Do you want to grow fresh fruit year-round?
Fruit trees can be grown in containers or pots and produce fruit all year long. These trees are perfect for people who have limited space, live in apartments with no garden, or just like having their own personal tree.
This blog post will detail 15 different fruit trees that provide a bounty of fresh fruit all year round!
We’ll provide you with our unbiased look at the pros and cons of growing fruit trees indoors. So people can make their own decision about whether this type of plant would work well in their household.
There’s also lots of information listed below about the types of things to consider when purchasing one, as well as what care instructions need to happen before planting them indoors.
Can You Grow Indoor Fruit Trees?
No matter your space constraints, growing indoor fruit trees is possible. There are various options for people with limited or no outdoor gardening space, such as apartments and condos with patios and balconies.
Believe it or not, 15 different types of fruit will thrive indoors all year long! They come in many shapes and sizes, so everyone should find the perfect tree for their home situation.
Some popular varieties include citrus trees, figs, avocados, persimmons, bananas, and more. If you’re looking to grow something other than just fruits, check out our post on what vegetables will do well indoors too!
The Truth About Indoor Fruit Trees: Good Idea Or Not So Much?
Fruit trees can be an excellent idea for anyone who lives in an urban area or doesn’t have any outdoor space. There is some debate about whether they’re really worth the money and effort, though. Some people say yes while others say no!
We’ll take a look at both sides of the argument to see what might work best for you.
Why You Should Plant An Indoor Fruit Tree:
- If you live in a small space, a fruit tree will provide shade and green.
- The tree will also give your home or office that “homeyness” feeling.
- It can be grown anywhere with enough light – even if there isn’t any outdoor space!
- They are perfect for people who have allergies because they produce cleaner air than most other plants do.
Why You Should Not Plant Indoor Fruit Trees:
- They need space to grow, which means you’ll have to find the perfect spot for them in your house.
- Fruit trees are not recommended for people who want to grow a lot of fruits or have an allergy to pollen because they tend to produce more pollen than other plants do.
- Indoor Fruit Trees take longer to grow and produce fruit than outdoor trees, so you’ll find yourself waiting for the fruits of your labor.
Which fruit tree can be grown indoors?
There are 15 types listed below. All have different needs when it comes to watering, so be sure to read through them before deciding which ones sound like the best fit!
1. Meyer Lemon
Meyer lemons are trees that produce fruit all year round and even during the winter months. Its taste can be described as a cross between a lemon and an orange. Citrus trees do not require much pruning and are usually self-pollinating.
How to plant?
Meyer lemon doesn’t like being transplanted, so when planting, you have a large pot for this tree’s mature size of around five feet tall by three to four feet wide.
The Meyer lemon tree is planted in a pot that stands at least 12 inches tall and has plenty of room for growth. The soil should have plenty of organic matter added before planting – at least two inches worth is needed because they are heavy feeders.
It needs moderate sunlight throughout the day but should never be exposed to direct sun as it will scorch its leaves!
How to care?
The Meyer Lemon tree is a slow grower and will only need to be watered about once every week. Or if it feels dry to the touch 2 inches below the surface, it’s time for more water.
Feed weekly with compost tea or diluted fish emulsion fertilizer mix.
Prune in late winter after the new growth starts appearing to promote more fruit production!
Produce
Indoor Meyer Lemons will produce lemons all year round.
2. Key Lime
Key Limes, also known as Mexican Lime or West Indian Lime, can make various dishes such as Key Lime Pie.
How to plant?
Planting key limes indoors is a simple process.
First, fill the pot with sterile soil on top of the potting mix and make sure there are holes in the bottom for water penetration. Plant in an area that gets plenty of sunlight to encourage fruiting plants. Water thoroughly after planting, so everything settles down and becomes moist but not wet.
How to care?
When growing lime trees indoors, it is essential to keep the soil moist and fertilize monthly. Water it regularly and add a well-balanced fertilizer.
The best fertilizer to use on this tree indoors would be organic, slow-release fertilizers with ample phosphorus and potassium content, such as bone meal or cottonseed meal. The fertilizer should also contain a nitrogen level of about one percent. It will aid in leafy growth, which provides energy to produce fruit buds.
Produce
When growing lime trees indoors, it produces fruit year-round. Until it has fruit, it will take about two to three years for the tree to reach its full size.
3. Kumquat
Kumquats are a wonderful indoor tree. It is a small, tree-like plant that grows up to 18 inches high but can be kept smaller with frequent pruning if desired.
How to plant?
Kumquat trees grow best outdoors, but they can also thrive indoors when given enough light from indoor sunlight or artificial lighting for 12 to 14 hours per day.
