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Fruit Trees For Your Small Gardens |
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I think that we are all starting to begin to realize that the vast majority of us should make at least some change in the way we lead our lives. Nearly all of us could take more exercise on a regular basis and many of us could vastly improve our diets by introducing more fresh fruit and vegetables. A great way in which to get more fresh fruit is to grow your very own fruit trees in your backyard. Unfortunately, for most of us, we have a backyard which is a rather small space and therefore we are severely limited in which plants we can grow.
by FrancisJones
I think that we are all starting to begin to realize that the vast majority of us should make at least some change in the way we lead our lives. Nearly all of us could take more exercise on a regular basis and many of us could vastly improve our diets by introducing more fresh fruit and vegetables. A great way in which to get more fresh fruit is to grow your very own fruit trees in your backyard. Unfortunately, for most of us, we have a backyard which is a rather small space and therefore we are severely limited in which plants we can grow.
Most of us understand that organic fruit and vegetables are far better for us than the alternatives but the added cost is sometimes to prohibitive. We also know that the fresher the fruit the more vitamins and minerals it contains. By growing our own fruit trees we can produce organic fruit at an extremely low cost and, because it can be harvested immediately before use, such fruit is also the freshest available.
Sadly, for many of us, our backyards are only a small space to the rear of our homes. If we live in an urban area it is often the case that houses are very close together which means that it is not really practical to grow large plants. In such backyards a large mature tree can cause a number of problems. The most obvious is that a huge tree will look rather out of place in a small space but such a tree could also encroach over into your neighbors backyard. They can block light and, with deciduous tree, it can also create an almighty mess when it drops its leaves. However the most serious problem is caused by the roots and branches which can damage foundations.
It is absolutely amazing how wonderful a small backyard can look. Even the smallest space can look spectacular. To obtain such perfection requires dedication or the services of a professional garden designer. It is very possible to design the perfect garden for a small space by spending a great deal of time studying the problem and its solutions. By careful design and specific choices about which plants to use, you can create the impossible.
Adding a point of interest to a smaller backyard can be problematic but one solution can be the addition of fruit trees. During the different seasons of the year a fruit tree will look vastly different. Even in the winter, a bare tree with frosted branches from which icicles hang, can look great but it is in the spring when it will look its finest. Spring is when the fruit tree will be covered in sweet smelling and fantastic looking blossom why, by fall, will (if fertilized) develop into fruit ready for harvest.
It is now possible to purchase dwarf fruit tree varieties, these are created by grafting the main stem of a fruit tree to special dwarf root stock. Modern dwarf root stock, such as M9, is more reliable than older types of dwarf root stock. M9 root stock can lead to a fruit tree which remains very small but produces more fruit.
Dwarf or compact fruit trees are the perfect solution if you have only a small space for a backyard. A modern dwarf fruit tree is a high yield but a low maintenance solution for small backyards. They usually reach a maximum size of less than 1.8m but produce the same amount of fruit as a much larger tree. The size can be restricted still further by pruning regularly or by planting it into a container.
For those extremely limited by a very small space there is a type of dwarf apple tree which is amongst the most compact types of fruit trees. The spur apple tree looks rather like a tree with one main stem or trunk covered in leaves and fruit but it can still manage to reach heights of around 1.8m.
A good garden design should include variety and those with a small backyard will be pleased to hear that there are a number of different fruits which can be grown on a dwarf variety. Such fruit trees are plums, pears, cherries, figs, Kiwi fruit, peaches, nectarines and more. Not only does such variety look great but it also means that you have a wider choice of organic fruit for the table.
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