Quickest growing fruit
Top 10 Easy To Grow Fruit Trees & Plants
Create your own homegrown orchard by planting these easy to grow fruit trees & plants
Image: Thompson & Morgan
You don't need an orchard to grow your own fruit at home. Apple trees and strawberries, rhubarb and figs will all thrive in a British garden.
If space is limited, try growing your fruit in containers. Did you know you can even plant strawberries in hanging baskets? Here's our infographic showcasing ten easy to grow fruits. Head to the bottom of the page for the full infographic, or scroll through the list for a bit more information about each one. These are our ten favourite fruits that are ideal for beginners:
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Figs
- Gooseberries
- Apples
- Blackberries
- Honeyberries
- Goji berries
- Currants
Read on to find out why each of these fruits won a place in our coveted top ten. And for even more inspiration, browse our full range of fruit trees and soft fruit plants.
Strawberries are perfect for containers
Image: Strawberry 'Just Add Cream' from Thompson & Morgan
Nothing beats the sweet, juicy flavour of sun-warmed strawberries picked straight from your own strawberry plants. Versatile fruits that thrive in patio containers, hanging baskets, window boxes, or the ground - just make sure you plant them in a sunny position and in well-drained soil.
Easy strawberry varieties to try: Grow our strawberry full season collection pack for three popular varieties to harvest throughout June and July. And for a pretty, pink-flowered and super sweet variety plant ‘Just Add Cream’ for berries from June to September.
Harvest up to 2.5kg of large, deep-red berries from raspberry 'Polka'
Image: Raspberry 'Polka' from Thompson & Morgan
Raspberry plants are vigorous growers that are happy in raised beds, containers or the ground as long as the soil has good drainage and they get plenty of sun.
Choose from summer or autumn-fruiting varieties, or plant a combination of both for an extra long harvest season. Just make sure to prune your canes at the right time every year - visit our ‘How To Prune Raspberries’ article for specific advice.
Easy raspberry varieties to try: A real customer favourite, the autumn-fruiting raspberry ‘Polka’ provides a juicy harvest from July to October. For a summer-fruiting option, the thornless raspberry ‘Glen Coe’ produces a unique purple crop of super sweet fruit. And if you want something for containers, try dwarf Raspberry 'Yummy' which grows to just 45cm tall.
Blueberry plants produce clusters of nutrient-dense berries
Copyright: Alamy Stock Photo
Blueberry plants are ideal for growing in containers and they look fantastic on the patio where their scented spring flowers and colourful autumn foliage bring seasonal interest. They need moist, acidic soil to thrive, so fill your containers with ericaceous compost and water them with collected rainwater.
(Tap water contains lime and reduces the soil acidity over time.)
Easy blueberry varieties to try: If you just want one bush, go for a self-fertile variety like blueberry ‘Duke’ or the compact self-fertile variety blueberry 'Top Hat' which matures at 60cm tall. For something a bit different, try blueberry ‘Pink Sapphire’ which produces clusters of bright pink, super-sweet berries
Soft, juicy figs bring a flavour of the Mediterranean to your garden
Image: Fig 'Brown Turkey' from Thompson & Morgan
Fig trees love sunshine and warmth, so plant them against a hot, sunny south/west facing wall. Because they crop best when their roots are restricted, fig trees make an excellent choice for containers. Protect your figs from deep frost and enjoy the taste of freshly picked, sun-warmed fruits at the end of summer.
Easy fig varieties to try: The classic fig ‘Brown Turkey’ is ideal for growing in the UK climate and is also self-fertile.
For containers, choose the Chelsea Flower Show favourite and naturally dwarfing variety ‘Little Miss Figgy’ which matures at 1.8m tall and can produce a crop twice a year.
Gooseberry ‘Giggles Gold’ is resistant to powdery mildew
Image: Gooseberry 'Giggles Gold' from Thompson & Morgan
Gooseberries are one of the easiest berries to grow as they need very little maintenance beyond occasional watering during fruiting. If you have a shady and unproductive corner of your garden, fill it with gooseberries to make good use of the space. Delicious in cakes, crumbles, jams and cordials - gooseberries can also be eaten straight from the bush.
Easy gooseberry varieties to try: New gooseberry ‘Giggles Gold’ produces bright golden fruits with excellent sweetness from July to August. Try gooseberry 'Hinnonmaki Red' for red-skinned juicy fruits in June and July. Both heavy-cropping bushes produce fruit that’s ideal for cooking.
