More about fruit
As garden sizes shrink, home fruit growers face a variety of problems besides a simple lack of space. For example, the roots of vigorous trees could threaten pipes or foundations (not only yours but your neighbours').
The close proximity of neighbours to food-producing gardens could also create conflicts with respect to sprays, smelly fertilisers, potential to attract birds, bats or vermin, or even just the look of your yard. Such factors have to be considered when planning your garden and in the ongoing maintenance.
One of the key factors in any garden design is of course the plants. There are lots of fruiting plants suitable for small spaces, from strawberries up to dwarf fruit trees or fruit trees grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock. Ask your local garden centre about dwarf trees available locally, or better still, find a good fruit tree nursery in your area.
A subject that is bound to get more and more interest is the subject of growing fruit in containers. While lots of crops can theoretically be grown in pots, whether it is worth the effort in terms of yield is another matter. (How to get the best harvests and the best varieties to grow under these conditions is also something to explore via these pages in the future. Meanwhile, do take the time to explore the links provided at the bottom of the page.)
A good fruit for a beginner might be a lemon tree. Even if your fruit-growing skills or local growing conditions are less than perfect, they are still very useful trees to have. The problem of fruit not being sweet enough is not going to be such an issue as it is with oranges and mandarins. Low yields aren't a great problem either because even a few are handy to have on hand for cooking and other uses around the house. They even look good just aranged in a bowl. There are many varieties to choose from, depending on your situation. If you have the space, why not try a couple?
Another advantage of a lemon tree is that it looks good too, in the ground or in a pot, especially for a Mediteranean or cottage garden style. Many fruiting plants are attractive in their own right and, mixed with non-edible ornamentals or other edible plants, could be incorporated into a visually appealing garden design.
The Coastal regions of Qld, being subtropical or tropical in climate, are well suited to fruits from those regions. Special varieties of other fruits such as peaches and nectarine and blueberries, may be grown in warmer climates than normally associated with such fruits. Look out for cultivars labelled "low chill". better still ask a good fruit tree nursery in your district for advice on what grows best locally.
News
A date with history
A Judean date palm has been grown from a seed found in the ruins of Masada, the Jewish fortress that fell to the Romans abround 2000 years ago. Believed to be the oldest seed ever to germinate, the resulting plant has been nicknamed Methuselah. Furthermore, it represents a previously extinct form of date palm, the fruit of which could have properties not present in modern dates. More from the American Association for the Advancement of Science: Researchers Resurrect Extinct Judean Date Palm Tree from 2,000-Year-Old Seed (June, 2008)
More Links
The following links have been mostly selected with an emphasis on tropical, subtropical and Mediterranean fruits.
This collection is an ongoing project. There's a long way to go, but you may find some useful background information here.
Note that some of the information in links may be targeted at farmers rather than home gardeners, and originate in many parts of the world. Therefore, regulations may differ (e.g. with respect to pests, diseases and pesticides). Even information of local origin could be out-of-date. Check with a relevant authority in your region, if in doubt.
Furthermore, some species/varieties referred to in links may not be available in Australia.
Queensland
Australia
Australian Tropical Fruits Portal Various information about using tropical fruits and links to various industry association websites. Northern Territory Horticultural Association
International
If you're looking for information on a particular species, try the larger sites' menus or search functions.
Hort Extension Aggie Horticulture Extension, Texas A&M University, USA
Farmer's Bookshelf Information on Tropical Crop Production in Hawaii, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA
Asia Food A glossary of Asian ingredients including many fruits. Asia Society
Florida Food Fare Includes notes and recipes for several unusual fruits such as cumquats, jaboticaba, black sapote and others. Univ. of Florida Extension, Sarasota County
Fruitscapes Information about fruit in Florida landscapes, University of Florida
Flowering and fruiting
The following links address the issue of growing fruit in pots or small spaces:
See also links on multigrafting and dwarfing rootstocks below
Check also information about individual species/varieties for more about growing that type of fruit in pots
Propagation, grafting
Here are some other sites/pages dealing with individual species or genera:
Avocado
Avocado.org California Avocado Commission. Lots of information including recipes
Avocado in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service
Black Sapote, Chocolate Pudding fruit, Chocolate Pudding Tree
Black Sapote from the online version of Fruits of Warm Climates by Julia F. Morton
Black Sapote (includes recipes) Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Blueberry
Vaccinium cylindraceum An unusual blueberry species from the Azores. Botany Photo of the Day, University of British Columbia Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
Blueberry in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service
Citrus
Citrus in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service
Lemon (
Citrus limonia 'Lisbon') Moody Demonstration Garden, Arizonia
Orange (
Citrus sinensis) Moody Demonstration Garden, Arizonia
Fairchild Tangerine (Citrus reticulata "Fairchild" or Clementine). Moody Demonstration Garden, Arizona
Dragon fruit
Mango
Mango University of Hawaii
Mangifera indica Meet the Plants database of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, USA
Mango in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service
Monstera deliciosa
Some links about this species have been included on the page covering Philodendrons and similar plants here:
Persimmon
Growing Persimmons Backyard Gardener column, January 7, 2004. Arizona Cooperative Extension, University of Arizona
Pomegranate
Growing Pomegranates Backyard Gardener column, August 29, 2001. Arizona Cooperative Extension, University of Arizona
Assorted Others
Passiflora edulis (Passion Fruit) Landscape Plant Fact Sheets, University of Florida USA (PDF)
Pepino Harvest and storage advice. University of California, Davis
Tamarillo Harvest and storage advice. University of California, Davis
Lychees Online U.S. website with lot's of information on growing and using lychees
Tamarindus indica Meet the Plants database of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, USA
Pacific flora database of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, USA. Select
Pouteria campechiana (Canistel) from the "Choose A Plant" menu
www.mangosteen.com Lots of information about the renowned mangosteen, its biology and cultivation
Jackfruit Artocarpus heterophyllus. Flowers of India
Macadamia in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service
Olive in: Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants. USDA Agricultural Research Service
The Equilibrium Fund The Maya Nut Program promotes the use of the tropical tree species
Brosimum alicastrum as a healthy and sustainable food source
Manilkara zapota some photos (click on the thumnails) Aquatic, Wetland and Invasive Plants, Florida
Pacific flora database of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, USA. Select
Manilkara zapota (Sapodilla) from the "Choose A Plant" menu
Turner's Garden Centre is widely known throughout SE Qld for its fruit trees, specialising in citrus. There's also a wide selection of other tropical & subtropical fruiting plants, herbs & vegetables. Expert advice is on hand to help you with your own edible garden and organic techniques.
