Small Fruit Trees in Pots

[YorkshireTyke]

I have acquired 4 .small fruit trees in pots (without any fruit).

 

A Pomegranate and a Star Fruit, both about 4 foot high, a Lime, about 3 foot high and a Tangerine about 2-3 foot high.

 

Do I leave them in the fairly large pots or do I transfer them to the ground?

 

If they need planting in the garden which ones need lots of sun and which need shade?

 

TIA.

[LS24]

The star fruit will be fine in a pot. you can still get large yields from a small plant. Limes will need a decent sized pot. unsure on the others.

[YorkshireTyke]

Is LS24 the only gardener on the foum?

[patman30]

we got pomegranate in a pot on the ground so roots can still go down
lemon and tangerine we got in the ground but we dig big holes and fill with decent soil
you can get the big woven baskets
so if you transfer to ground you just dump it all in and the pot will just decompose over time
all 3 are exposed in the sun
 

[LS24]

2 hours ago, YorkshireTyke said:

Is LS24 the only gardener on the foum?

I'm not much of one. But I grew a well sustaining carambola / star fruit in a 12 inch pot. Just needed to replenish the soil and trip the root ball occasionally.

 

12 Inch is too small if you want a productive citrus. 24inch would be minimum for a dwarf variety, I'm guessing.

[HighPriority]

Citrus like many other fruits in pots are prone to drying out too much and fruit will drop.
You will need at be an active and frequent waterer or have irrigation to do it for you.

[drtreelove]

All need sun, but maybe can tolerate some filtered or afternoon partial shade. 

 

As for container or 'in the ground' plantings, it is not an easy question to answer and needs some consideration of the site and soil conditions and your ability to do the work needed, manage soil fertility and watering. In the ground is best for long term growth, as there is more possibility for expansive root growth in a larger volume of soil, but soil improvements, organic matter amendments, biofertilization and a watering plan are best for planting and establishment. Is that something that the site is suitable for and that your interest and experience will support? 

 

Container plants are okay for a shorter time frame, and will be less work to get started, but require more management, especially for watering, since a smaller soil volume and elevated exposure to heat will dry out the soil and the beneficial biology, and desicate roots more rapidly. The soil and nutrient availability in container plants will be harder to manage; mulching and cover cropping can't really be used effectively to shade the soil surface, build soil aggregate structure, nutrient cycling and moisture retention. More frequent fertilization will be needed. Ideally, potted plants will need upgrading every two years or so.  ("Upgrading" = larger pot and additional soil as the plants grow, the root system expands, and nutrient demands increase.) 

[drtreelove]

On 5/30/2024 at 11:35 PM, YorkshireTyke said:

Is LS24 the only gardener on the foum?

This is primarily a dogs, cats and snakes forum. Notice that after all these years, there are no 'pinned' discussions on plants. The Farming forum has more expeneienced growers contributing. 

[drtreelove]

31 minutes ago, drtreelove said:

All need sun, but maybe can tolerate some filtered or afternoon partial shade. 

 

As for container or 'in the ground' plantings, it is not an easy question to answer and needs some consideration of the site and soil conditions and your ability to do the work needed, manage soil fertility and watering. In the ground is best for long term growth, as there is more possibility for expansive root growth in a larger volume of soil, but soil improvements, organic matter amendments, biofertilization and a watering plan are best for planting and establishment. Is that something that the site is suitable for and that your interest and experience will support? 

 

Container plants are okay for a shorter time frame, and will be less work to get started, but require more management, especially for watering, since a smaller soil volume and elevated exposure to heat will dry out the soil and the beneficial biology, and desicate roots more rapidly. The soil and nutrient availability in container plants will be harder to manage; mulching and cover cropping can't really be used effectively to shade the soil surface, build soil aggregate structure, nutrient cycling and moisture retention. More frequent fertilization will be needed. Ideally, potted plants will need upgrading every two years or so.  ("Upgrading" = larger pot and additional soil as the plants grow, the root system expands, and nutrient demands increase.) 

I should have mentioned that there is an advantage to in-the-ground planting and the real mineral soil with more potential for a higher CEC, cation excange capacity (nutrient holding capacity).  Container plants, unless the potting soil is intelligently engineered, almost always come with soil-less substrate that has low CEC and water holding capacity. Water runs right through it, as do nutrients. Which makes for more demanding management with irrigation and fertilization. But in-the-ground often meets depleted soil, like construction site clayey fill dirt that requires hard labor to dig a planting hole, and need for imported soil organic matter, like compost.

[YorkshireTyke]

Mmmmmm, more to it than I thought. I just liked the idea of a few homegrown fruits. 

 

Thanks for the detailed reply though.

[HighPriority]

55 minutes ago, YorkshireTyke said:

Mmmmmm, more to it than I thought. I just liked the idea of a few homegrown fruits. 

 

Thanks for the detailed reply though.

Don’t be too put off, it’s generally not that difficult.

Its rainy now, as long as the area isn’t boggy ground, dig a hole 300-400mm deep, put some sort of fertilizer in, backfill to the depth of the potted tree you’ve got, put it in the hole, sans pot, and backfill, tamp down add a small handful of fertilizer and give a good drink.

Make sure it gets water every day if hot and every couple of days if cool or looks a bit sad.

It’s when the rain stops that you’ll need to be watchful over the next couple of years, beyond that it’ll probably survive if neglected but likely not thrive.

Give it a go, remember the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago !

[Robert Paulson]

It’s all about avocados. <deleted> everything else

[Robert Paulson]

Lime trees def can’t be in sun all day, at least in isaan. They do much better maybe on the side of a house that gets sun half the day. I think it’s possible for a full grown one too take sun all day however

[HighPriority]

8 minutes ago, Robert Paulson said:

Lime trees def can’t be in sun all day, at least in isaan. They do much better maybe on the side of a house that gets sun half the day. I think it’s possible for a full grown one too take sun all day however

Shelter and micro climates are very important but how do you think full grown limes become full grown ?

I actually think my wife and I purchased and planted these limes in 2019, mum is pretty good on the watering though.

Nong Khai region.

Edited June 4 by HighPriority
Locale added

[Robert Paulson]

7 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

Shelter and micro climates are very important but how do you think full grown limes become full grown ?

I actually think my wife and I purchased and planted these limes in 2019, mum is pretty good on the watering though.

Nong Khai region.

There are many factors right. Those will get runoff water from the road which is a good spot. I could see them handling all day sun. Maybe not so much on a little higher ground. 
I have 4 lime trees which I think all came from one tree. Started off with 2 and one of them died right away. The ones I have on the side of the house have grown faster. Maybe they get sun idk a few hours a day. Hey I’m no gardener I’m just talkin here

[Robert Paulson]

1 hour ago, YorkshireTyke said:

Mmmmmm, more to it than I thought. I just liked the idea of a few homegrown fruits. 

 

Thanks for the detailed reply though.

Everybody should grow everything. Stop going to grocery store. Bring them to their knees

[HighPriority]

Those limes don’t get any road runoff as there’s a big ditch between the two points, as I said mums pretty diligent with the hose.

Avocados and Citrus hate wet feet and avos are notoriously hard to grow anyway.

Another point with fruit trees, buy grafted trees.