Apples are a delicious crop with great storage potential
Image: Apple Duo Patio Fruit Tree from Thompson & Morgan
Apple trees produce fruit from mid-summer to late autumn.
Plant them in fertile, well-drained soil that sees plenty of sunlight and give your trees a prune during the winter to keep them healthy. Dessert apple varieties are sweet enough to eat straight from the tree, whereas cooking types are great for baking into pies and sauces. Even if you don’t have space for a full-sized tree, you can grow compact dwarf varieties in patio containers.
Easy apple tree varieties to try: For small gardens, go for an apple duo patio fruit tree. This special compact tree has two delicious varieties grafted onto its main stem that pollinate each other. Apple ‘Appletini’ is a compact new self-fertile variety with pink blossom in spring and small red fruits. For perfect apple crumbles, plant the classic apple 'Bramley's Seedling'.
Blackberries are prolific and colourful fruiters
Image: Blackberry 'Black Cascade' from Thompson & Morgan
Blackberries are delicious fruits that grow in sun or shade, and don't need much attention to produce a bountiful crop of dark, glossy fruits.
The sweet berries can be harvested between June and September and are delicious eaten fresh or baked into desserts.
Easy blackberry varieties to try: For small gardens, choose a compact variety like blackberry ‘Black Cascade’ which grows to about 45cm and looks great trailing from a hanging basket. A good child-friendly option, blackberry ‘Apache’ is thornless and sweet.
Honeyberries are high in antioxidants
Image: Lonicera kamtschatica 'Kalinka' from Thompson & Morgan
Honeyberries are an unusual fruit that are high in nutrients and very sweet. Easy to grow, they’re tough and incredibly hardy plants that need very little attention. For the best yields, grow honeyberries in pairs to increase the potential for pollination. The blueberry-like berries make a delicious treat, straight from the bush.
Easy honeyberry varieties to try: Lonicera kamtschatica 'Kalinka' produces super sweet berries. An ornamental edible, this variety can be planted into flower beds and borders where the scented flowers provide interest in spring.
Lonicera kamtschatica 'Balalaika' is a good choice for containers, reaching a height and spread of 1m.
Goji berries contain lots of vitamins and nutrients
Image: Goji berry 'Sweet Lifeberry' from Thompson & Morgan
Goji berries are the perfect choice for a windy, coastal garden being fairly hardy and tolerant of salt. Grow your goji berry bush against a south-facing wall, or in a sheltered sunny spot, to give the fruit the best conditions for ripening in August. The ‘superfood’ berries contain vitamin C and protein, tasting sweet and liquorice-like, ideal for adding to smoothies and juices for a delicious start to the day.
Easy goji berry varieties to try: Goji berry ‘Synthia’ reaches a height and spread of 2m, with berries that show a slightly higher than usual sugar content. Plant the larger goji berry ‘Sweet Lifeberry’ (which reaches a height of 3.5m and a spread of 5m) in a bed with plenty of space to sprawl.
Currant plants come in white, pink, red or black
Image: Whitecurrant 'White Versailles' (Organic) from Thompson & Morgan
Currant plants are the perfect soft fruits for decorating desserts, making jams and jellies, or adding to sauces.
They freeze well too, so you can savour the taste of summer during the winter months. Expect to see a crop from your bushes in June, July and August. Currant plants are fairly cold tolerant, so they make a great choice for growing in Northern gardens.
Easy currant varieties to try: If you’re tight for space try our redcurrant 'Rovada' which stays at 1.2m, perfect for growing in containers. Whitecurrant 'White Versailles' is the earliest cropping white currant with super sweet berries and for dark, glossy berries, go for blackcurrant 'Ben Connan' which
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These frequently asked questions provide useful information to help you choose which fruit trees and plants to grow in your garden:
What are the quickest fruits to grow?
The quickest fruits to grow are strawberries, blackberries and autumn-fruiting raspberries.
These plants should all produce a crop of berries in the first year after planting.
Which fruits grow best in pots?
Blueberries and strawberries are the best fruits to grow in pots. Blueberries need acidic soil, which is easy to provide in pots by using ericaceous compost. Strawberries are naturally compact plants that thrive in pots.
What is the easiest fruit tree to grow?
