Anybody ever grow fruit trees in containers?

[Miss M]

We have a swampy backyard. The only time it isn't swampy is when it doesn't rain for a while. Until a few days ago, it hadn't really rained for three weeks, and we were finally able to walk around the whole yard without stepping into standing water or squishy mud.

But I really want some fruit trees! I can't raise the level of the yard, or anything like that, because it is overflow for the neighborhood. So I am hoping to grow dwarf fruit trees (or maybe semi-dwarf) in large containers like whiskey barrels.

Has anybody done anything like this?

 

[MaggieJ]

Just for fun, I googled container growing fruit trees.

Lots and lots of inforamtion, so apparently it can be done! The second link speaks of growing trees in containers because of soggy land... Should be right on target.

http://www.crfg.org/tidbits/container.html

http://www.gardenwiseonline.ca/gw/susta ... ll-gardens

 

[Miss M]

I did a google search, but I didn't quite put it that way. Maybe that's why I didn't get the info I wanted. Thank you, Maggie!

 

[eco2pia]

We had an apple tree in a giant container for years, it did fine. I see columnar apples too now, they should be especially well-suited, look into them. And citrus and figs and bay are often grown in containers for the sake of moving them into a green house in winter, so look into them too.

 

[MaggieJ]

I have a bay tree (Laurus nobilis) as a permanent house plant... It's in an oversized clay pot but this summer I hope to move it up a size into an old pickle crock. Bay Laurel (or Sweet Bay as it is sometimes called) is wonderful for flavouring meat dishes, including rabbit. It doesn't mind being pot bound and as long as you don't drown it, it is easy to grow. Mine hit the ceiling last winter so I cut it back hard to about five feet. It is near a south window and gets good indirect light and some morning sunshine, especially in winter when the sun is low in the sky.

Mine came from Richters Herbs, but it should not be too hard to find one locally, especially when the herb plants hit the garden centres in spring.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Laurel

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Many of the dwarf varieties are well suited as patio trees- just remember that potted plants tend to dry out, and more prone to stress issues. Trees that need to go dormant for a specified period of time still need to be sheltered from extreme cold to protect the roots-- but you're in the southland---

Of course, you could make a huge mound in your yard, and plant several trees in that. But if you move, you'd have to leave the trees behind...

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Good luck with your fruit trees!! I just can't get past the fact you are not allowed to do anything about your wet yard!! What do you mean "overflow" for the neighbourhood?? I hope you have greatly reduced taxes as you are unable to use your yard for your own personal enjoyment!!?? You could just make some larger 'raised beds" and garden your fruits and veggies that way.

 

[MaggieJ]

I would think you would be able to get away with some kind of drainage. Even just a few shallow ditches carry off a lot of water.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

n many areas. it is unlawful to alter the flow of water across your land,even more so to affect the flow of water across another persons land. especially within certain watersheds. To even put in drainage, and have it flow into a roadside ditch requires permission from the road department, as well as soil and water. The flow and cycling of water has become a very sensitive issue for many people Of course, perhaps water chestnuts could be considered as a nice crop!!!

 

[MaggieJ]

"Those aren't drainage ditches... I'm getting ready to plant my tomatoes."

Boy, and people think Canada is overregulated! :roll:

 

[arachyd]

Lots of fruit trees do well in containers. If you are restricted in how much you can level or raise your land you could enclose specific areas, perhaps with landscaping railroad ties, to make a raised bed and fill that area so whatever you plant will be able to send roots down to water but won't drown. It would be like a very big planter with no bottom and shouldn't alter the flow of water across the property at all.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Flow of water would refer to permanent water courses. This sounds like only when it rains a lot. It also sounds like the rest of the neighbourhood enjoys well drained land. I have never heard of any municipality using private property to control runoff! Thats why I asked about reduced taxes because the town is using someones property to the point where it interferes with the owners use of it. It sounds like there needs to be a storm drain installed somewhere! I have the same issue in my backyard every spring, the town in their great wisdom altered the flow of water to the north of me into a right angle! and past the backs of our yards to a big storm drain to the south of us. Well the freakin ditch the water goes through is higher than my backyard!!! There is a "berm", ya right, has anyone ever been able to stop the flow of water downhill through mere dirt? BAH!! BTW the ducks have returned to my "pond"!

