Tips

The 10 Best Fruits to Grow in a Small Garden

Small space, big taste

If you're short on space, growing your own fruit may seem like a daunting task. However, armed with the right equipment, and our selection of the best fruit for small spaces, your ideas for small gardens can come to fruition and have you growing blueberries, blackberries, and everything in between. You can learn even more with Grow Fruit, the must-have guide to growing your own fruit no matter what space you have.

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Strawberries

Shop-bought strawberries never taste as good as those you pick yourself, and you can grow them with style in a small space – by using a retro colander as a hanging basket! This is a fun and simple way to grow strawberry plants, and really makes the most out of small gardens, patios, and balconies.

Blueberries

Grow your own superfood with a tasty crop of blueberries. Blueberries are ideal for large containers, where they flower and fruit freely, bearing delicious berries that can be eaten as they are, or saved for later use in recipes. They must have acid soil, which you can easily provide, and when space is tight you can opt for smaller varieties such as ‘Bluetta’ and ‘Top Hat’.

Figs

Figs positively thrive in pots and will produce more fruit and less foliage if they are planted in containers. Planting in containers restricts root growth so that the tree does not grow over-large, and fig trees in containers are best grown as dwarf half-standards. Be sure to keep the pot well-watered, and each spring top-dress with fresh soil mixed with some slow-release general fertiliser to keep your figs going.

Autumn Raspberries

Raspberries can be grown directly in the soil or in large pots. Autumn raspberries generally don’t need support, as they’re shorter than summer varieties and crop on the current season’s growth, making them an ideal and compact fruit for small gardens. Eat when ripe or save some for cooking and baking to really make the most out of your crop.

Japanese Wineberries

Japanese Wineberries can be easily restricted to grow in small spaces by training the stems along canes or looping them into figures of eight. Wineberries fruit on stems from the previous year, so you’ll have to wait a while before you can try your fruit. You’ll be rewarded for your patience: these unusual berries are small, but sweet and juicy.

Blackberries

A common sight in the British countryside, blackberries are a great low maintenance fruit for a small space. It’s easy to train them across canes and they only need pruning after you harvest. They can survive in partial shade, so if your garden doesn’t get much sunlight these tasty berries will suit you well. The ‘Loch Ness’ and ‘Waldo’ varieties are both thornless and compact, perfect for smaller spaces.

Apples

Whilst you may imagine apple trees to be enormous, special dwarf rootstocks are now available. Tree size and how early it will produce fruit varies depending upon the rootstock, so shop around to find the perfect variety for your small garden. The apple tree care and pruning routine becomes more manageable with this smaller fruit tree, and you can also train apple trees against walls or fences.

Pears

Similar to apples, pears are often grafted onto quince rootstocks, to prevent them growing too tall. The ‘Concorde’ variety of pear is particularly well suited to small gardens, and pears can offer a tasty and unusual addition to your garden. Whilst similar to apples, pears need more warmth and sunshine and are more susceptible to frosts, so make sure to protect them when needed.

Grapes

Grapes are no longer exclusive to hot countries, with new modern varieties of grape available to grow in your small garden and varieties including ‘Dornfelder’ and ‘Regent’ being particularly well adapted for colder regions. Alternatively, grapes can be grown in a greenhouse or a warm, sheltered spot in the garden. These are great to train along a wall, but make sure to keep on top of the pruning.

Redcurrants and whitecurrants

Another unusual plant, redcurrants and whitecurrants thrive in containers, meaning that they are perfect for smaller gardens. Be sure to keep this fruit in mind when brainstorming ideas for small gardens, as they grow a lot of fruit and need little attention – making them perfect for the busy gardener.