, check
carefully to be sure the balcony can carry the weight. My citrus cannot
be moved except by two very strong people.

For more information, see my
http://www.rossde.com/garden/dwarf_citrus.html.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

Ersalan Rahman wrote:
Are there any fruit trees one can grow in a large pot in the balcony?
I live in the sourthern US with a fairly warm climate.

Ersalan


I agree that dwarf citrus in a container might be good. However, check
carefully to be sure the balcony can carry the weight. My citrus cannot
be moved except by two very strong people.

For more information, see my
http://www.rossde.com/garden/dwarf_citrus.html.

You can buy a little dolly unit that goes under the planters,
so you can move them around.

My 83 y/o mom grew dwarf citrus on her deck in N. California.
She was able to scoot them under cover when frost threatened.

Jan in Alaksa

--
Bedouin proverb: If you have no troubles, buy a goat.

Plenty of fruit trees can grow in pots. For your location, you need something
that is suitable for a warmer climate. There are many apple varieties, for
example,
that are suitable for the Southern USA.

Size of tree should be a big consideration. If you buy a tree, be sure it is on

extreme dwarfing rootstock, or the tree will get too big for the pot. For
apples,
the most common extreme dwarfing rootstock is M27, which will produce a
small tree about 6 feet high. Things like peaches cannot be grown in pots,
since
the most dwarfing possible is a semi-dwarf tree which grows to about twelve
feet plus high. Some people claim you can prune the hell out of them to keep
them small, but it is not a good practice.

Sherwin D.

Ersalan Rahman wrote:

Are there any fruit trees one can grow in a large pot in the balcony?
I live in the sourthern US with a fairly warm climate.

Ersalan

Jan Flora wrote:
In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

Ersalan Rahman wrote:
Are there any fruit trees one can grow in a large pot in the balcony?
I live in the sourthern US with a fairly warm climate.

Ersalan

I agree that dwarf citrus in a container might be good. However, check
carefully to be sure the balcony can carry the weight. My citrus cannot
be moved except by two very strong people.

For more information, see my
http://www.rossde.com/garden/dwarf_citrus.html.

You can buy a little dolly unit that goes under the planters,
so you can move them around.

My 83 y/o mom grew dwarf citrus on her deck in N. California.
She was able to scoot them under cover when frost threatened.

Jan in Alaksa


A wheeled dolly makes it easier to move a planter, but it doesn't make
the planter any lighter. Further, with the weight resting on only three
or four wheels instead of the entire base of the planter, you increase
the risk of damaging the surface of the balcony.

The first issue is whether the balcony can support the weight of a
planter. If it can support the weight of 2-3 adults, it likely can
support the planter. Just limit the load to only one person.

The second issue is whether the balcony surface can withstand a load of
150 lbb per square-inch (a dolly with four wheels). That's a much
greater load than 2 lbb per square-inch from a planter base that's 20
inches in diameter.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

On 4 May 2007 22:59:53 -0700, Ersalan Rahman wrote:
Are there any fruit trees one can grow in a large pot in the balcony?
I live in the sourthern US with a fairly warm climate.

Figs do fairly well as potted plants. Whatever you choose will most likely do
best with a drip irrigation system, preferably automatic.

Kay

sherwindu wrote:

Things like peaches cannot be grown in pots, since the most dwarfing possible
is a semi-dwarf tree which grows to about twelve
feet plus high. Some people claim you can prune the hell out of them to keep
them small, but it is not a good practice.

I've had a dwarf peach growing in a pot for years, first in Seattle and now in
Georgia.

http://www.miatoo.net/coppermine/dis...040&fullsize=1
http://www.miatoo.net/coppermine/dis...878&fullsize=1
http://www.miatoo.net/coppermine/dis...880&fullsize=1

I've never hard-pruned, never had any disease problems. And the fruit is full-sized.

--
Julie
http://www.miatoo.net

Question is, how old is this tree? Has it stopped growing? Chances are it will
eventually outgrow the biggest pot you can put it in.

Sherwin D.

Julie wrote:

sherwindu wrote:

Things like peaches cannot be grown in pots, since the most dwarfing possible
is a semi-dwarf tree which grows to about twelve
feet plus high. Some people claim you can prune the hell out of them to keep
them small, but it is not a good practice.

I've had a dwarf peach growing in a pot for years, first in Seattle and now in
Georgia.

http://www.miatoo.net/coppermine/dis...040&fullsize=1
http://www.miatoo.net/coppermine/dis...878&fullsize=1
http://www.miatoo.net/coppermine/dis...880&fullsize=1

I've never hard-pruned, never had any disease problems. And the fruit is full-sized.

--
Julie
http://www.miatoo.net

figs get big and they will drop their fruit if they get dry.
there are dwarf or patio nectarines and peaches.

Kay Lancaster wrote:

On 4 May 2007 22:59:53 -0700, Ersalan Rahman wrote:
Are there any fruit trees one can grow in a large pot in the balcony?
I live in the sourthern US with a fairly warm climate.

Figs do fairly well as potted plants. Whatever you choose will most likely do
best with a drip irrigation system, preferably automatic.

Kay



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