Fruit Trees for Small Spaces & Small Yards

By Richard Flowers, ACCNP, Green Thumb Nursery, Ventura

Richard is an Advanced California Certified Nursery Professional (ACCNP), a credential of the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers.

Quick answer: You do not need a big yard to grow fruit trees. In a home garden, fruit trees can be planted as close as 4 to 5 feet apart, or even 2 to 3 trees in one planting hole, and kept just 5 or 6 feet tall with summer pruning (Dave Wilson Nursery). Add dwarf varieties, espalier training along a fence, and container growing, and a Southern California gardener can harvest homegrown fruit from May through January in a space as small as a sunny side yard or patio.

Today, most homes are situated on a smaller parcel of land with limited area for planting but there is still a demand for edibles in the garden. Many people believe they do not have enough space in their landscape to put several fruit trees or are afraid the Apricot, Peach or Plum will get too big. In a typical home garden you do not need 15 or 20 feet spacing between each fruit tree. This type of spacing is ideal for commercial orchards where they need heavy equipment, trucks, and tractors. The only space you need is for you and a few pieces of simple gardening tools. Most home gardeners are not looking for commercial orchard expectations, instead they are looking for enough fruit for themselves, family, friends and neighbors. Due to limited space, gardeners need to realize how to maximize their area so they can get the most out of it. If you live on a smaller parcel of land and want to grow your favorite fruit tree and think you just have room for one, you need to think twice because by size managing your fruit trees, you discover that in reality you can plant multiple trees. Did you know that it is possible to have a fruit tree that is over 15 years old and be only 5 or 6 feet tall and as wide and be loaded with fruit? How does one accomplish this? The answer is by summer pruning. I will also provide other strategies and techniques you can apply so you can make the most of your outdoor space for fruit trees.

How Big Does a Semi Dwarf Fruit Tree Get?

Let’s say you go into a nursery and you want to buy a semi dwarf Nectarine. A semi dwarf fruit tree can get close to 15 to 20 feet tall and as wide, with some exceptions. A standard size fruit tree may get over 30 feet high and equally as wide. Do not think of a semi dwarf Peach, Apricot, Cherry, or Nectarine in terms of size management. The semi dwarf rootstock is only important for soil and climate adaptability, disease resistance, and vigor. Most times a “semi dwarf” fruit tree gets too large for an ordinary backyard. Why not keep it smaller, to a size that fits your needs and is manageable to you? The only way to keep them small is by pruning. Pruning is critical in developing a smaller size. As intimidating as it may be, do not let the ultimate size of the tree discourage you from keeping it small to suit your needs. Prune them to a size that is best for you.

Keeping your trees small has many advantages: It is easier to harvest the fruit because it is at a lower picking height. A big tree will oftentimes be wasteful because you can’t access the fruit with ease, and therefore the birds or other wildlife may get it, provided it does not rot on the tree. Keeping trees small offers ease of care, spraying, pruning, and thinning.

How to Keep Fruit Trees Small

If you want the full season by season playbook, see our guide on how to keep fruit trees small. Here is the short version as it applies to planting in tight spaces.

Pick a Height and Hold It

When planning on having a fruit tree, stand in the area where you intend to have it, and extend out your arms and fingers all the way up and out. This can be a good indication of the size of the area for a fruit tree to be kept that small, if you choose. Think of a height you want to keep it at and don’t let it go beyond that goal; if it does, you prune it off. You can keep fruit trees to any desired height, whether it is a semi dwarf or standard size tree, by size management. If you want it low, prune more; if you want it really high, prune less. Whenever there are vigorous shoots above the chosen height, cut back or remove them. The growth you prune off will never become fruiting wood; that wood already formed earlier. Fruit tree growers call this choosing a size and not letting the tree get any bigger (Dave Wilson Nursery).

Cut Back New Trees at Planting

For new bareroot fruit trees or dormant trees in containers at planting time, if you choose, they can be topped as low as 15 inches (or whatever height you elect) above the ground to force low branching. Remember, never prune below the graft line. Trees may also be topped higher than 15 inches (up to four feet) depending on the presence of well spaced side limbs or desired tree form. If you want the tree with higher branches where you could walk under it, that is an option as well. After the spring flush of growth you have the option to cut the new growth back by as much as half. In late summer, you have another option to cut the subsequent growth back by as much as half. Essentially you are cutting away suckers and water sprouts. This summer pruning can be beneficial in keeping the tree to a size that is manageable to you.

Prune in Spring and Summer, Not Just Winter

During the second and subsequent years, you might want to cut back new growth by as much as half in spring and late summer, same as the first year. Pruning 2 or 3 times (spring, early summer, and late summer) is the easiest way to manage height; this is known as summer pruning. When pruning, be careful not to cut too much at one time, as this might cause excess sun exposure and sunburn to the unprotected interior limbs. You may consider pruning conservatively, perhaps 1/3 each time. For cut by cut technique, our fruit tree pruning basics guide walks through how and when to make each cut.