When planting kumquats in pots, there must be at least one branch on each side of the stem so that the roots have something to cling onto as they grow outwards from the trunk.
How to care?
Kumquat requires very little care once it’s established. It should be watered regularly, but not excessively, to keep the soil moist at all times and fertilized about two to four times a year with an organic fertilizer. Some kumquat trees are self-pollinating, while others require cross-pollination by bees. If you’re growing your tree indoors, don’t worry about this step because no bees pollinate your tree.
Produce
Kumquats grow quickly and produce within two to three years. Unlike other trees, most citrus fruits are not meant to be eaten off their branches until they reach maturity many months after blooming.
4. Orange tree
Indoor Orange trees are an excellent option for those who live in a colder climate, as they can withstand the cold.
How to plant?
Orange trees should be planted in an area with full sun and well-drained soil.
Pick a pot that’s at least 12 inches in diameter and fill the bottom with a layer of pebbles to improve drainage. Fill it up about halfway with potting soil, then gently remove your tree from its container by loosening or breaking apart roots that are wrapped around the edge of the pot.
Water well after planting.
Citrus fruit trees need to be fertilized once every six months. You can use either an organic fertilizer like worm castings or compost tea made from seaweed extract and molasses. Pour it over root areas on all sides of the trunk base during winter dormancy when leaves have dropped.
How to care for?
The tree needs plenty of water, so make sure the potting mix is moist at all times.
After planting, you must prune your orange tree by removing some unwanted branches as they grow up from the roots. They can eventually cause damage to the trunk or break off entirely if left unchecked. Trim away other limbs as needed.
The orange tree is a bit more temperamental than most fruit trees that grow indoors because they need a consistent temperature between 55 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. They also require plenty of natural light to produce fruit (up to eight hours a day).
Produce
The oranges ripen at different times throughout the seasons, so there is always an orange available as long as temperatures allow this plant to grow properly.
There are two different varieties of oranges trees you can grow indoors. Mandarin and Clamondin. Indoor Mandarin orange trees can grow up to six feet tall. In comparison, Calamondin oranges are much smaller and grow around three feet tall. Mandarin oranges take more time to mature and produce fruit than Calamondin orange trees.
Ensure you plan accordingly based on what type of orange tree you are trying to achieve!
5. Avocado tree
Growing an avocado inside is a relatively easy task as long as you don’t forget to water it. The best avocado type to grow indoors is the Hass variety.
How to plant?
Avocado trees are usually grown from seed and can take between eight to twelve months before producing fruit.
To plant a new tree, you should place the pit in warm soil and cover it with about an inch of dirt or self made compost. Your pot size should be at least 12 inches, and use light potting soil with organic fertilizer.
To give the root system optimal space for growth, you should dig your hole about three times as wide as the seedling’s container before planting it. The depth of this hole will depend on how tall or short your tree is expected to be after maturity, so make sure you can measure that beforehand!
How to care?
You should water the avocado tree between once per week and once every two weeks, depending on whether the soil is wet or dry.
You can fertilize it with a commercial fertilizer about twice each year when you are pruning back its branches. The best fertilizer for growing this plant would be blood meal or composted manure mixed with an equal amount of sand before planting your seedling.
Bright light but not a direct light source like one from an east-facing window is perfect for ensuring that your indoor avocado plant stays healthy! If there isn’t enough room in your home, try placing them near fluorescent lights or using artificial sunlight lamps instead of natural ones.
The ideal temperature range for growth is 60 degrees Fahrenheit during wintertime (October through March) and 65.
Tip: The Hass variety is self-fertile, so there is no need to worry about cross-pollination with other types of avocados when planting indoors!
Produce
An avocado tree needs enough room to grow at least five feet in height to produce its first fruit.It will produce its fruit within 3-4 years of being planted indoors and grow up to 20 feet tall, making it an excellent addition to any living space!
6. Dwarf Banana
The dwarf banana tree produces tiny bananas and is a great tree to grow indoors because it’s relatively low maintenance. The dwarf banana plant can grow up to 16 feet tall when grown outdoors. Inside it can only reach four feet – making them ideal for apartments or other small living spaces where space is limited!
How to plant?
Plant the dwarf banana tree in a pot filled with well-drained soil. The best pot size for growing dwarf bananas is about 16 inches in diameter.
Dwarf bananas are planted in soil, not soilless mix like other fruiting plants. They love their root systems and grow more quickly when they have the optimum environment to do so!
Minimize watering after potting up a new tree or following repotting: it’s better for your plant if you let its roots acclimate gradually before giving them too much moisture at once.
How to care?
Dwarf banana trees require minimal maintenance, making them the ideal tree for busy urbanites who don’t have much time on their hands!
