How to Grow Fruits in the City

Fruit in Containers

• 1

  Choose container plants suitable for your location -- balconies or rooftops are not generally good locations for containerized trees due to excessive weight loads. Select plants such as blueberries, strawberries, brambles and figs for temperate locations. Consider citrus or guava if you have space to bring the plant inside during cold weather.

• 2

  Select containers large enough for fully mature plants. Choose strawberry pots or wide, shallow dishes for strawberries, and pots with at least a 5-gallon capacity for berry bushes. Ensure that the containers drain well by choosing pots with several drainage holes at least 1/2-inch wide.

• 3

  Plant the fruit plants in their assigned containers using a high-quality potting soil. Water thoroughly immediately after planting, but allow the top inch of soil to dry before watering again. Apply fertilizer only when plants show poor growth; it's very easy to over-fertilize containerized plants.

• 4

  Prune containerized plants after fruiting is complete to keep them small. Remove dead or diseased growth and shape the plant so it fits neatly in its designated location. Remove any suckers or sprouts to prevent overcrowding the pot.

Small Lots and Reclaimed Areas

• 5

  Plan your garden by selecting fruit trees, bushes, vines and plants that produce fruit you desire. Select dwarf or semi-dwarf trees to maximize the types of fruit you can produce. Select fruit trees that have had several varieties grafted onto a single root stock if your space will only allow a single tree planting. Select easy-care strawberries, brambles, bushes or vines if your location does not have space for trees.

• 6

  Research the plants you've chosen to ensure they're compatible with your local climate, using the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Strawberries, for example, are generally hardy to zone 3, whereas the hardiest guava cannot tolerate anything colder than zone 8a. Know how much fruit each plant will produce so you're not overwhelmed when harvest time arrives. Stagger harvest dates to spread the work of care and harvest over a longer period of time.

• 7

  Select your fruit-planting site carefully; fruit grows best in a location with full sun and well-drained soil. Dig holes for each plant that will accommodate their root systems. Plant fruit trees grafted to dwarf or semi-dwarf rootstock so the graft is 3 to 4 inches above the soil line. Establish plants with infrequent, but thorough waterings. Water every four days for the first two weeks. Water every five days for the following two weeks. Continue to stretch out waterings until the trees can tolerate 10 to 20 days without watering.

• 8

  Prune newly planted trees back heavily and remove any extraneous branches. Prune established trees in spring to keep them small. Encourage fewer branches to get bigger fruits. Establish a spraying schedule to discourage pests and disease, both of which can cause heavy fruit losses. Fertilize only when necessary, since excess fertilizer encourages the plants to put more effort in to developing leaves instead of fruits.