Growing these Fruits in Potted Containers on Your Balcony or Terrace:
In a Pinch of Space, Savor the Fruits of Your Own Labor
Don't let limited growing space hold you back from enjoying nutritious, delicious fruits right at home. With a bit of planning and tender loving care, you'll be amazed at the vibrant fruits that thrive in containers, from berries to citrus. Follow our top 12 picks, focusing on fruits that are easiest and most productive in pots. Plus, these plants add stunning flowers and foliage to boost your outdoor living spaces.
Grow Your Own Bounty: The Garden in a Pot
Container fruit cultivation comes with perks: you can grow fruits from zones outside your hardiness range with proper winter protection, ensuring a consistent supply of fresh produce all year round. Moreover, adjusting the soil conditions is a breeze, making it possible to grow a variety of crops in a small space.
Top Picks for Container-Grown Fruits
- Strawberries: Gorgeous, easy-to-grow fruits fit for any container or hanging basket. Pair strawberries with a well-draining, slightly acidic soil and a sunny spot for sweet success.
- Baby Cakes® Thornless Blackberry: A compact cultivar perfect for containers, producing irresistible sweet berries on first-year canes and a second harvest starting in September.
- Blueberries: Delight in this enchanting shrub with spring blooms, summer fruits, and breathtaking autumn foliage. Plant blueberries in a mix of 50% peat moss and 50% potting soil to maintain an acidic pH, providing optimal growth.
- Passion Fruit: Tasty Hawaii-inspired treats can be yours all year round, as long as your container can accommodate the growing roots and provides support for the vine.
- Dwarf Peach: Bring an element of elegance to your patio with the elongated leaves and the symphony of fragrant pink blooms. With dwarf peach trees, you'll get juicy freestone peaches on plants maturing at 5 to 6 feet tall.
- Raspberry Shortcake®: Fuss-free, thornless, and compact, Raspberry Shortcake® is ideal for container planting, offering sweet fruits and low maintenance.
Container Size and Soil
- For fruit trees, choose containers of at least 20 gallons to offer ample room for root development.
- Make sure containers have adequate drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.
- Fill pots with high-quality potting mix, avoiding garden soil for better aeration and drainage.
- Adjust the soil pH when necessary, using an acidic mix for blueberries consisting of 50% peat moss and 50% potting soil.
Care Tips
- Regular watering is essential to prevent soil from drying out, especially in the heat of summer.
- Most fruiting plants crave sunshine, needing at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily.
- Regularly feed your container-grown fruits with balanced fertilizers formulated for fruiting plants to ensure nutrient-rich soil.
- During harsh weather, move containers to sheltered locations to offer protection to sensitive plants.
- Prune your container-grown fruits regularly to maintain size and health, and provide needed trellises or supports for vining species like passion fruit and blackberries.
- For a booming container garden, consider Southern Living's gardening landscaping ideas that include the top picks for container-grown fruits like strawberries, baby Cakes® Thornless Blackberry, blueberries, passion fruit, dwarf peach, Raspberry Shortcake®, and more.
- Embrace the lifestyle of container gardening by selecting the right pot size and soil mixture, ensuring your fruits thrive. Remember, fruit trees need at least 20-gallon containers, while maintaining adequate drainage, using high-quality potting mix, and adjusting soil pH where necessary.
- To successfully cultivate a home-and-garden bounty in containers, follow care tips, such as regular watering, daily sunshine, balanced fertilization, weather protection, and routine pruning. Enjoy the vibrant fruits that thrive in containers, adding both flavor and beauty to your outdoor living spaces.
