Dwarf Fruit trees

[codger]

I need a little advice on Dwarf fruit trees according to the seller they get about 5ft tall and about 5ft around. he says they are dwarf dwarfs?
I want to plant them in containers in my garden so my question is how big a container do I need is this even feasible? I'm redoing my garden installing raised beds and wanted to put some dwarfs around the perimeter in containers. I'm thinking pears, oranges, nectarines etc.
Thanks

[JONA878]

Hi Codger.
Peaches are usually grafted on to St Julian A. rootstock to produce a dwarfing tree.
Even so it will require carefull pruning in a few years time to keep growth under control.

Pears are as a rule on either Quince A or C.
Again they are fairly controlling stocks but will require watching to keep them down to size.
Pear stocks are not as reliable as modern apple ones are.

Afraid I have no knowledge of citrus.....very little grown here. gg

They would all respond to container growing though.
I would personally say that as a general rule a tree would need a container of at least three feet across and the same depth to grow well.
Smaller would be possable but the control and upkeep of the tree would be that much more difficult.
Remember that dwarf trees have very small root systems so they need staking to stop root-rock and support when they are cropping.
I reckon that the bigger the container the better......cost allowing that is!

If you have hard winters remember that the container may require some wrapping in the colder months to protect the trees roots from frost damage.

Jona.

[codger]

Thanks very much for the information I to this point no nothing about fruit trees of Dawrfs either. I'm thinking half oak wine barrels with good drainage holes in the bottom might be just the trick

[MysticGardener67]

when purchasing 'dwarf' fruit trees form anywhere other than a reputed nursery. Many of the more 'commercial' gardencenters will either have thier trees misclassified ( semi-dwarf labled as dwarf ) or will not have the type of rootstock listed on the lable.

I used to work at a corporate gardencenter, I saw this happen ALL the time. Even happenned to my Mother. She bought 'dwarf' cherry trees that turned out to be 'semi-dwarfs'

Here is a link to a report by the North Carolina Cooperative Extention Service. It focuses more on Apples, but it should give you an understanding on how important it is to be dead certain on the variety of rootstock is for any dwarfed fruit trees. [url]https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-300-a.html[/url]


Here is a link to a US rootstock vendor that will give you a bit of knowledge:
[url]https://www.cumminsnursery.com/catalog.htm[/url]

And here is an article on European rootstocks:
[url]https://www.articlealley.com/article_819398_27.html[/url]

Now you know enought to ask excellent questions of your tree vendor and determine if he is blowing smoke or not.

[JONA878]

Thanks very much for the information I to this point no nothing about fruit trees of Dawrfs either. I'm thinking half oak wine barrels with good drainage holes in the bottom might be just the trick

Half barrels are superb Codger.
The wood is a good insolater for the roots in the winter too.
One thing to remember is that if the metal hoops around the barrel have not been nailed....then make sure that you do so.
If they should slip it's darn difficult to get them back up.
If you paint the barrels to protect them check that the paint is safe on the plants root system if you do the insides.
Also place the barrels on bricks or similar objects to get them off the ground. It allows you to check the drainage holes now and then.

Jona.

[codger]

Thanks very much noiw I need to track down a few barrels.

[AreaCode707]

Is it possible to grow dwarf fruit trees (lemon?) indoors in containers if they have a good sunlamp on them?