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What are Some Easy Fruit Trees to Grow?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

In addition to bearing edible fruit, fruits trees are also attractive ornamentals around the garden. Since some fruit trees are difficult to care for, planting them can sometimes turn out to be much more work than was originally intended. By planting trees that are easy to care for, gardeners can get tasty fruit and beautiful ornamental flowers in the spring without as many concerns about fertilizer needs, insect infestation, and other issues.

As a general rule when planting fruit trees, seek out rich, well drained soil in a spot that is warm and protected from the wind. Recognize that these trees expand as they grow older, and make sure to leave plenty of room for them to get big. In a garden with limited space, consider dwarf varieties, which will not grow as large. Dwarf fruit trees are also easier to care for in general, especially when it comes to pruning.

It is important to find rich soil when planting a fruit tree.
It is important to find rich soil when planting a fruit tree.

Some work is needed to grow fruit trees successfully, even easy care varieties. The tree will need to be trained into a conical shape with a strong trunk and evenly distributed branches. Trees also require pruning to keep their shape and grow healthy fruit. If you want to get a yield from a fruit tree, you will want to plant several trees for cross pollination. You may also want to plant flowers that attract bees and other insects, since this will promote pollination.

Pear trees are an easy fruit tree to grow.
Pear trees are an easy fruit tree to grow.

Some easy fruit trees include pears, figs, apples, satsumas, plums, and persimmons. Numerous cultivars of these trees have been bred for different climates. There is also a broad variation in color, size, and shape of fruit and flowers. Your local garden store can provide more detailed information on which trees grow best in your region. Each one has slightly different fertilizer and care requirements, so make sure to research these before bringing a fruit tree home to plant.

A leaf from a fig tree.
A leaf from a fig tree.

In extremely cold locations, many fruit trees do not thrive. Their flowers are sensitive to late frosts, and a storm can knock the flowers from the trees, meaning that they will not fruit. While the trees are young, you may want to consider protecting them in cold weather by wrapping them on nights when a frost is predicted. While older trees can withstand a frost relatively well, a cold snap can kill a young fruit tree, which would be very unfortunate.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a HomeQuestionsAnswered researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a HomeQuestionsAnswered researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon1001472

Always had a massive old pear tree in the yard as a kid that consistently bore crazy amounts of tasty fruit, and a cute cherry tree that the birds unfortunately got to first every year. Tried planting pear myself a few years back. I knew to plant two European varieties for pollination, also that they can take years to bear fruit, but these new trees are stubborn! Suspect pollination is key. Maybe wildflowers nearby will attract more pollinators, or should I try grafting/planting a third tree, since space is available? Still, pear trees are beautiful to look at, blooming, fruiting or just the foliage. Also, good for climbing as I remember.

vigilant

Does anyone have any experience grafting fruit trees? This process has always fascinated me and I wish there were more opportunities to try the fruit that was produced.

Ivan83

@andee - I have had similar problems. It takes a while for the trees to produce and when they start the yields are often smaller than you would expect.

Plus, fresh, off the tree apples are not anything like the apples in the store. They can be bland, mealy, oddly colored and undersized.

Belted

My neighbor has a nectarine tree growing in her front yard. It doesn't seem to require any maintenance and in the early summer it produces hundreds of nectarines. They are not so delicious to eat plain, but she turns them into some amazing jam.

SarahSon

@anon273461 -- I have two cherry trees in my yard that usually always produce some fruit. I didn't plant these so don't really know for sure how old they are. Some years I get more fruit than others, but they always produce at least some cherries.

I like to pick the cherries and make cherry pie, but if I don't get to them soon enough the birds will eat all of them. They seem to know when they are just perfect and can clean out a tree in short amount of time.

andee

I thought apple trees would be easy to grow, but I have found them to be more challenging than I thought. I did buy more than one tree so I would have cross pollination, but I have been disappointed in the yield.

I have also had to spray them so they don't get diseased and really don't like to do this any more than I have to. I am really interested in planting some organic fruit trees, but don't know if it would be worth the time and effort or not.

There is a community sponsored agriculture program not far from me where they grow some fruit trees that are organically grown with no chemicals. I think it would be easier to just go there and pick as much fruit as I need without all the effort involved with planting my own fruit trees.

sunshined

I have a couple of pear trees in my yard that were there before I moved in. I don't know how old these trees are, but every year they produce a lot of pears. There are always more pears than I know what to do with. I make a pear and apple cobbler with them which is really good. I also have a great pear salad that my family likes. I really don't do much to take care of this tree, yet every year I get many baskets full of fresh pears.

bagley79

I live in an area that has really cold winters, so there are several fruit trees that I cannot grow where I live. I have always wanted to grow citrus trees such as lemon, orange and lime trees. Since I can't grow these outside I ordered some from a seed company that were in containers.

I have a dwarf lemon and lime miniature fruit tree growing in pots, but as of yet, they have not produced any fruit. When you look at these trees in the catalog it looks like they are full of fruit, but I am getting tired of waiting for just one piece of fruit from them.

anon273461

I have a cherry tree that is approximately 10 years old. It has a history of lots of flowers in the spring, and plenty of bees, but no cherries. In fact, it is now losing its leaves. The tree appears to be healthy.

I am wondering if it is a cycle that it is going through? Two years ago it had lots of fruit, and that was the first time it had fruit. The tree is about 10 feet tall and is in a yard with three apple trees. --Joe D.

RobertTucson

It all depends on what kind of tree and where you live. I am fortunate to be in a micro-climate just west of Tucson, AZ. At an elevation of about 2600 feet, with proper yard placement and covering the trees on the coldest winter nights, I have oranges, lemons, limes and tangelos, all of which produce fruit. Further away from the house and on the north side, I also have northern trees that require 300-500 chilling hours to bear fruit: Desert Gold Peach, plums, Anna apples and red seedless grapes. I always buy 2 or 3 varieties to guarantee 1 will survive my climate zone (9A to 9B...depends on the winter!)

bananas

I have planted my first lemon tree. It looks beautiful, and the blooms have a very pleasant smell. I think lemons are relatively easy to grow, but they do need plenty of sun and warm weather.

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    • It is important to find rich soil when planting a fruit tree.
      By: 29mokara
      It is important to find rich soil when planting a fruit tree.
    • Pear trees are an easy fruit tree to grow.
      By: SunnyS
      Pear trees are an easy fruit tree to grow.
    • A leaf from a fig tree.
      A leaf from a fig tree.
    • Apple trees are considered easy to grow.
      By: tesgro
      Apple trees are considered easy to grow.
    • Plum trees are easy to grow.
      By: volff
      Plum trees are easy to grow.