Easiest Backyard Fruit Trees for Beginners
Growing your own fruit in your own backyard is one of life's simple pleasures. However, some types of fruit trees can be challenging to grow, what with pests, diseases, and specialized cultivation requirements. Here we introduce some of the easiest backyard fruit trees for beginners and backyard orchardists to maintain. At the top of that list you'll find pear trees, apple trees, fig trees, and pomegranates. Slightly more challenging, but still within reach of the part-time amateur orchardist, are plum trees, cherries, and peach trees. Stone fruits are a great choice for any home gardener ready to take the next step.
The best time to plant fruit trees is in early spring so they have the whole growing season to establish their root systems. Some fruit trees can tolerate a fall planting if they are fast growers. Most trees require full sun to set fruit crops. Be sure to regulate soil conditions with newly planted trees.
Quick Picks for Easy-to-Grow Fruit trees
- Arbequina Olive Tree
- Assortment of 3 Blueberry Bushes for Best Cross Pollination
- Chicago Hardy Fig Tree
- Celeste Fig Tree
Pear Trees
The round, gritty "sand pears" derived from Asian pears are among the easiest fruit-bearing trees to grow. You can sometimes see old sand pear trees still gamely producing fruit on southern homesteads long after the house itself has crumbled. The pears you see in the grocery store are European pears, and you can grow those too.
Except for their susceptibility to fire blight, which causes stem tips to turn black and die, pears are almost disease-free and do not need a regular spraying program the way many other fruit trees do. Pear trees do not take well to transplanting, so choose a long-term planting site from the start.
The 'Kieffer' pear is resistant to fire blight and a good choice just about everywhere in the continental United States. Like most pear varieties, Kieffer is self-fertile, but you'll get better production with two cultivars for cross-pollination. The popular 'Hood' pear is a great choice for southern orchards. Don't overlook Asian pears either. They are hardy in the North, disease-resistant, and generally begin bearing fruit at an early age. Learn the chill hours for your area and select varieties adapted to your climate.
Apple Trees
Apples are only slightly more difficult to grow than pears, and the payoff is well worth it. Perfect Plants offers eight different apple tree varieties to choose from.
Our favorite varieties for the south include:
For landscapes in the northern United States try:
-
'Fuji'
Apple trees go through a dormant season, so you need to know your local chill hours and hardiness zone (they are not the same thing) before you plant.
Fig Trees
Fig trees may well be the easiest fruit trees of all to grow. They are disease-free, drought tolerant, heat tolerant, fairly cold hardy, early bearing, and self-pollinating. If you are looking for a fast-growing fruit tree, this is it.
We also carry semi-dwarf varieties if you need a smaller tree that still produces full-size fruit. They work great in containers too. Some fig trees will stay compact at 5 to 15 feet tall at maturity, which makes them manageable for just about any yard or patio.
The 'Brown Turkey' fig is one of our all-time favorites. It grows fast, gets large, produces heavily, and is more cold-hardy (to USDA Zone 7) than most other fig varieties. If you live further north, the 'Chicago Hardy' fig is your best bet. It will survive all the way down to Zone 5.
Pomegranate Trees
Pomegranates are one of the most underrated backyard fruit trees out there, and the Cold Hardy Russian Pomegranate is our top pick for beginner growers. It is self-fertile, meaning you do not need a second tree to get fruit, though planting two will always increase your yield. The tree can handle temperatures down to 0 degrees F and grows well in USDA Zones 6 through 10, making it an option for a much wider range of gardeners than most people realize.
Fruit ripens in late summer to early fall and a mature, established tree can produce up to 100 pounds of pomegranates in a single season. The fruit itself is about the size of a grapefruit with sweet red flesh, and the arils are great eaten fresh, juiced, or used as a topping on salads and desserts.
Care is straightforward. Plant in a full sun location with well-drained soil, water regularly during the first season to get the roots established, and give it a light pruning in late winter to encourage an open canopy. Once it's settled in, this tree is remarkably self-sufficient. It is heat tolerant, fairly drought tolerant once established, and not particularly bothered by pests or disease.
For the home gardener who wants a fruit tree that looks great, produces generously, and doesn't require a lot of fuss, pomegranates are a fantastic choice.
Peach Trees
Peach trees are a great choice for the slightly more advanced beginner. They thrive in USDA Zones 5 through 9, making them suitable for a wide range of climates. Peach trees are adaptable, forgiving of different soil conditions, and relatively low maintenance. They do best in full sun but can tolerate a little partial shade. Regular watering and proper pruning are important, but both are easy to learn. The reward is hard to beat: beautiful blossoms in spring and a bountiful harvest of juicy peaches in summer. Their manageable size also makes them easier to maintain and harvest compared to larger fruit trees.
Some beginner-friendly varieties to start with are the White Lady Peach, Reliance Peach, and Contender Peach. All three are self-pollinating, meaning they do not require a second tree for fruit production, though adding a companion tree can increase your overall yield.
A Few More Things Worth Knowing
For more information on planting any of these fruit trees, head to their specific grow guides for step-by-step guidance on digging the hole, loosening the root ball, eliminating air pockets, and getting your tree off to a strong start. Fertilizing annually at the base of the trunk is one of the best habits you can build as a fruit tree grower. We carry our own Fruit Tree Planting Mix, specially formulated to give your trees the nutrients they need right from the start.
If you don't have a yard, container growing is a real option. Fruit trees in pots need good drainage holes to avoid root rot, and a high-quality potting mix to keep them flourishing. Grape vines are another easy, self-fertile option worth considering. Beginner-friendly varieties like the Niagara Grape and Catawba Grape are great starting points.
Be sure to check your USDA growing zone before buying fruit trees online. Backyard fruit trees are a wonderful way to get the whole family involved in home gardening and spending time outside. Shop all fruit trees for sale to see what we have available and start building your backyard orchard today.
What kinds of fruit trees have you had success growing? Let us know in the comments!