Many people would love to grow their own fruit and harvest it fresh from the tree, but don't have the garden space to do so. With specially bred columnar fruit, the dream of your own orchard can now also be realized as a pot culture on the balcony or terrace.
Pillar fruit also thrives in a pot, provided it is big enough
Be considerate of the needs of the fruit trees
If columnar fruit trees are to be grown in tubs, the most important questions about the following factors should be clarified before planting:
- location
- pot size
- suitable varieties
- Measures against waterlogging
While all columnar fruit varieties are characterized by a basically narrow and upright growth, not all of them can be kept correspondingly small as "fruit bonsai" for the balcony. Therefore, when buying, find out very precisely about the respective growth and refinement form. If possible, do not choose a plant size below 30 or 40 liters in volume for growing fruit in tubs, otherwise you may have to replant the trees more often than every five years. In addition, you will only be able to harvest really well-ripened fruit in sufficiently sunny locations.
Without fertilization there is no long-term yield
When planting columnar fruit in a pot, sufficiently large drainage holes should first be provided in the lower area. These are protected with potsherds or stones from becoming clogged with earth. At the same time, the fruit tree in the bucket is weighed down at the base, which makes it more secure. When planting, already use a mixture of garden soil, sand and mature compost. In this way, you ensure the long-term supply of important nutrients. In addition, however, consistent fertilization is still required so that the respective fruit tree can deliver the desired yield. After all, certain amounts of cuttings are usually disposed of every year, for which the tree has to absorb the corresponding amounts of nutrients through the roots.
tips
Pillar fruit is generally hardy and should not be overwintered indoors. In the winter season, however, avoid locations with a lot of sunshine and the associated temperature differences. These can cause problems for the plants and cause the bark to burst open. If straw or leaves are used as a winter protective layer for the columnar fruit in the tub, then in the spring you always have to make sure that the grafting area is exposed to the air again. If this is permanently covered with substrate, rot can occur at this point.