These trees need watering every few days. They should be fertilized once per month using an indoor plant fertilizer with a nitrogen content of between 17-33%. An organic version of this type is called “Fox Farm Happy Frog” that can also be added to soil and water and mixed into compost or used topically through foliar feeding or drenching. This brand also has liquid versions available, making it easy to measure out doses, especially when gardening in containers.
Produce
Dwarf bananas will produce their fruit within three years of being planted indoors and grow up to 15 feet tall.
7. Mulberry tree
Mulberry trees are an excellent option for the home fruit grower looking for a healthy and productive indoor fruit tree. It bears large, sweet-tasting pink or purplish berries that can be eaten fresh off the bush or made into jams and jellies while they’re still in season.
How to plant?
Healthy soil is a necessity for growing fruit indoors. In pots, use a good quality potting mix and add several inches of peat moss or bark mulch on top to prevent root rot. The best pot size for growing a mulberry tree indoors is 16 gallons.
Water the soil until it’s thoroughly soaked. Then wait a few hours and water again before watering every day or two as needed to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Mulberry trees are adapted to dry conditions, so they don’t need frequent watering when planted indoors.
How to care?
The mulberry tree requires strong sunlight but doesn’t need lots of watering and fertilizer during its off-seasons – which means that it’ll grow outside without any problems too!
And don’t forget how amazing their fruits taste… They’re one of my personal favorites. Mulberries do best when fertilized with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer such as fish emulsion – but they also enjoy compost tea boosts every few weeks during their spring through late summer growing seasons.
Produce
Mulberries will produce delicious edible fruits all year round! They’ll reach up to 30 feet tall if grown indoors, so it’s essential to provide enough space for them to flourish by placing them near high ceilings or using taller pots
8. Brown Turkey Fig tree
A fascinating variety of fig trees can be planted indoors. It’s also referred to as ‘Brown Turkey’ because it resembles the wild turkey, which gives this species its name in the English language.
How to plant?
Brown Turkey Fig trees grow best in pots near a south-facing window and plenty of space to climb or spread out their branches.
It’s essential to choose a pot that is at least 18 inches deep for this type of fruit tree – because it can reach up to 20 feet tall!
Use a nitrogenous fertilizer when planting or caring for your tree in pots indoors. High phosphorus content is also recommended, and additional potassium and zinc – all necessary nutrients for fruit production!
How to care?
When watering your figs, it’s essential to do so thoroughly but avoid over-watering. This will help keep the soil moist and not saturated with water which can be harmful to this type of fig tree.
Figs prefer a fertilizer with fish emulsion during the warmer months. Still, compost tea boosts should also be applied every few weeks during the spring through late summer seasons!
Produce
The brown turkey variety produces delicious edible fruits all year round if given enough space and care. They’re perfect for planting indoors where there isn’t much light since
9. Passion Fruit
The passion fruit can be eaten raw and makes an excellent base for sauces like jelly, ice cream, cocktails, etc. It has a seedy membrane inside, which should not go into dishes that are served hot.
How to plant?
Trees should be planted in a larger pot, preferably with drainage holes. Fill the bottom of the container with river sand and then fill it up to three-quarters full of soil mix or compost.
Plant your tree so that its roots are an inch below the soil’s surface, and keep them moist but not wet!
How to care?
When caring for fruit indoors, there is one thing you want to avoid at all costs: overwatering!
If you want to grow passion fruits indoors, place them under the sunniest windowsill available as they require lots of sunshine!
Passion fruit needs to be fertilized every few weeks with manure tea. It’ll need a trellis or something for the vines to grow on because otherwise, you might end up tripping over them when walking in your home!
Produce
It bears fruits all year round except during the winter months, as light is required for this plant to thrive.
10. Dwarf Apricot tree
Dwarf apricot trees are great trees for indoor growing because they will produce apricots year-round.
How to plant?
Apricot tree needs well-draining soil. This type of fruit grows best in mild winters, hot summers, and long rainless periods! When growing indoors, you’ll require a large enough pot to accommodate the mature size of this plant, generally about 15 inches deep.
How to care?
The dwarf apricot tree will need to be fertilized every two weeks during its flowering period from March until June. The best fertilizer for apricot trees is manure tea, bone meal, and compost. You should water your plant well but don’t saturate the soil.
Produce
The blossom is edible and can also be used in cooking, making this an excellent option for those looking for a more accessible fruit tree.
This plant blossoms later than most fruit trees, so it’s best suited to zones where there are warmer winters, such as zone eight or higher on the USDA map. It bears fruits all year round, but they’re much sweeter when eaten fresh during the summer months because of their high sugar content at that time of year.
