Food producing dwarf varieties that thrive in containers include banana, oranges, lime, and fruit trees. They look great as additions to hard landscaping features like extended decks, pergolas and stone-paved sitting areas. Beyond providing nutrition, they bloom, have a delicious scent and grow attractive deep green foliage. Terra cotta pots work well for these gorgeous little trees, with drainage holes, and soil enhanced for good aeration with agricultural grit (chicken grit also works well), peat and organic matter. Each tree needs its own set of standards for care, but full or at least partial sun and a regular dose of seaweed fertilizer works well to keep them healthy and producing blooms or fruit. If you like the look of dwarf hardy banana trees but want it to produce fruit, plant a variety called cavendish. Many small hardy banana trees will not produce fruit, they are used for decorative purposes only.
If you like citrus trees (love the smell!) try a Dwarf Meyer Lemon or Calamondin Orange tree. Hand picking fresh berries is always fun for the kids, and Top Hat Dwarf Blueberry bushes are a popular choice for the abundance of antioxidant rich blueberries and thick foliage they produce.
Your favourite dwarf varieties are apple trees? They are easy to grow and because apples are so tasty in smoothies, baked turnovers, pies, jelly, jam and juice, they are uber popular on urban decks and sunrooms. They’ll take a bit of pruning for general maintenance, and limb support as they produce heavy fruit, but generally, they are easy to care for with gorgeous blossoms in April and early May.
Dwarf apple varieties that grow well in containers include:
- Gala
- Jonagold
- Cox
- Pink Lady
For cherry trees, try planting Nanking Dwarf Cherry, Lapins, Stella, or Sunburst. They are very hardy, easy to grow, and provide one of the most popular fruits for jelly makers. Take them inside the sun room for the winter, or store them in your greenhouse until spring. Some will need to be wrapped until spring when temperatures return to above zero. A little research goes a long way when choosing rare dwarf varieties, and you will enjoy their blooms, greenery and produce for years to come.
Our Landscaping Services
The planting zones in Southwest BC allow for a vast array of possibilities in private gardening and landscaping. We invite you to call us for a consultation on all your landscaping and treescape needs. Our consultations fine-tune landscaping plans, and we can help you with the transport, planting, and general maintenance of urban trees. Contact Twin Rivers Tree Service and Landscaping in Kamloops (250) 851-1121, Sechelt/Gibsons (604) 989-0588 or Abbotsford/Chilliwack (604) 989-0588.
- Landscape planning and design
- Hedge planting and trimming
- Commercial green space development
- Utility arborist services
- Crown reduction for mature trees
- Pruning
For more information on our landscaping services, please read: Professional Landscaping Services
Call Twin Rivers Tree Services and Landscaping for a project consultation. We love talking about trees, taking care of urban forests and removing hazardous and fallen trees to keep communities safe. Don’t hesitate to call us for emergency tree services this winter if you need our help. We are conveniently located in Kamloops, Sechelt and the Fraser Valley.