The easiest fruit tree to grow in the UK is an apple tree. Apple trees are long-lived, heavy-cropping and relatively maintenance-free.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this round-up of ten easy to grow fruits. Share your images with us via social media, using #YourTMGarden. And if you’d like more help and advice, visit our dedicated fruit hub page.
Six fast growing fruit trees {and one vegetable}
Aww, fruit trees! It’s been said that the best time to plant a fruit tree is yesterday – because they take so long to produce.
And while it’s true that you won’t get fruit the first year you plant a fruit tree it doesn’t have to take years and years to get fruit either. There are some fast growing fruit trees for you to plant.
Let’s start off with talking about whether you should grow fruit trees from seeds or from a grafted tree. If you plant a grafted tree (one you bought from a nursery or that someone grafted for you) you will get fruit earlier than if you grow the tree from seed. This applies to all fruit trees.
Some people will argue that fruit trees that are grown from seed won’t produce fruit that tastes like the original fruit. This isn’t always the case. Some fruit, like most citrus, will grow true to the mother plant – it just takes 8-10 years before they will produce fruit.
If you have space, it’s great to grow some trees from seed, just know that it will take much longer to get fruit. Attainable-Sustainable some great tips on starting nectarines from seed.
But if you want fruit quickly, and I’m assuming you do, you should plant grafted trees.
Also, you count how old a grafted tree is by counting from the time you plant it in the ground (or into a large container), not from the time it was grafted.
You don’t need a lot of property to grow fruit trees. Here’s some tips for planning a backyard fruit garden.
Mulberries
Mulberries will produce within one year of planting a grafted tree and they grow tall super fast (over 2.5′ a year). We actually have one that came up as a volunteer from our neighbor’s tree and it produced a few berries the second year.
I’ve read it takes 10 years to get mulberries from a tree that’s been started from seed but this one produced in year two. It’s in year three right now and it about 12′ tall.
Mulberries get a bad rap because they aren’t plump and juicy like other berries but they are the first berries to produce around here and we love having them. We eat them raw and add them to yogurt, pancakes and smoothies. Learn how to grow and use mulberries.
Peaches and nectarines
I know peaches and nectarines are not the same fruit, but they are really close and have similar growing needs.
They especially don’t like soggy roots so make sure you plant them in an area that has good drainage.
It also usually takes two trees to produce fruit, although there are some self-fertile peach trees. Make sure you get two different varieties that bloom at the same time so they can cross pollinate.
Most peaches and nectarines will fruit in under three years – but you have to take care of them.
Citrus
Ok, I know not everyone can grow citrus in their backyard but did you know that some citrus like Meyer lemons and Satsuma oranges can be grown indoors? They can, so I think they deserve thoughtful consideration.
Citrus trees are self pollinating so you only need one tree to produce fruit. Also, they will start producing fruit the year after they are planted.
If you need some tips for growing citrus, you’ll find them here.
Apples
Apples need some cold weather, also known as chill-hours. Like peaches, apples really need another apple tree to cross pollinate.
Otherwise we’ll end up with a nice tree but no apples.
Those of you who have nice cold winters probably don’t need to know that bit of information, but those of us who live in milder climate have to make sure we plant varieties that need low chill hours. And that’s no fun, especially if we are thinking we’ll be munching on apples in under three years.
If you want to learn more about chill hours and other climate metrics and how they affect your garden and orchard, we have a short ecourse that explains just that. You can get more information on understanding your climate here.
Figs
Figs are another fruit tree that likes warm weather, so if you plant one and live where it gets cold you might want to do it in a container.
Figs only need one tree to produce and you will probably get fruit in year two. Figs are self fertile, in fact they don’t even flower; they just make fruit.
Learn how to grow figs in the ground or in containers.
Bananas
Bananas are another “tree” that needs warm weather but if you can provide it, you can have bananas in about two years.
We have a friend who is overrun with banana trees and has offered us some. They propagate through their root system and need to be dug up and separated occasionally to keep them from taking over.
Edited to add: A reader pointed out that bananas trees are not actually trees but are the world’s largest perennial herb. That might be why they grow so fast!
Moringa
This little known tree is a powerhouse of nutrients. It likes warm climates but can be grown in containers and brought in during the winter. It can also be grown as an annual instead of a tree.
The leaves, seed pods and beans are edible. We eat the leaves in soups and smoothies. I also make a moringa tea blend with dehydrated leaves. The pods can be cooked like green beans.
Moringa is super fast growing, like 15-20 feet in one season. As long as the roots don’t freeze, the moringa tree will come back year after year.
