Considering little space in your yard? Think twice - these 13 tree options, endorsed by professionals, can thrive in containers

Considering little space in your yard? Think twice - these 13 tree options, endorsed by professionals, can thrive in containers

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Container gardening has gained popularity in recent years, allowing gardeners to grow a variety of plants, including fruit trees and ornamental specimens, in limited spaces. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you succeed in growing these plants in pots.

Fruit Trees for Containers

Dwarf or semi-dwarf varieties of common fruit trees are ideal for container growing. Some excellent options include Meyer lemon, calamondin orange, dwarf apples (such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Golden Delicious), peach or nectarine trees, figs, and certain tropical fruit trees like mango, star fruit, papaya, lychee, and guava [1][2][4]. These trees are well-suited to container growing because they remain manageable in size and many are self-pollinating, allowing good fruit sets without needing multiple trees.

Key Points for Successful Container Growing

1. Start with small containers (1–3 gallons) for young trees and gradually move up to larger pots (up to 25 gallons) as the tree grows. This helps avoid root rot and stress [1][5].
2. Good drainage and well-drained soil are essential for container success.
3. The ability to move them indoors or to a sheltered spot during winter is important for container success, particularly for citrus trees, which perform well in pots and can be brought indoors in cold climates [4].

Additional Container-Friendly Fruit Plants

Dwarf blackberries (Baby Cakes), blueberries (Sunshine Blue), raspberries (Glencoe thornless), and strawberries (Seascape) are high-yield plants that complement fruit tree containers in small spaces or patios [3].

Ornamental Trees for Containers

1. Betula utilis subsp. jacquemontii is a deciduous tree with white bark that turns brilliant white as it matures, ovate leaves that turn yellow in autumn, and yellow-brown male catkins that appear in early spring. It has an eventual height and spread of 12m x 8m.
2. Lagerstroemia indica is a tree with mottled, peeling bark and plentiful panicles of crinkled flowers. It is not fully hardy, so it should be grown in a sheltered area and protected from frost. It has an eventual height and spread of 8m x 8m.
3. Hippophae rhamnoides is a deciduous small tree with thin silvery leaves, yellow flowers then bright-orange small berries in autumn. It has an eventual height and spread of 6m x 6m.
4. Cercis chinensis 'Avondale' is a tree with pea-like magenta flowers that form on the tree's wood in spring, heart-shaped, glossy-green leaves that follow, and turn butter yellow in autumn. It has an eventual height and spread of 3m x 2.5m.
5. Albizia julibrissin is a medium-sized deciduous tree with mimosa-like leaves, fluffy, pink-white flowers that appear in summer, and an eventual height and spread of 8m x 4m.
6. Pinus sylvestris 'Watereri' is a slow-growing cultivar of the Scots pine with attractive orange-brown bark, blue-green needles that are slightly twisted, and candle-like cones. It has an eventual height and spread of 4mx6m.
7. Koelreuteria paniculata is a tree that originates from the dry valleys of China, prefers a hot, sunny position, and has large panicles of yellow flowers that turn to bronze, lantern-like fruits. It has an eventual height and spread of 12m x 8m.

Best Practices for Container-Grown Plants

1. Use a loam-based, peat-free compost for trees in pots. Go for the best quality you can afford, as the tree will be growing in it for many years.
2. Use a feed with more nitrogen and phosphorus than potassium. Feeding is vital for container-grown plants, as they often stay in their compost for many years.
3. Don't grow trees in a pot that is too big; either pot them on regularly or root-prune them every few years.
4. Watering is essential for container-grown trees, especially in drought. Don't rely on rain. Containers near a house often remain dry as rainwater gets deflected by the building.
5. Continue to water trees in containers during times of strong winds, as wind dries out the rootball and leaves, especially in summer.

Choosing the Right Container and Tree

1. Buy the best quality pot you can afford, and consider the proportion of the pot in relation to the height of the tree. Lighter coloured pots (ideally terracotta) are preferable as they don't retain heat and dry out the growing medium.
2. Selecting tougher trees that can deal with wind, drought, waterlogging, and reduced nutrients is all part of the challenge of container growing trees.
3. Selecting trees with smaller leaves is useful, as smaller leaves mean less transpiration. Japanese maples or silver birches are examples of trees with smaller leaves that do well in pots.
4. Any ill health or stress will make the plant more susceptible to pests and diseases. Good hygiene, regular watering, and feeding will help to give a container-planted tree the best chance of defense.

Benefits of Container Gardening

1. Using a repeated type of tree in similar pots allows you to define and create spaces around buildings.
2. A pot elevates the canopy of a small tree to eye level, helping to mask buildings or introduce co-ordination in an ill-matched group of buildings.
3. Growing trees in containers is a way to bring trees closer to everyday life, whether for small outdoor spaces, lack of ground for planting, or for those who are renting and want to take a tree with them.

In summary, growing fruit trees and ornamental specimens in containers can be a rewarding and manageable way to enjoy these plants in limited spaces. By following the key points and best practices outlined in this guide, you can maximise the health and yield of your container-grown trees.

1. Container gardening has become a popular choice for those with limited space, offering an opportunity to grow various plants, such as fruit trees, ornamental trees, and even some vegetables.
2. In addition to fruit trees, one can also grow plants like dwarf blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries in small spaces or patios.
3. The environment plays a crucial role in container gardening, as plants in pots require good drainage and well-drained soil to thrive.
4. Choosing the right container is vital, as it should be proportionate to the size of the tree and preferably lighter colored (ideally terracotta) to avoid heat retention.
5. When it comes to fruit trees, dwarf or semi-dwarf varieties are ideal for container growing, with options like Meyer lemon, calamondin orange, dwarf apples, peach or nectarine trees, figs, and certain tropical fruit trees being well-suited.
6. Lifestyle considerations also play a role in container gardening, as the ability to move them indoors or to a sheltered spot during winter is important, particularly for citrus trees.
7. Home-and-garden enthusiasts can also benefit from container gardening, as it allows them to bring trees closer to their everyday life, whether for outdoor spaces, rented properties, or limited ground for planting.
8. Moreover, container gardening presents an opportunity to create coordinated spaces around buildings, elevating the canopy of small trees to eye level and helping to mask buildings.
9. Lastly, the fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, education-and-self-development, shopping, sports, travel, and pet lovers can find joy in container gardening, as it can be integrated into these aspects of life, for instance, by growing herbs for cooking or having pets like cats or dogs that enjoy spending time in the garden.

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