- 1. Strawberries in a pot
- 3. Pear in pot
- 5. Gooseberries in a pot
- 7. Honeyberry in pot
- 8. Lemon in the pot
- 9. Potted cranberry
- 10. Blueberry in pot
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You don't need a garden for these ten fruits, because they also grow in pots without any problems and are therefore ideal for balconies and terraces.
A freshly squeezed orange juice in the morning is a real treat. But what if you didn't even have to leave the house to do it? In fact, there are a number of fruits that can be grown in pots. We show you the ten best plants that also bear fruit in a pot and explain what is important in cultivation.
1. Strawberries in a pot
The strawberry (Fragaria) is not only one of the most popular fruits in German gardens - even as a balcony fruit, the strawberry is number one. But who is surprised? The red fruit not only tastes heavenly sweet, but is also easy to grow and can even be found in the smallest corner. It is important for the strawberries from the pot that they get enough sun. Regular watering and a good, organically certified fertilizer, such as one of the Plantura organic fertilizers, also help the plant to thrive. Otherwise, the strawberry can be kept in the bed just like its sisters - so it can easily survive the winter on the balcony. Potted strawberries are often even he althier and are less likely to suffer from fruit rot.
Exotic flair with your own pineapple plant? That is quite possible - at least if you have a south-facing window or a conservatory. Because the pineapple (Ananas comosus or Ananas sativus) is surprisingly easy to grow yourself if you know a few tricks. With the tuft of leaves that you usually throw away when you eat a pineapple, you already have the right starting material for a small pineapple farm. Carefully separate it, let the cut dry and put it in the water for rooting. After that you can put the future pineapple in the ground. A room temperature of at least 25 °C and high humidity are ideal for the pineapples. Unfortunately, the exotic plant is a rather leisurely companion - between one and four yearsit may take time for a new fruit to form. The prerequisite is that the pineapple is warm enough.
Tip: The pineapple needs a permeable substrate that is allowed to dry out from time to time. Waterlogging and cold, on the other hand, damage it.
3. Pear in pot
A classic of German fruit trees in a new guise: dwarf or columnar pears are not only delicious, they also fit easily on the balcony or terrace. And the pear (Pyrus) not only delights with its delicious fruit: Even when it blossoms in spring it is a real feast for the eyes. However, the pot variant needs a little more maintenance than its sisters in the garden, as it can only spread its roots to a limited extent. Regular watering and fertilizing are therefore just as important as a sufficiently large pot. In addition, the pear rarely comes alone: In order for the small tree to bear fruit in the end, it needs another pear tree nearby as a pollinator. However, if you can offer it these points, the pear tree will soon reward you with a fruit or two.
Important: Only pears that have been grafted on very slow-growing rootstocks or that have been bred as cord trees or dwarf varieties can thrive permanently in pots. Normal pear trees are too vigorous for cultivation in pots. A suitable variety is, for example, 'Helenchen'. You can find out more about slow-growing patio fruit in our special article, in which we name suitable apple, cherry and plum varieties.
Currants (Ribes) are not only delicious, but also very he althy: With almost 200 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams, the red, white or black berries even make lemons look old . That's why it's always worth having a small shrub on the balcony to pick yourself. As a shallow root and with a height of 1 to 1.5 m, the currant is ideal for this. The pot should be wide rather than deep. Use a well-drained, nutrient-rich potting soil and make sure to create a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot so that the currant does not suffer from waterlogging. The shrub feels most comfortable in a sunny and wind-protected location. If the currant is fertilized before flowering and watered regularly, it is guaranteed to feel good and will soon provide plenty of vitamin C in your diet.
5. Gooseberries in a pot
The gooseberry is cultivated in a similar way to the currant. As a rule, it produces many tasty fruits very reliably every year and over a long period of time and is very suitable as pot fruit. In addition to classic shrubs, trunks are often offered, which often can hardly carry their fully laden crown: In this case, install a connection directly in the pot. The same applies to the substrate as to currants: it should be humus and well drained.
Important: Gooseberries are prone to sunburn, so a location in full midday sun should be avoided. A recommended variety with few spines is 'Xenia'®, but it is prone to sunburn.
The blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) is at home in many gardens. No wonder, after all, the berry bush is considered uncomplicated and robust. On the balcony, on the other hand, it is not so common, because many hobby gardeners are concerned that the fast-growing blackberry needs too much space. But don't worry, there are now special, small varieties that also cut a fine figure on the balcony. These are also often thornless, so there is no risk of injury. In addition, the blackberry does not need much: a loose, slightly acidic substrate, lots of sun and a little water are enough to be able to harvest the delicious berries in summer. For example, use our Plantura organic universal soil. It is equipped with a sufficient supply of fertilizer for several months, but can be used for a long time thanks to its peat-free composition: The coarse structure of the sustainably produced wood fiber ensures good root aeration for a long time. In order to disturb the blackberry even less frequently by repotting, we recommend creating a drainage layer of potsherds or expanded clay at the bottom of the pot. This guarantees that there will be no waterlogging in the blackberry pot.
