Many people have had bad experiences with mail order columnar fruit because the plants died within a relatively short period of time. Possible problems with the lifespan of the plants are usually not due to their genetics, but to common care mistakes.
Columnar fruit can grow as old as regular fruit
Pillar fruit can also get really old
In a suitable location in the garden or next to a sun-drenched house wall, different types of columnar fruit can reach considerable heights and deliver high yields for several decades. However, this also requires a certain amount of care, which includes professional pruning and appropriate fertilization.
Possible reasons for columnar fruit dying
Columnar fruit trees are often purchased for cultivation in a pot on a balcony. There are a number of dangers lurking here that can potentially become problematic:
- too much shade
- too small planters
- rapid drying out of plant roots in too small a pot
- frequent falling over of plants in the wind
- large temperature differences
- Problems with freezing temperatures: Plant roots are more exposed to the winter cold in a pot on the balcony
tips
In principle, care should be taken to repot columnar fruit into a much larger planter or to plant it in the open air bed, depending on the time of purchase. With appropriate fertilization, watering and regular pruning, it should be easy to cultivate pears, cherries or plums in the form of a column like their larger relatives for several years.