How to Grow Fruit Trees in Pots

Many people think that only flowers and vegetables can be grown in pots. But fruits can be grown in pots as well.

Growing fruit trees in pots allows you to have fresh organic fruits even if you don't have enough garden space. I do not have a large back yard  to plant many fruit trees. Also I know that when the fruit trees will go taller in ground, they will block the sun light needed for my veggie patch.

You can place the containers with fruit trees growing in them at unlikely home and garden spaces like paved spaces, front yards, house entrances, etc. where they are more noticeable.
Imagine, how your pots will look when they are loaded with fruits. When I walk in my front and back yards, I get thrilled to watch my potted fruit trees with blueberries, strawberries, mandarins, lemons, nectarines, guavas, mangoes, etc.

You can also grow fruit trees in pots (best fruits to grow in pots). Continue reading below on a detailed guide on how to grow fruits in pots.

Pot Size For Growing Fruits in Pots

Mandarins Growing in a Pot
Mandarins Growing in a Pot
The most important thing for growing a fruit tree in a container is the correct size of the container. While a pot of 50 cm diameter is an ideal size, I use pots of diameter about 80 cm and height about 75 cm. Note that once the tree is established, it would be difficult to transfer it to a bigger pot.

It should be pointed out that not all the fruit trees need a large container. For example, a fig tree produces more fruits in a smaller container, 35 cm wide and 35 cm deep.

A 40 cm pot, 25 cm deep can accommodate 10 strawberry plant as the plant. The blueberry bush needs a wider pot, but not very deep, can be 50 cm wide and 40 cm deep.

Whatever size container you use, it should have a number of drainage holes at the bottom. You may also use tree stakes to help fruit trees grow upright to protect them from winds.

Plant Position

Select a place where it receives 5-6 hours of sunlight every day as all the ruit trees need good sunlight to grow and produce fruits.

Soil For Potted Fruit Trees

Use a high quality potting mix containing manure, compost, good drainage, and water crystals. I mix river sand, manure, slow release fertilizer and homemade compost (how to make compost at home) in a general purpose potting mix. The river sand will provide drainage and the manure and compost will add nutrients to the soil.

A high quality potting mix is essential to ensure  success of your fruit tree. A wrong type of potting mix can ruin the plant if they hold the water for a long time (waterlogging). It is, therefore, recommended to invest in a good potting mix.

Also note that there are certain fruit trees like blueberries (growing blueberries in pots) that need acidic soil and can die in soil containing strong manures.


Always use a thick layer of proper mulch on the top of the soil to retain moisture and avoid weeds. An organic mulch (organic mulch types) such as sugarcane mulch is good for most fruit trees.

Watering Fruits Trees in Pots

All plants need regular watering, specially during the growing season. During summers and extremes of temperature, you have to water the pots daily or may be 2 times a day. Also if the pot is black plastic, the temperature of the soil inside can reach up to 80 deg C, so the pots will be vulnerable to dry outs.

I water my fruit trees in the morning avoiding the foliage so that any wet foliage will dry when sun arises, otherwise fungus disease can develop. Also I see that water do not come out of the drainage holes to, prevent loss of nutrients from the soil.

Select The Fruits to Grow in Pots

The question is what trees can be grown in a pot? Select the trees of dwarf varieties like lemon, lime, oranges, fig, banana, etc. You can alosmgrow blueberries, strawberries in a pot.
Buy a good plant from the nursery and transplant it to your pot.

Find a list of best fruits that can be grown in a pot.


Potted fruit trees can benefit from an annual pruning to make sure they stay compact.

Fertilizer For Potted Fruit Trees

  1. Fruit trees growing in a pot will need fertilizer feeds regularly.
  2. Mix some all purpose slow release fertilizer in the potting mix at the time of planting.
  3. Apply a nitrogen rich fertilizer when the plant is small to encourage the growth of the plant. Then apply potassium rich fertilizer to encourage flowers and fruits. I feed my fruit trees in pots with a potassium liquid like tomato fertilizer mixed with seaweed solutiion or comfrey tea every 10 days from the start of flower buds to the fruits ripening.

Care For Fruit Trees in Containers

  1. Remove the weeds, fallen leaves and dead stems.
  2. Add compost every year at the top of the soil and mix it. Top up organic mulch every year.
  3. Water regularly when fruits are forming.
  4. Some trees will need to be repotted after a few years. Take out the tree and remove its outer roots and add 25% new potting mix and replant in the same pot.
  5. Protect the fruits from birds.
  6. Remove the pots to cool shade if very high temperatures are forcast.
  7. Cover the plants with polythene if frosts are forecast.
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