Want to grow your very own fruit tree?

What to think about when buying a fruit tree

Although the process of growing and caring for a tree is generally not terribly challenging, sometimes the most difficult part of the process is choosing which kind of tree you want. You have to take a few things into account, size of tree, fruit, and any other attributes. The different sizes include: dwarf, semi-dwarf, standard and some trees now come in columnar shapes. Your choice will affect everything about your growing experience, including the amount of work you have to put in and the amount of rewards (fruit) you will reap.

Dwarf trees are ideal if you only have a limited amount of open space in your garden or courtyard. They can take up as much as an eight-foot diameter plot of land, but many will do well with less, and some can be grown in large pots.
Although the dwarf fruit trees are smaller than the others, their fruit is just the same size as that of a standard tree and their short stature makes them easier to prune and harvest. Dwarf fruit trees aren't known for living quite as long as larger fruit trees, though, so keep that in mind. They should begin to bear fruit after three to five years, so if you are going to buy a dwarf fruit tree from a nursery, always ask to find out how old it is.

A small navel orange planted in my front yard. 

Semi-dwarf trees are medium sized, and when they are full grown they can take up a fifteen-foot diameter. Semi-dwarf fruit tree's height can range from as low as ten feet to as high as sixteen feet. To keep them from getting to large you need to prune them at least once a year. Occasionally, a semi-dwarf fruit tree will take a season off and produce little or no fruit, but mostly they produce hundreds of fruit every year if treated well and kept in their ideal conditions. Many people enjoy owning semi dwarf fruit trees because they produce more fruit than a dwarf tree, but they are easier to harvest and maintain than a standard fruit tree because of their size.

Standard sized fruit trees take up much more area than any of the smaller tree varieties, and because of this they are harder to manage and to harvest all of the fruit. If you do not prune them at least once a year they can grow as large as thirty feet. If you are just looking for a good tree to provide you with plenty of delicious fruit and to keep your yard shady, a standard sized tree would be the perfect tree for you. Standard sized fruit trees can take a very long time to reach their full height, but they usually begin to bear fruit after only three to five years.

As a child, I remember picking plums from a neighbors almighty plum trees. They were an elderly couple and unable to get up into the branches, so my parents would bring ladders and all of us six kids would be scrambling up and down these tall ladders collecting the out of reach plums.

Now, the best variety of fruit tree to buy would be one that sets fruit and does well in your area, because a local fruit tree takes less work and will be well suited to the local conditions. Although fruit trees bearing other, more exotic kinds of fruit may seem more exciting, they may not grow as well in your area. That’s not to say it’s impossible. You can definitely try to grow a more exotic tree, it is possible to make an area of micro-climate in a pocket of your yard or garden that would suit a particular tree, but it will take much more time and effort.

Another factor to take into consideration is what kind of soil you have, because some trees do better in damp soil while others are better suited for drier soil. Some prefer more acidic soils and some will enjoy sandier conditions. Some trees have a high chill factor needed before they will set fruit, so if you are in an area with mild winter temperatures, you may want to avoid an apple tree. You may, however, have much more success planting a mango or avocado tree, which enjoy the heat.

So, before choosing which type of fruit tree you would like, consult your local nursery or gardening store to find out which trees would do well in your area. Have a look around your neighborhood to see what other people are growing.

Picking an apple off a columnar apple tree, known as a Ballerina apple.

Other things that you should look out for when purchasing a fruit tree at a nursery or market is how sturdy it is, are all of the branches looking strong, none of them weakened or partially torn from rough handling? How straight does the tree stand, is it droopy and sad looking or vibrant and healthy?

Check the foliage, if it has any (some trees are sold bare rooted in the winter, so will have no leaves), check for pests and scale on the leaves and trunk.

Making a well considered decision can mean the difference between a successful tree that brings you pleasure to look at (and fruit) or a tree that never does well in the place you put it. Do your research, and aim for the former!