Follow These Steps To Plant a Fruit Tree at Home—Even if You Live in a City

Fruit trees are always a great addition to your garden. As well as looking pretty and making your garden smell great, they also provide quicker and cheaper fruit options than supermarkets and are probably healthier too, as who knows what pesticides are used in store bought produce.

In order to successfully grow your own fruit trees at home, there are a few easy steps that you need to follow when planting it, according to garden experts, and some specific care that the tree needs in order to grow healthy and bear fruit.

So how do you plant a fruit tree and how are you supposed to care for it?

How To Plant a Fruit Tree

Before you decide which tree you want to plant, it may be worth researching what trees thrive the most in your area, as different kinds of trees need different climates. Once you know what tree you want and what trees are suitable to plant in your area, you can then start getting your tools ready to dig.

According to Christina Brown, owner of Christina Brown Gardening, like with any planting, when planting a tree it's important to make sure the soil is healthy and viable.

"I always add organic compost to the soil as well as mycorrhizal fungus. This can be found in a number of products like Biotone starter or 'tree saver' but essentially, you are giving the tree an added chance of success by connecting it with beneficial fungus that in turn connects the tree with its soil environment," Brown said.

How To Plant a Tree According to Brown

• Always dig a hole wider than the tree's root ball or pot and make sure to plant it at the right depth in line to how you bought the plant, careful not to bury the trunk.

• Once you have the tree at the right depth, you'll need to really compact the earth around it so that the roots have direct contact with the earth.

• Make sure to water the tree thoroughly and it's helpful to apply mulch around the tree to maintain a more even soil temperature and to retain moisture.

• Leave a few inches around the base of the trunk free of mulch or it can cause rot.

How To Plant a Fruit Tree in a Pot

You can either plant a tree directly in your garden, or if you live in a city and don't have the option, you can plant it in a plant pot.

Rani Dorman, owner of Blooming Urban Design Scapes, told Newsweek that most of the trees she plants in the city are dwarf trees—trees that don't grow taller than 15 feet—as most people in the city don't have large gardens.

To plant a tree in a pot, you'll need to drill holes at the bottom of the planter before adding some screening and drainage material. Then, make some lightweight potting mix with compost. You should then gently put the tree in the planter so that the root ball is about two inches from the top, and then cover it up gently and push it down.

If you're planting in a pot or planter, you should get the largest one you can, according to Brown. And if you're growing your tree on a balcony or roof, it's better to go with a lightweight planter like fiberglass, she added.

"Plants plus soil plus pots can get quite heavy. I would also consider getting a multi-stemmed tree/shrub so the plant has less of a tendency to tip over," she advised.

When planting in a pot, Brown says you'll need to consider the conditions will be more extreme.

"Wind is also a factor and can desiccate the plant so more attention to watering is also key. Lastly, it is a good idea to enrich the soil with some compost every year to add nutrients to the soil. Soil in pots will deteriorate over time," she said.

How To Water a Growing Fruit Tree

Dorman said you should water the tree when the soil is dry, and in the beginning, it's particularly important to make sure the soil doesn't dry out.

"How much you water really depends on the position of the tree, if it's in a plant or if it's in direct sunlight, all those things will change how quickly the soil will dry out," she said.

The rule of thumb, according to Dorman, is to put your finger in the soil and feel if it's dry, and when it's dry, water deeply so the roots get a nice watering.

How To Prepare the Soil Before Planting a Fruit Tree

According to Dorman, before planting the tree you should amend the soil with some compost: "Maybe a little bit of lightweight potting mix so that the roots spread their wings a little easier."

She also suggests when planting directly on the ground, digging a hole that's considerably bigger than the tree you're going to fit in.

What Care Does a Fruit Tree Need?

Brown believes that it's always important to research the tree you are planting to see if it needs any additional care: "Having healthy soil and regular water will help fight off most diseases. When a tree is healthy and is planted in the right place it has a better chance of success."

According to Dorman, a tree usually needs to be in the sun a lot, and depending on the tree, it may need at least six hours of sun a day.

You also need to know what kind of fruit tree it is, she added, as some trees need other trees to fertilize. For example, an apple tree needs to be fertilized by another apple tree, which means you can either check if your neighbor has an apple tree (it doesn't have to be the exact same apple type) or plant two trees so they fertilize each other. A peach or nectarine tree is a self-fertilizer, so you can plant just one.

When Is the Best Time To Plant a Fruit Tree?

The best time to plant a tree is spring or early fall, according to Dorman: "You don't want to do it in the heat of the summer and you don't want to do it when the ground is frozen."

In southern places like Florida, you can plan to plant pretty much any time. But in colder areas, like New York or Massachusetts, you should wait until the ground is soft as you want to give the plant a good chance to thrive.

Brown said that fall is actually the best season because "trees and shrubs devote much of the fall developing roots and establishing themselves in their new home."

Where Is the Best Place To Plant a Fruit Tree?

Most fruit trees need direct sunlight and lots of space to grow. According to Brown, you should plant your tree in a place that allows it to have good air circulation while also having a sheltered location.

Although she warns that on top of a roof is a challenging place to grow a fruit tree because of the wind which could damage it.

What Kinds of Fruit Trees Grow Faster Than Others?

Fruit trees can be challenging to grow, said Brown, as they require quite a bit of care and can be prone to disease. Under the right care and conditions, some trees grow faster than others.

Peach trees, according to Brown, grow relatively fast and pear and apple trees can be grown as espaliers when you have limited space.

"Cherries like 'Bing cherries' are fast growing and relatively easy to grow. A native favorite of mine is Amelanchier canadensis, which is serviceberry or June berry. These trees produce edible 'blueberry-like' berries in June," she said.