11. Nectarine Trees
Nectarines are more seedy and juicy than peaches. Their skin is smooth like an apricot’s with a fuzzy coating before ripening. The best variety of nectarine to grow indoors is the “Desert King,” a cross between a nectarine and an apricot.
How to plant?
You should place your nectarine tree in a pot with porous drainage holes at its base for best results, as this fruit requires good drainage! The best pot size for nectarine plants is around the same size as their root ball.
How to care?
Water your plant every day and make sure it has a pot that can hold plenty of water, cutting back on watering in winter months when temperatures are cooler. The best fertilizer for nectarines is a well-balanced fertilizer.
Produce
Nectarines are great because they will provide fruit and flowers all year round without special care! It takes roughly a year before the nectarine trees start producing any fruit. They will be ready for harvesting within the first year.
12. Peach trees
Growing a peach tree indoors will need a lot of space because they are tall trees. The best variety of peach to grow indoors is the dwarf peach tree.
How to plant?
Peach trees can be planted during the fall or early winter, which is when they are dormant. They need at least eight hours of sunlight and should be watered every day to grow correctly.
How to care?
The best place for your pear trees is in sunny areas with well-drained soil and at least six hours of sun per day. They need very little water as long as they have good drainage!
Care for your peach tree by fertilizing it once a month with a slow-release flower and vegetable fertilizer. Feed the trees once they start bearing fruit by adding fertilizer according to label instructions at half strength for each feeding
Produce
They will bear fruit in late summer or early fall, but it is worth all that work for their delicious taste and beautiful blossoms! It takes about two years to get a peach tree to produce its fruit, but it will be worth the wait.
13. Goji Berries
Goji berries are an exciting type of fruit that can be grown indoors and require almost no care at all.
How to plant?
Planting goji berries indoors is easy! You can grow them in a container or pot size tall enough for the berries to grow up and out of, or you can plant them directly on a window sill.
Goji berries prefer full sunlight, so make sure wherever you are planting your goji berry that it has at least six hours of direct sun exposure per day.
The goji berry tree does not need any particular kind of soil. Still, it should have good drainage and plenty of room for ventilation. They also don’t require much water as long as they are given enough drainage space. So it’s essential to make sure the plant is sitting on something that will allow for this type of watering.
How to care for?
Watering indoor trees is simple as well! Just use room temperature filtered water (or rainwater) to keep the plants happy and healthy all year long.
It needs about five hours of sunlight per day. It avoids warmer climates when possible because the berries thrive best in cooler temperatures (50-75 F).
Produce
Growing Goji berries indoors produce a lot of fruit, with a staggering harvest of up to 100 pounds! They will grow in full sun as long as they are protected from frost.
14. Kiwis
Kiwis are a delicious winter fruit that most people don’t know how easy it is to grow indoors! The kiwi is a small, leafy green fruit with fuzzy brown skin and black seeds inside a rich, sweet flavor not found in other fruits.
How to plant?
Planting a kiwi tree indoors is a simple process. Just make sure the soil is fertile, rich in nitrogen, and has plenty of water drainage. Kiwi plants require at least six hours of sunlight per day.
How to care for?
Kiwi plants are very low-maintenance and do well in rooms that don’t get direct sunlight. They enjoy being watered often, but it is essential to remember not to let the roots sit in water, or else they will rot.
They thrive in cooler temps, so only feed them once every three weeks during their dormant months (December-February). Otherwise, keep watering them at least twice each week and give them enough sunlight daily. Kiwis need lots of fertilizer to grow well because there isn’t much organic matter in their leaves for nutrients.
Produce
Indoor kiwi trees produce their fruit within two years.
15. Ground cherries
Growing ground cherries inside isn’t easy because they need a lot of light, and the soil needs to be balanced, but it’s possible.
How to plant?
When planting, space them at least eight feet apart.
Ground cherries are best grown in sandy, light-colored soil that has been amended with compost or other organic matter. It is vital to stay away from heavy soils like clay because they will stunt the plant’s growth and produce less fruit.
Ensure there is no direct exposure to heat sources, such as radiators, fireplaces, or vents/ducts coming into your home. These plants can’t handle hot temperatures, and their leaves will burn if they’re exposed too long.
How to care for?
Ground cherries need an average of six hours of direct sunlight a day, so they’re best lit near a southern exposure window with good light exposure or under grow lights.
The ground cherry should be watered wisely but regularly throughout the growing season to keep its roots from drying out completely. If you live in cool climates, mulch is recommended for protecting your plants during the winter months. It will help retain moisture in soils that are otherwise prone to freezing solid when temperatures drop below freezing outside.
Produce
Ground cherries that are growing indoors produce their fruit within 12 to 16 weeks. The fruit is a small, round berry that’s inedible until it ripens and becomes soft enough to enjoy raw or cooked.