Anyways I am building gardens back there just on top of the grass! I am making my own"berms" lol I also planted willow there, they like all that water and I figure the more trees and such the more that water will be sucked up before it goes through my basement!

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

In the US, the watercourses include swales. The EPA is very stringent on these things-- to the point, that if a farmer wants to re-tile a field that has been in use for decades, he still has to have a wetlands delineation done, and get approval from soil and water. I know of someone who built small check dams around her property in Indiana to keep her kennels from getting flooded- she was fined quite heavily, and had to remove the berms.

oh-- planting willows can backfire on you-- Seen it happen---they offer so much shade, the evaporation rate gets reduced. You would be better off with swamp oaks and red maples(acer rubrum).

 

[MaggieJ]

They won't offer too much shade if you cut them for bunny food!

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Thats where they are going to end up!! Bunny food. Halfway back I have a huge and I mean huge silver maple, They are water course trees. I figure it has saved me quite a bit there but right now is not in leaf... Terry, the water situation I have is that the water percolates from the ground and up, the more water the more it begins to appear on top and THEN flow down to the house. So everytime it rains heavily or the snow melts very fast the water begins boiling up.. simply because its been artificially directed there! Its quite amazing if you dig a hole, about 18 inches you can watch the water rush into it, always from the direction of the "berm". We have some nice loam over a sandy base that is varying degrees of coarseness. There are also some amazing rocks to be dug up, all nicely round and smooth from eons of water (Georgian Bay). Thats why having a lot of willows and cedars back there will help with water uptake!

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

what you are seeing is a very HIGH water table- the rocks you describe indicate old riverbeds and shorelines. When you are seeing water seep from seams in the ground, or through underground gravelly areas, you have found an aquifer- or underground river.! The water table on my brother's property is usually, during the dry parts of summer- at 18 inches. In the spring, the joke is the water table is at NEGATIVE level-- in other words, you are wading--- There are certain times of the year here when one does not want to do a perc test for a septic system, as the water table is so high, the hole will not drain!!!

 

[Magnolia Place]

Citrus, Satsumas, Blood Oranges and Kumquats. All will do well in containers in LA.

 

[Miss M]

Wow, Lauren, you've got as big a problem as I do!

I am sure that in order to do anything significant to the yard, we'd have to call city government. It could be that what we have done already (the elevated garden, right smack in the middle of where some of the water sits, because that's where the best sun is), they would want removed. My uncle (all of us, really) is really wary of bringing the government into anything. So we've just decided to live with it and fight with it and manage.

The yard is constructed as a big, shallow swale. It has some slightly higher points to direct the water. We're going to try to put the trees along some of those higher points as much as we can, so they will spend less time in standing water. Shay is going to build 18" high (that's what I've read is recommended if the land holds water), 3' square, bottomless containers for the trees.

I found some dwarf trees! :razz: They weren't marked dwarf, but I bought only trees that told me how big they'd get, and only if they got no taller than 10' tall. I looked online later, and most of these trees would normally grow 20-30' tall, so they have to be on dwarfing rootstock. This is what I have:

Methley Plum
Bruce Plum
Meiwa Kumquat
Owari Satsuma
Sweet Pomegranate (this one can max out at 12', if I let it)

I still want to get:

A pear that will pollinate the pear my uncle already has (he had planted fruit trees, and this is the only one that survived -- it's on a narrow, elevated spot next to where the water breaks through)

Apples (they have come up with a few that will grow down here)

Cherries (there is at least one that will grow down here)


Magnolia Place -- where did you get that big tub your orange tree is in? I've been looking for those, and have been unable to find them -- which is why Shay was going to build the boxes.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I bet you have crawfish too, Miss M! We have them in our yard year round. When it rains, up pop the crawfish piles! And the dirt is crap, all clay and gumbo. We have raised beds this year.

 

[MaggieJ]

Miss M, do you have any willow in your yard? If not, I'd find someone who will let you cut oodles of wands from their willow tree and push them into the wet soil. You'll have a willow grove in no time and they are great food for the buns and great absorbers of water.