As part of a healthy diet, we need to eat a wide range of fresh fruit. It has numerous nutritional values, including vitamin C, folate, fiber, and antioxidants.
Unfortunately, many fruits come from the store packed in plastic and leave your purse empty. There is a way to fix that, grow your own!
It’s a daydream to assume that we can grow any fruit we fancy because different trees suit different climates, but there are some that suit most environments.
Here are the 10 best trees to grow to fill your fruit bowl for free.
1. Fig
Thought to be one of the oldest fruits, the fig is a hassle-free tree that will provide the joyous deep purple delight.
They give an ancient aura and look particularly authentic when trained along a red brick wall.
Figs originated in the warmer climates of the Mediterranean, and so for the most succulent produce, replicating this warm and sunny environment is best.
However, that’s not to say it won’t tolerate some shade and cooler temperatures.
A fig tree produces two crops in a year. The first is mid-spring, although these usually are not particularly tasty, and then again later in the summer and into fall, which is the main crop for you to enjoy.
Unusually, the fig tree has all-female flowers and does not need cross-pollinating.
It also does not bloom like other fruits but grows inverted flowers that become the fruit, which helps prevent damage with spring frost.
2. Apples
The apple is one of the harder fruit trees you can grow, with some varieties withstanding considerably low winter temperatures.
Interestingly, the first apple trees were discovered in the mountains of Kazakhstan in around 1500 BC, although seeds soon traveled around the world, and apples are now grown on most continents.
The beauty of apple trees begins with the white spring blossom, tinged with pink. Pollinators love it, and the green spherical fruit begins to grow soon after.
Apples are such a versatile fruit, used in puddings, with meat, in drinks, and of course, as a healthy snack.
3. Blueberry
Although not typically a ‘tree,’ blueberries are the perfect addition to your yard, and when it comes to expense, the blueberry trumps most other fruits to save you cents.
They’re not difficult to grow and generally give an excellent yield year after year, particularly in the summer months, but they have their quirk.
Blueberries need acidic soil that is well-drained but retains moisture and, fundamentally, prefers to be left well alone.
The bonus of the blueberry is that once you’ve enjoyed the berries, and as the weather cools down, a dazzling display of leaves turning a deep red will leave you in absolute awe of Mother Nature.
4. Plum Trees
Plum trees are the fastest growing fruit trees and will probably begin producing fruit in their fourth year.
The best way to introduce plum trees into your garden is to buy bare-root trees between November and March and plant them immediately.
During the spring, plum trees will provide your garden with a fantastic flourish of delicate pink blossom that will add joy, even on the dullest of days.
You can also feel satisfied that you are doing a worthy deed for pollinators who will be sure to enjoy the flowers’ nectar.
Fruit will begin to grow around June, but when to harvest depends on the variety you have chosen, which can vary greatly.
5. Cherry Trees
If cherry is a tree you’d like to incorporate into your yard, think about the variety that would suit you.
Some types are suited to eating, some for cooking, and some for cherry trees that don’t actually produce fruit.
It’s essential to research your tree as the conditions they need do vary.
Depending on your tree, cherries will be ready to harvest from mid-summer onwards.
Be careful when removing from the plant, being sure to take from the stalk as cherries are delicate and can bruise easily.
6. Pear Trees
With worldwide favorites such as Pyrus Conference, the fruit of a pear is sweet, soft, and juicy.
Pear trees are an easy-to-grow must-have that will overfill your fruit bowl and have you thinking creatively about how to use so many pears in such a short amount of time.
Pears are best when picked and eaten straight from the tree and will not keep for long once harvested.
Pear trees are happiest in ground packed with organic matter but will tolerate lesser conditions.
They love the sun, although because they tend to be early-season bloomers, they can fall victim to frost, so be sure to protect them if your region is forecast for a late frost.
7. Avocado
Although it’s not everybody’s first thought when it comes to fruit, the avocado, or Persea Americana, most definitely is.
Avocados are the only fruit abundant in unsaturated fat, and this green delight is fantastic for your health.
Avocados are native to Central and Southern parts of America, and although they will tolerate cooler temperatures to a point, they need a hotter and more humid climate to thrive.
Of course, you could nip out and buy an avocado plant, but growing from the stone is quite simple and completely free.
Use three toothpicks, pricked around the top third, and place over a jar full of water to cover two-thirds.
Pop it on a sunny windowsill, changing the water daily, and before you know it, the stone will crack, and roots will begin to appear.
It will take a good few years before your home-cultivated tree bears fruit, but this way, you also have the pleasure and satisfaction of watching it grow.
8. Pomegranate
The ruby-red jewels hidden inside a pomegranate are synonymous with fall and the weather’s cooling, as this is when they are typically ready to harvest.
The health benefits of eating a pomegranate are wondrous; they’re oozing with antioxidants.
It’s also thought that regularly eating pomegranates could help prevent some cancers due to their anti-inflammatory properties.
A pomegranate tree typically loves the sun. They can be grown in pots or on the ground, but always in the sunniest part of your yard.
However, some varieties, such as the Russian Pomegranate, can tolerate low temperatures during the winter.
Due to their late spring flowering, they are not affected by a late frost.
9. Peach
Nothing beats the soft, juicy sweet bite of fresh peach on hot summer days. It’s refreshing and thirst-quenching and high in nutritional content.
They are one of the earlier flowering fruit trees, and because of this, you’ll need to be aware of spring frosts, but they will also be ready to harvest from July.
There are so many varieties of peach that you can choose between. Peaches love a sunny spot, and trailing them across a bright, south-facing wall will work wonders. Some types are more than happy in a pot on your patio, though.
With peaches, it’s worth investing a little time in finding the perfect one to suit you.
10. Oranges
No fruit tree list would be complete without the infamous orange. So well-known, but just so delicious and nutritious.
The varieties of orange are seemingly endless, including large varieties like Blood Orange, with its intoxicating red interior, and smaller types, such as the Mandarin, which are enjoyed throughout the year and during Christmastime.
Today, oranges are grown across the globe; however, their origins mean that their optimum conditions are subtropical. Your tree will bless you with the tastiest crop if you can provide this.
Orange trees are a more delicate tree you can grow. Frost is a big no, and the ground temperature needs to be particularly warm if you want to give it its best chance of bearing fruit for you.
