Collection: Fruit Plants

There are lots of fruits that are easy to grow! In terms of fruit trees, figs, apples and pears are amongst the easiest fruit trees to grow, while plum, cherry and peach trees also offer big fruiting rewards for relatively minimal effort. From a soft fruit perspective, blackberry bushes and autumn-fruiting raspberries are up there, while blueberries make an ideal pick for containers, using ericaceous compost. As for fruiting climbing plants, grape vines and hardy kiwi plants would be our top choices.

The UK has a long and established fruit-growing tradition, with apple orchards being set up as far back as the Roman era. These days, you can grow all kinds of fruit, including hardier versions of plants that might have traditionally struggled with harsh UK conditions (alongside our warming climate). You can grow pomes (apples, pears and quinces), stone fruit (cherries, plums, peaches and apricots), aggregate fruits (raspberries, blackberries and strawberries), citrus fruits (lemons, limes and oranges), true botanical berries (blueberries, currants, gooseberries and grapes) and figs (which are actually a separate type of fruit called a syconium).

For fast results, pome fruits grown on dwarfing rootstocks (like M27 for apples, for instance) are your best friend. Fig trees and citrus plants also begin bearing fruits relatively quickly, with fruits appearing as soon as just one two years after planting.

For fruit trees supplied bare root, late autumn to early spring is the best time to plant, as this is when the tree is dormant (not actively growing). Avoid planting in freezing or waterlogged conditions. For container-supplied fruit plants, both bushes and trees, you can plant these throughout the year, but make sure to avoid especially hot, dry periods and particularly cold or wet conditions.

The best fruit plants to grow indoors are those that suit container growing and are native to warmer climes (like the Mediterranean) – so, we’re especially talking about figs and citrus trees, which will appreciate a spot in a bright, sunny conservatory. These plants not only can be grown indoors, in colder parts of the country they should be grown indoors to protect them from harsher winters.