What are some small (around 15') fruit trees I can grow in SD?

Question

I have a small yard and want to grow a variety of fruit trees.  Will also consider bush trees like blueberry and rasberries.  I dont want a big size tree, but something small and easy.  I like sweet fruits and maybe some lime?  Trying to also teach the kids benefits of growning trees and plants.  Thanks!

Answer 1

Assuming you are in San Diego, CA. There are many options available. Nursery have semi dwarf trees, dwarf trees, and also "grafted" trees which have fruits (grapefruit/orange/lemon) as low as 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide. The nursery grows from seed a "base" tree which is appropriated to the weather and soil of the region. When the base tree is a few or several years old, the main trunk is cut off above the ground, and they "graft" (connect) a mature branch of another tree (of the same family species) which has the desired fruit into this base tree. The result is the customers have the tree at super low and have desired fruit instantly (or within a year or two).

If your yard is limited in size, you can choose to go the dramatic ways: How about 5 different fruits in one tree. Some nursery call them "salad bar" trees or "cocktail" tree. You have multiple mixed and match of different kinds of apples in 1 apple trees. Or multiple different of peaches, nectarines, plums in another tree. The mix-math is unlimited as long as they are in the same family of the tree species.

For the tree's height, if you keep trimming the tree you can control its height, and do not need a ladder to harvest your fruits.

More info and explanations available here:

http://gardening.sheknows.com/2011/03/03/fruit-cocktail-trees/

There is one re-seller in the South East San Diego who has a fairly size collection of these grafted trees. The benefit is that you can see it, touch it, and do a limited selecting, before taking your tree home, instead of waiting for the UPS to deliver your unknown tree.

Answer 2

San Diego?  South Dakota?  Where  is SD?

Comments

Sorry, ran out of space on the comment field.  San Diego.

Answer 3

Here is what i suggest,  Standard trees can be large however with advances in breeding, they have created semi dwarf and dwarf varieties of almost all fruit trees.  These dwarf trees grow very small and still produce fruit.  You can get dwarf lime trees that dont grow much over 3 feet tall.  Hope this gives you other options.

Comments

Thank you for the advice.  Are there some nurseries that have/or specialize in dwarf (lime or any other fruit) trees that you can recommend?

Answer 4

If your yard is small, you may want to look into espalier for some of your fruit trees. Anna's apple does well like this and is about the only apple you can grow in southern california. Pears and figs can also be grown this way, but preferably in a fan. I've just planted an apricot that I've started to espalier. You can buy trees that are already started in the format.

Comments

Thank you!  Can you recommend of any nurseries that has drawf treets or may have already started with the espalier format?