Tip: Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) are also grown professionally in pots. These should be taller than wide, because raspberries like to root deeply.
7. Honeyberry in pot
The honey berry (Lonicera caerulea var. kamtschatica) is also called May berry, spring berry or Siberian blueberry. She's undemanding what thatPlant substrate is concerned and can be planted in a mixture of sandy garden soil and potting compost. Soil that is too clay-rich should be avoided in order to offer the fine roots sufficient ventilation. Honeyberries thrive in partial shade and full sun and only grow to a maximum of 1.5m. The Siberian blueberry is very frost tolerant. This only applies to a limited extent in the pot, but overwintering outdoors is no problem if the planter is wrapped in insulating material - which primarily serves to protect the pot, because the Maiberry itself can withstand temperatures of up to - 45 °C. If several bushes grow together, this can increase the yield - but the Mayberry also fertilizes itself. The elongated, blue fruits of the Mayberry taste similar to blueberries. The 'Maitop' and 'Amur' varieties are a clever combination of varieties: They pollinate each other and bring high yields from around May.
8. Lemon in the pot
It's beautiful, smells wonderful and even bears fruit: can you imagine a better houseplant? The lemon tree (Citrus × limon) combines all these properties and can easily be grown in conservatories, on terraces or in bright rooms. Since the lemon does not tolerate waterlogging, good drainage in the pot is the be-all and end-all. In addition to the drainage layer at the bottom of the pot, it is better to pay attention to a coarse, mostly mineral substrate. This is all the more important because the lemon does not tolerate repotting well - so the soil must be durable. The lemon tolerates occasional drought, which can even stimulate flowering. Regular pruning is not necessary. Like almost all citrus plants, the lemon does not tolerate frost. A cool but bright room should definitely be available for hibernation, otherwise it will be very difficult to get the lemon through the winter well.
9. Potted cranberry
The large-fruited cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is probably known to most under the name cranberry. It comes from North America, but is also becoming increasingly popular in Germany. Cranberries belong to the cranberry family and are related to the blueberry. They have similar requirements, but with the nice advantage that they keep their leaves in winter. The cranberry loves acidic, humus-rich soil and a sunny spot. Otherwise, it is better for the cranberries to be moist than too dry. In winter temperatures are down to - 20°C is not a problem for them, so that they survive the German winter well. When keeping in a pot, care should be taken to ensure a diameter of at least 25 cm. The cranberry should not be cut, because flowers and fruits form on the upright "stands". Excessive fertilization reduces fruit set, so a primarily organic fertilizer should only be spread on the substrate once a year.
Tip: Without an acidic substrate, so-called "calcareous chlorosis" initially occurs in heather plants. In short: the leaves turn yellow and eventually the plant dies. The cause is the hindrance of iron absorption, because the roots of heather plants are only able to do this in acidic soil.
10. Blueberry in pot
The American blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is particularly suitable for pot planting - it is not for nothing that blueberries are often cultivated in this way by professional growers. The advantage of growing blueberries in pots is that you can control the acidity of the substrate. Because blueberries, like cranberries, need acidic soil. Achieving this in the bed is much more difficult due to the constant influence of the surrounding garden soil. With blueberries in the garden, deficiency symptoms, the so-called lime chlorosis, are more the rule than the exception. Blueberries are very easy to care for in pots: planted in loose, acidic soil such as our low-peat Plantura organic acidic soil, it has the right pH value and fertilizing with an acidifying hydrangea fertilizer will keep it well maintained. Hydrangea fertilizers usually also contain iron to prevent this common deficiency in ericaceous plants. Blueberries in a pot should be watered regularly, because they only thrive if they are evenly moist. However, waterlogging is very harmful to the tasty blueberries: make sure there is good water drainage. Recommended cultivars for pots are the weak but wide-growing and early-bearing 'Duke' and the later-bearing, upright cultivar 'Legacy'. The cultivated bilberry likes to grow in full sun, while the native forest bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) prefers partial shade.
Tip: The nutrients are used up quickly, especially with fruit in a pot. Therefore, make sure that your plants are adequately supplied. Because potted fruit can rarely be repotted because the bulky branches get in the way, we recommend fertilizing with a primarilyorganic complete fertilizer in granular form. This also brings in valuable trace nutrients so that the substrate is not impoverished.
Do you already know the bearberry? Like the lingonberry and the blueberry, it belongs to the heather family and likes acidic substrates. So if you still have some of our Plantura organic acidic soil left over after planting, it might just be enough for a small group of bearberries.