Of course there are many other fruit trees that are absolutely worth planting but they take three or more years to actually produce fruit.
When you’re planning your fruit plantings make sure you include some of these early producers which will help the wait go by sooner.
Also make sure you’re making notes in you’re gardening notebook while you are doing your research and making plans this winter.
What trees are you planting this spring? Are you planting any fast growing fruit trees?
Thanks for sharing with your friends!
Which fruits grow fast? TOP 13 for a garden and an apartment in Russia
The question of which fruits grow quickly is often asked by novice gardeners. They can't wait to get the harvest as soon as possible. Such a desire is understandable, because there are still so many things I want to try to grow! So what fruits can be grown quickly in the garden? And which ones are the fastest to grow in an apartment?
There are a couple of words that need to be said before announcing the list of champions. Due to warmer conditions, most fruits grow fastest indoors anyway.
Another thing is that some are more expedient to grow in the garden, on the street or in a greenhouse. nine0003
Fruit is defined below as fruit only from a culinary point of view. Those that can be found in the supermarket under the sign “fruits” and those that the average neighbor will offer you to choose from. Scholars with a degree in botany are requested to hold their own and not express their professional opinion on the classification.
Which fruits are the fastest to grow - leaders
Annual fruits can be grown the fastest. They are grown both in the apartment and in the garden. You probably grow tomatoes anyway. But they can also be attributed to the list of fruits that grow quickly. nine0003
As for more exotic fruits, watermelons will grow the fastest. True, in most of Russia, with the exception of the south, watermelon can only be grown in an apartment, or in a very warm greenhouse. For growth, he needs a temperature of at least 25 degrees.
Seeds are planted from the end of April. Watermelon ripens in 40-60 days. In general, the fruit grows quickly and does not require special care.
The same with melon. The fruit is growing fast. Being an annual plant, the melon ripens in the same year in which it is planted. Like a close relative, watermelon, the fruit will grow fastest in an apartment. Although it is also grown in greenhouses and greenhouses. The melon ripens 60-120 days after the appearance of gatherings. nine0003
What other fruits grow quickly, but you will have to wait a couple of years
Many garden fruits can be grown quickly if moved to an apartment or house. Most fruits grow on trees; fruit plants in the form of a vine are less common. In all of them, flowering and fruiting begins 1-2 years after germination, not earlier. In some cases, you have to wait 7 or 10 years. Time depends not only on the type of plant, but also on its variety. So, in apples, for example, with the existing variety of varieties, fruits can appear both in the 2nd year and in the 10th.
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When growing fruit trees, you should think in advance how you will cut them. Even undersized varieties may be too large for an apartment or house. Consider how big you will allow the tree to grow.
- Which flowers grow fast? TOP 7 fast growing
- 6 fast growing succulents
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Fruits you can grow at home: 7 popular exotic fruits
Citruses
Photo: pixabay.comLemons, tangerines, oranges, grapefruits, sweets and pomelo are the easiest fruits to grow at home from seeds. They are sown in pots to a depth of 1 cm in loose soil. Pots should be kept warm at a temperature of about 25 ° C. Before germination, it is important to keep the soil moist, so it is better to cover the crops with a film.
Seedlings usually appear within a week. As soon as the sprouts hatch, they need to be placed on the lightest window sill or provided with a phytolamp. nine0003
At home, citruses bear fruit well, but the first fruits of seedlings appear after 10-15 years.
But even without them, the tree will please you: if it is formed correctly, it will be fluffy. And what is even more pleasant, all citruses purify the air in the premises, because they release phytoncides.
Persimmon
Photo: pixabay.comPersimmon does not get sick and practically does not require care (1). But it's in the open. And at home it is more difficult to grow it: it will need a cool content in winter. nine0003
The fruits must be ripe, otherwise the seeds will not sprout. And in stores they often sell immature ones, because they last longer. To bring the fruit to ripeness, put the fruit in a bag along with a banana or an apple: they release ethylene, which speeds up the ripening of persimmons. It is impossible to freeze persimmons: the seeds from such fruits will not sprout.
Soak the extracted seeds for two days in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then carry out warm stratification - for 2 months to withstand at a temperature of 50 ° C (for example, you can put it on a battery).
