HOW TO GROW FRUIT TREES IN POTS IN AUSTRALIA (BEGINNERS GUIDE)

Growing fruit trees in pots is perfect for smaller outdoor spaces and gardens. Following these simple tips on how to grow fruit trees in pots. You’ll get your fruit trees off to the best start and produce bountiful fruit in no time.

First step: Shopping!

Before you go out and buy the cheapest all-purpose potting mix and the smallest pot you can find, give your new fruit tree the best chance by getting the basics right.

If you haven’t picked which fruit tree you want or aren’t sure which fruit trees you can grow in pots, check out my guide to the best fruit trees to grow in pots.

Picking the right-sized pot for Your Fruit Tree

Selecting the right size pot for your fruit tree is vital for optimal growth and fruit production. Too small and you risk restricting the plant’s growth too much and causing stress. Too big and you risk the excess soil holding too much moisture and causing root issues like root rot.

As a rule, you’ll want to get a pot at least 40cm in height and width to give them plenty of room to grow.

If you’d like more detail on choosing the best pot size, you can read my full pot size guide here.

Choosing the right potting mix

When it comes to planting in pots, selecting a high-quality potting mix is essential. This is especially important when you want the plant to thrive and produce seasons of delicious fruit.

Without overcomplicating it, a good quality premium fruit tree and citrus mix will have everything you need to grow lemons, limes, cumquats, grapefruits, apples, figs, avocados and mulberries. This potting mix will be both moisture-retentive and free-draining, which allows good airflow at the roots while not drying out too quickly. It will also have all the right nutrients to get your tree off to a good start.

If the potting mix you’ve bought is too dense or holding too much moisture, you can mix in extra pine bark or perlite to help aid drainage.

Blueberry bushes, on the other hand, are an acidic soil loving plant, thriving in soils with a lower PH. For blueberries, a premium quality speciality potting mix for camellias, azaleas and other acid loving plant potting mix should be used as a base. Add a ratio of 60% potting mix to 40% pine bark. This will give you everything you need while adding extra aeration and drainage.

If you’d like a deeper breakdown of potting mixes and how to customise them for different fruit trees, you can read my guide to the best soil for fruit trees.

Mulch for Fruit Trees in Pots

Mulching fruit trees in pots is very important, especially during the hot Australian summers. Mulch will help keep moisture in your pot by reducing evaporation and reducing pesky weeds that will compete with your tree for nutrients. At the same time, an organic mulch will break down, feeding your plants.

Barks like pine bark or sugar cane mulch are typical mulches to use. You can also use more decorative mulches like chippings and rocks, but be aware that if the plant is going in a very hot space, the rocks can heat up and cause further heat stress to your plants.

Here are a few non-necessary extras:-

Mesh: You can get some mesh to place over the drainage hole to help prevent soil run off.

Pot feet: Raising decorative pots off the ground makes sure the pot can drain correctly. This stops water from getting trapped and allows good air circulation.

Drainage gravel: Place a thin layer of drainage gravel across the base of the pot. This stops the soil from compacting over time and blocking the pot’s drainage holes.

Seasol: This is a seaweed concentrate that has many benefits. Importantly, it helps to promote good root growth and reduce transplant shock.

Second Step: Time to plant!

What position should I have my fruit tree in?

The first step is to work out the best position for your fruit tree. Most fruit trees require full sun, which usually means 8 hours of direct sunlight. This can vary from plant to plant. Check the label of the plant and make sure your fruit tree is getting the right amount of light.

It is best to pot up your plant close to where you would like the tree, as they can be heavy to move once you’ve added all your soil!

How to plant a fruit tree in a pot (Step by Step Guide)

Now you’ve got everything you need to plant your new fruit tree, the fun part begins!

Now you’ve got your pot in position, the first step is to place your mesh over the pot drainage holes and add your layer of drainage gravel. A depth of 20mm is more than enough.

When planting your fruit tree, you’ll want to keep the soil level of the pot it’s in now to be the same once it’s in the new pot. Too low and you risk rotting the stem from moisture, too high and you can risk roots being exposed.

Add a layer of soil to the bottom of your pot so that when you place your plant into the pot, the soil level will be about 1-2 inches below the top of the pot.

Next, if you haven’t already given your plant a good soak, now is the time, making sure the root ball is nice and wet. Carefully remove your plant from its original pot, trying your best to disturb the roots as little as possible.

If there are lots of densely packed roots, it may be root-bound. In this case, do your best to gently tease out some of the roots to prevent them from continuing to grow inwards.

Place your plant on top of the soil at the bottom of the pot, and with your remaining soil, fill around the root ball, gently pressing down the soil as you do so to compact it.

Remember to fill to the same level where the bottom of the stem meets the soil of your fruit tree.

Now add your mulch of choice to the top of the pot and give your new fruit tree a good, thorough soak with either a diluted Seasol solution if you bought it, or just a good ol’ drink of water.

Final step: After care

How often should I water my fruit tree?

Most young fruit trees in summer will need water every 2 days, possibly more during peak summer temperatures. This will slow down during winter as they will go dormant, requiring only weekly watering.

For a more detailed seasonal watering breakdown, you can read my full watering guide.

Once established, the need to water as regularly will reduce; very established fruit trees may only require watering once or twice a week in summer and again even less in winter.

What fertilisers should I use on my potted fruit tree?

Potted fruit trees rely on you for all their food and nutrition. Giving them a balanced fertiliser is very important for a strong, healthy plant.

Using a fruit and citrus-specific fertiliser is best, as it will have the right nutrients to make your fruit tree thrive. These can come in both slow release and liquid products. You can also use a variety of composts and manures on your fruit tree.

When should I feed my fruit trees in pots?

Feeding late winter or early spring with a slow-release fertiliser will allow time for the fertilisers to break down. This way they will be ready for spring when your fruit tree comes out of dormancy and is ready to grow!

You should feed them again once buds and fruits form in summer. This way your fruit tree has everything it needs to grow the best fruits. During this time, you can also use a liquid fertiliser if preferred. Liquid fertilisers are more readily available for the plant. However, Liquid fertilisers are required to be added every 1-2 weeks as they will leach away with watering and rain.

The last feed should come in autumn time once the plant has slowed down from its summer flush. Replenishing what it has taken.

Do not fertilise fruit trees in winter; most fruit trees are winter dormant. This means they won’t be taking any nutrients from the soil, and their growth will have stopped.

When should I prune my fruit trees?

Most fruit trees will only require pruning a couple of times a year.

• Autumn after they have finished fruiting: cutting back any excessive growth from the season
• Late winter before the tree comes out of dormancy