Dwarfing fruit trees for restricted spaces

1 - Dwarf Family Duo (Pear) 

2 - Czar Plum 

3 - Kordia Cherry 

4 - Pyrus Clapps Pear 

5 - Malus Ingrid Marie Apple

We’d all love unlimited space to plan and plant grand schemes Capability Brown would be proud off. Unfortunately, we don’t all have that joy. Many modern gardeners have to be very creative in how they use the space they do have. And do so very successfully. It’s incredible what can be achieved in small gardens.

But when it comes to growing fruit many of us think the more space the better with visions of row upon row of apple trees stretching into the distance. But this doesn't have to be the case. Anyone with a patio can successfully grow their own fruit. And we’re not just talking about a small strawberry planter. There are many wonderful patio fruit trees to choose from which will provide you with a rewarding experience and crops of delicious fruit.

Here’s my list of the top 5 fruit trees you can grow on your patio (though there’s plenty more to choose from).

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Top 5 patio fruit trees - a personal selection

1 - Dwarf family duo - William and Conference Pear

First of all, I have to admit a bit of a bias. I could fill the full list with just pear fruit trees. Pears are a firm personal favourite to grow and eat. So, this amazing tree has to be number one in the list - especially as you get two for the price of one! This tree has two varieties of pear grafted onto it. It’s a brilliant solution if you only have very limited space and of course you won’t need any other trees to cross pollinate. If you’ve only got room for a single tree on your patio you should choose this one. You’ll receive a tree which is four to five feet in height and is supplied in a five-litre pot.

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2 - Czar Plum

If you enjoy plums, you’ll love czar. Not as well-known as the Victoria it’s nevertheless very popular with gardeners because of the lovely spring blossoms it produces along with the huge amount of fruit it delivers every year. A self-fertile tree this variety has been specially grown on a high-fruiting dwarf patio standard stem. The tree won’t grow higher than five feet and it’s justifiably in our top five patio fruit trees. Supplied to you in a five-litre pot.

• Planting Position: Full sun. Sheltered position. 
• Aspect: South or west facing. 
• Soil: Will tolerate most well-drained soils. 
• Mature height & spread: 5ft x 3ft. 
• Hardiness: Fully hardy. 
• Foliage: Deciduous. 
• Growth Rate: Average. Fruit picking: August. 
• Fertility: Self-Fertile.

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3 - Kordia Cherry

The Kordia is a wonderful example of a cherry fruit tree. Its cherries are very juicy and can be used for so much but are especially amazing in pies. This tree will produce a very high yield of fruit so you’ll be able to stock up the freezer every July with delicious cherries to last through the winter. Do be aware that the Kordia isn’t self-fertile.

• Planting Position: Full sun. Sheltered. 
• Aspect: Any. Soil: Moist, well-drained soil. Will tolerate most soil types. 
• Mature height & spread: 5ft x 3ft. 
• Hardiness: Fully hardy. 
• Foliage: Deciduous. 
• Fruiting: Early July. 
• Growth Rate: Average. 
• Fertility: Not self-fertile. Requires a pollination partner such as Morella, Stella or Summer Sun.

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4 - Pyrus Clapps Pear

Pryus Clapps is a particular favourite of mine and produces very juicy fruit which are unbelievably tasty in desert recipes.

This wonderful dwarfing variety will grow up to around five feet tall with a spread of around three feet. It’s supplied in a five-litre pot and the specimen you receive will already be around three to four feet in height.

• Planting Position: Full sun. Sheltered position. 
• Aspect: South or west facing. 
• Soil: Will tolerate most well drained soils. 
• Mature height & spread: 5ft x 3ft. 
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy. 
• Foliage: Deciduous. 
• Growth Rate: Average. 
• Fruit picking: Mid-August. 
• Fertility: Is not self-fertile. Requires a pollination partner to produce fruit. We recommend Beth, Conference or Doyenne du Comice.

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5 - Malus Ingrid Marie Apple

We couldn’t have a list of patio fruit trees without including at least one apple variety. The Marie is sweet and juicy like a cox apple but has a darker red skin. It’s a very hardy tree and produces fruit quite late in the autumn. It isn’t a self-fertile tree so will require a pollination partner. Do bear this in mind if you’re very limited for space on the patio.

• Planting Position: Full sun. Sheltered position. 
• Aspect: Any. Soil: Will tolerate most well drained soils. 
• Mature height & spread: 5ft x 3ft. 
• Hardiness: Fully hardy. 
• Foliage: Deciduous. 
• Growth Rate: Average. 
• Fruit Picking: Late September. 
• Fertility: Not Self-fertile. Direct Plants recommends Discovery or Charles Ross as a pollination partner.

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If you aren’t sure which of our top five patio fruit trees are best for you, or if you just want a little more advice about any aspect of planting fruit trees, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team. We’ll be happy to help you with anything you need. You can call us on 01485 601143 or send us an email to sales@directplants.co.uk