You don't need a large garden to grow delicious fruit yourself - a sunny balcony or terrace is perfectly adequate for this purpose. Many popular fruit types and varieties are also available in mini format and can be easily cultivated in pots.
Fruit trees that remain small can be grown in pots
Small fruit trees for the balcony
For a pot culture on the balcony, you need small, slow-growing fruit types and varieties that also only form a small crown. The commercially available, low fruit trees are often normal-growing shrubs that have only been grafted onto slow-growing rootstocks - over the years they still develop a spreading crown and would eventually have to be planted out due to lack of space. So for the balcony you would have to choose growth forms with a weak crown. For example:
- Bush trees: Trunk height between 40 and 60 centimeters
- Spindle bushes: trunk height up to 60 centimetres, no leading branches (i.e. very small crown)
- Column: low growth, hardly any side shoots
In the case of columnar fruit trees, the so-called ballerina trees (e.g. the Campanilo apple varieties), which were specially bred for pot cultivation, are particularly recommended. On the other hand, keeping a normally growing tree small in the long term is only possible with a great deal of effort.
Proper care for fruit trees in pots
Of course, a fruit tree grown in a pot will not produce the yield you would expect from a large, planted specimen. In fact, such a tree is more decorative. However, to ensure that it still bears tasty fruit and stays healthy, you should take proper care of it. The specific care instructions depend above all on the type and variety of fruit you have chosen.
Plant and repot
Young, one to two year old fruit trees are initially content with a 10 liter container. If possible, this should not be made of plastic or another material that heats up quickly. Place the sapling in nutrient-rich compost soil and don't forget the drainage.
Water and fertilize
Such a fruit tree in a pot should be watered and fertilized regularly, as it cannot take care of itself. Fertilize it with a liquid fruit tree fertilizer about every two to three weeks between March and the end of June, or use a slow-release fertilizer in spring. Always keep the tree slightly moist, especially during flowering and during the fruiting period.
To cut
A regular pruning is not only necessary to limit the size, but also ensures a constant rejuvenation of the tree and thus a constant number of fruits.
hibernate
Hardy fruit trees can hibernate outside, but their roots need protection from the cold. Place the pot on an insulating pad made of Styrofoam or wood and wrap the planter with fleece. Place the pots close to a house wall and cover them with leaves. In contrast, woody plants that are not sufficiently hardy are overwintered cool and frost-free.
tips
Especially when cultivating in pots on a small balcony and/or an older balcony, you also have to think about the statics: a fruit trellis on the balcony wall or a larger fruit tree not only take up a lot of space, but also weigh a lot together with the planter and substrate - which in turn can no longer carry some balcony constructions.