I'm looking for dwarf fruit trees that can start producing within their first year in Zone 7. I want to know which varieties might bear fruit quickly, but I'm not expecting them to produce every few days or anything crazy like that. I've seen a lot of recommendations for various fruit trees, but I'm curious about specific dwarf options. Any suggestions?
3 Answers
Fig trees are your best bet if you're starting with about three-year-old potted ones. You could actually get fruit as early as this year! Plus, they’re super easy to prune and maintain at the height you want. Some people even bonsai them, which is pretty neat!
But keep in mind that if you force apples to produce in the first year, you could stress the tree. It's better to let it settle for a year or two before expecting any harvest. I'm letting mine go without fruit for a second year so it can build up strength for bigger harvests later on— nature takes time!
You can get fast production from a larger sapling, but typically, you'll see fruit in the second year. Dwarf trees have similar production rates as standard trees once they’re settled in. Apples are usually reliable, though you might need to get two for cross-pollination.