Before sowing, the seeds must be filed with sandpaper hard ribs. nine0003
Persimmon seeds are planted to a depth of 1.5 cm in a pot with loose soil - it is better to use a mixture of sand and peat in a ratio of 1:1. Since persimmon is a deciduous tree, in winter (from the second year of life) it needs a cool content at a temperature of 5-10 ° C. You can remove the pot with the plant in the cellar or put it in the refrigerator (during the dormant period, the plant does not need light).
Persimmon grown from seed begins to bear fruit in 5-7 years.
Lychee
Photo: pixabay.comThis tree can also be grown at home, and without unnecessary tricks.
Lychee seeds removed from the fruit lose their viability within 4 to 5 days, so they should be sown as soon as possible. The stone is embedded in loose soil to a depth of 2 cm. Until shoots appear, soil moisture should be high. And the temperature is also - in the range of 25 - 34 ° C. Sprouts usually appear within 1 to 4 weeks, but sometimes longer.
The first leaves of the lychee are reddish in color. As soon as they appear, the pot must be placed in a bright place. nine0003
At first, the lychee grows quickly, in just a few weeks the seedlings reach a height of 20 cm. But then growth is inhibited: in the first 2 years the seedling barely reaches 30 cm. This is also the norm, the plant actively grows roots.
Litchi from the stone begins to bear fruit in 8-10 years (2).
Mango
Photo: pixabay.com Growing a mango from a stone is not an easy task, but an exciting one. Seeds from ripe fruits are suitable for germination. Determining the degree of ripeness of a mango is simple: if the pulp is easily separated from the stone, the fruit is ripe. The removed bone should be washed well, and the remaining pulp should be scraped off with a knife. And then it needs to be… split. Yes, yes, it is to split, since the whole bone, most likely, will not germinate. Inside the seed there will be an embryo with a green seedling.
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Mango is a rather large tree, so it is better to plant a sprout immediately in a large pot. The soil is suitable universal, from the store. The seedling is planted horizontally, so that about 1/4 of the seed remains above the soil surface. After that, the pot is covered with a film and placed on a warm, light windowsill. Once every 2 - 3 days, the edges of the shelter are slightly raised to ventilate and prevent the bone from rotting. After about 2 to 3 weeks, the first shoots will appear.
Mangoes begin to bloom and bear fruit at the age of 6-7. nine0003
Passion fruit
Photo: pixabay.com Perhaps not everyone knows, but passion fruit is the fruit of the edible passionflower. This is a vine that not only bears fruit, but also blooms very beautifully. So at home it will become a real window decoration. But it is important to remember that passionflower is a very powerful vine and will need pruning at home, otherwise it will take up all the space available to it (3).
Seeds are sown in individual tall pots. It is important to put drainage at the bottom (expanded clay, crushed stone, brick chips) with a height of at least 2.5 cm. The soil for germination should be both loose and breathable (leaf humus, compost, sand, soddy soil). nine0003
Seeds are pre-scarified - lightly rubbed with sandpaper. Then they are treated with any growth stimulant. Sowed to a depth of 1 cm. The pot is covered with a film. The optimum temperature for germination is 20-25°C, humidity is 75%. Seedlings appear after 30 days or more. As soon as they appear, the film is removed.
Pitahaya
Photo: pixabay.comPitahaya is a large climbing or creeping forest cactus (Hylocereus) without thorns. Its flowers are large and fragrant. Disperse at night. nine0003
Pitahaya seeds are sown in separate pots at a depth of 0.5 cm. To prevent the soil from drying out, it is better to cover the pot with foil.
Hylocereus can be grown in the shade - in nature it grows in forests, where it can do without an abundance of sun.
Begins to bear fruit in 5-7 years.
Avocado
Photo: pixabay.comGermination of seeds in avocados is 100%, but provided that they are collected from ripe fruits. To check for ripeness, press down on both sides of the fruit with your palms, then release. A ripe avocado will restore its structure. nine0003
Seeds should be planted on the day of collection. It is usually recommended to pierce them in 3 places with toothpicks and immerse them in water by a third, but this requires skill, and you will have to constantly monitor the water level. So do not bother: avocado seeds germinate perfectly in the soil, it is enough to dig into the loose earth 1/3 of the blunt ends down. And water once a week.
Avocados do not like stagnant water in the roots, so a 2 cm high drain must be put on the bottom of the pot. As soon as the seedling appears, place the pot on the brightest window sill. nine0003
Gives first fruits in 3-5 years.
Popular Questions and Answers
We talked about growing exotic fruit crops with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.
