In this article, I will talk about the best trees for your home. You can grow these plants in containers and they will yield fruits with just very little maintenance from you.
Here are the best trees to grow at home: Apples do well in almost every climatic zone and don´t need a lot of care; Plums grow fast and are very resistant to a lot of diseases; Apricots are just very easy to grow; Cherry won´t need a lot of care, and finally Peaches.
Apples
Apple trees do well in almost all climatic zones apart from the tropics.
Before you start planting, identify the type of apples you want.
Should it be tart, soft, sweet or crisp and when do you want to harvest it? In the fall or in the summer. You should also think about the kind of pollination the plant will need and how disease resistant the plant is.
There are apple plants, that require a pollinator while others self fertilize.
There are also Plants for baking or eating straight from the tree, and others can grow up to 20 feet high while some are dwarfs or semi-dwarfs.
Knowing these things will guide you on the best tree for you!
How to plant Apple Trees?
They are mostly sold as bare-root plants but can also be found in containers.
Select trees with a sturdy trunk, wide-angled branches that are evenly spaced. The wider the branches are spaced the more apples the plant will carry.
Select a container, that has enough space according to your specific kind of apple plant. But don´t worry, if you miscalculate and your plant outgrows your container then you can just get a bigger container and pant the tree over.
When to plant the Apple Tree?
Bare-root trees should be planted in full sun where the soil is well drained in spring or late winter; from fall.
Container trees can be planted year round but ensure, that the location of the plant is not too cold!
Caring for your Apple Tree
Deeply water your trees often and mulch at its base.
Top dress your tree with a balanced fertilizer once it buds. Thin your tree branches to produce larger fruits.
Pruning is also essential especially after the end of a dormant season. Remove branches that appear not to be productive.
Make sure you keep diseases and pests away from your trees by using the recommended pesticides for your specific Tree.
Plums
They are very hardy fruit trees that are less prone to diseases and grow fast.
There are various varieties of plums, and before you begin planting them, you should carefully decide the type you want. Just like with the apple tree.
Plums do well in almost all types of climates apart from extreme hot and cold climatic conditions.
How to plant a Plum Tree?
Bare-root trees are best planted in early spring, or late winter in full sunlight and the soil should be well drained!
It is also possible to plant them in the fall. As you plant the Tree, prune it to remove dead wood.
Caring for Plum Trees
Water regularly as they grow. Mulch them at the base to preserve moisture.
Plum trees require a lot of fertilizer, and it is advisable to start with a balanced one and as the tree is nearing time for fruit production, increase the nitrogen for more fruit and leaf production.
Like other fruit trees, they also need pruning especially of dead branches.
Pests and Diseases
Plums are more resistant to diseases and pests, but in case of any pests and diseases, get advice for the best disease and pest control drug for your specific plant.
But like I mentioned before, Plums are very resistant, so it is quite rare for them to get diseases or pests.
Apricots
There are various varieties of apricots, but they are easy to grow and require less care compared to other fruit trees!
Apricots generally grow well in most climatic conditions as long as it doen´t get too wet.
How to plant a Apricot Tree?
Use bare-root trees and plant in early spring, late winter, or in fall when it is warmer.
You should avoid putting them near other plants that could develop verticillium wilts like eggplants or tomatoes.
Caring for Apricots Trees
Deeply water newly planted trees and regularly water them through the growing season.
Add mulch at the base of the tree to conserve water and once the tree is mature, water it periodically but not too much.
In the spring, you should top dress it with a low-nitrogen fertilizer.
Thinning and Pruning
Halfway through the growing season you should thin immature fruits and ensure a spacing of about 1 to 4 inches between the individual Fruits.
Pruning, however, should be done right after planting. This helps to shape the tree and later on it will help the tree to produce more fruits.
Pests and Diseases
Apricots are prone to fungal diseases. They include black rot, canker, among others. Get the recommended pesticides for your kind of apricot tree and spray the trees to keep them healthy and productive.
Cherries
They are a favorite of many people. There are a variety of cherry trees, and you should definitely think about the type of cherry you want before buying the seedlings.
Sweet cherries thrive best along the coast while sour cherries can grow well anywhere in America where the winter chill is sufficient.
How to Plant a Cherry Tree?
Identify a tree with a strong central leader. Pick a place with direct access to sunlight and put the container there. Take special care, that the Soil is always draining well.
If you opt for bare trees, plant them in spring or late winter.
How to care for a Cherry Tree
Once planted; they do not require regular care.
Make sure to water them regularly all through the growing season and ensure you mulch the base to preserve water and keep weeds away.
It is best to prune just after the harvest to remove dead, crossed and diseased branches.
This will encourage the production of more fruit.
Pests and Disease
Cherries are prone to diseases and pests. To avoid this, sanitize the garden before you plant them and as they grow, dispose of diseased branches and fruits to prevent the spread of the disease.
With pests, just ensure you spray them with the appropriate pesticides.
Peaches
Peaches come in overwhelming varieties. They require a lot of care while growing and sufficient watering.
They thrive in winter chill but not prolonged freezes. They also do well in hotter climates like in the summer.
How to Plant Peaches?
Peaches should be put in direct sunlight where the soil is well drained.
If you are using container plants, the fall or spring seasons are the best times to plant.
Caring for Peaches
Fertilize one week after planting and during spring, fertilize heavily with organic fertilizer. You should water them deeply and regularly.
Pruning is necessary, and it encourages more side branching and therefore more fruit. You should ideally Prune in winter or in very early spring.
Pests and Diseases
There are a variety of diseases and pests that can attack a peach tree and its fruits. So you should regularly check the tree for signs of pests or diseases and you should react immediately when you discover something!