How Far Apart to Plant Fruit Trees: Several Trees in the Space of One

While pruning is the obvious way to maximize space, did you know that you can also have multiple fruit trees planted in the space that one large fruit tree grows? Instead of having a large Apricot tree that takes up a space of 10 or 15 feet and provides you fruit for 2 to 3 weeks in April or May, you can have 2 or 3 fruit trees in that same space, spaced about 5 feet apart, and have fruit over a 2 to 3 month period with the right combinations. Hedgerow style plantings are easiest to maintain when trees are spaced at least 4 to 5 feet apart (Dave Wilson Nursery). Consider using Flavor Delight Aprium®, Arctic Glo Nectarine, and Spice Zee NectaPlum®; with this combination you have the ability to have sweet, delicious, and healthy fruit from early June to August, which is an example of consecutive harvest. You can even throw in a Fig in the mix and have fruit all the way to first frost. You are not limited to those fruits only; there are other winning combinations you can try. When you plant multiple fruit trees in the space of one, not only does it provide an extended harvest time, you will be rewarded with more trees in flower, so you have more of an opportunity for cross pollination, which leads to more fruit set. Let’s say you have a sunny area in your landscape that is 20 feet by 20 feet. You can potentially have as many as four or five fruit trees planted 4 to 5 feet apart and keep them at a manageable size by pruning. The University of California’s home orchard program covers this same close planting approach in depth at The California Backyard Orchard.

Three Fruit Trees in One Hole: High Density Planting

Another technique for parcels of land with limited space is to plant 3 trees in one hole, with each one spaced as close as two to three feet apart (Dave Wilson Nursery). Remember to keep them trimmed smaller and keep the branches in check so they do not grow in the way of each other. An important consideration when electing to do this type of high density planting of fruit trees is that you need to match the rootstocks. Either use a standard (full size) or a semi dwarf; it is not advised to mix them because it is more challenging to maintain. It is highly advised at planting time to cut back all trees to the same height so you can have maximum air and light flow through each plant. Do not allow any variety to dominate and shade out the others; keep each fruit tree in check.

Consecutive Harvest: Sample Variety Combinations

Other examples of fruit trees you may want to consider are provided by these harvest charts. Remember, these are just examples (and not a complete list) to consider; we may or may not have all the fruit trees at a given time.

Example 1: Fruit from May Through December

Variety	Approximate Harvest
Earlitreat Peach	early May to mid May
Flavorosa Pluot® Interspecific Plum	mid to late May into June
Flavor Delight Aprium® Interspecific Apricot	early June to mid June
Arctic Glo White Nectarine	late June to early July
Babcock (White) Peach	early to mid July
Figs (many varieties) such as Black Mission, Janice Seedless Kadota, and Panache	July to first frost
Spice Zee NectaPlum® Interspecific Nectarine	mid July to early August
Gala Apple	early to late August
Pomegranate: Eversweet, Red Silk, and Sharp Velvet	September to November
Persimmon: Fuyu, Hachiya, Chocolate, and Coffeecake	September to December

Example 2: Cherries, Apricots, and Apples from May Through January

Variety	Approximate Harvest
Minnie Royal Cherry	early to mid May
Royal Lee Cherry	mid May to late May
Katy Apricot	end of May to June
Cot-N-Candy White Aprium® Interspecific Apricot	early to mid July
Dorsett Golden Apple	July to August
Fuji Apple	August to October
Granny Smith Apple	October to January

Multi Grafted Fruit Trees: Several Varieties on One Tree

Planting multi budded fruit trees is another way to go. These trees have several varieties of Peaches, Plums, Apricots or Pluots all grafted on to one tree. Some trees may have all Peaches, others may have all Pluots, while others may have a combination of Plum, Apricot, Peach, and Nectarine. These fruit combinations are carefully selected so you have consecutive harvest and sufficient cross pollination among themselves. Remember to always prune each individual graft (tree) independently from one another and never allow any one graft to take over and crowd out the others. Multi grafts are several different trees all in one, and they need to be pruned as such, each one separately. Multi grafted fruit trees need special pruning and careful harvesting, and often one or more grafts may be weaker than the others. Always face the weaker grafts closest to the sun (south side) and the stronger growing part on the north side, and prune all other grafts to the same size as the smaller grafts. Sometimes the weaker grafts break off.

Dwarf Fruit Trees for Small Spaces

Don’t forget you have the option of planting varieties that are dwarf within themselves. We carry a few varieties of fruit trees that are genetic dwarfs for you to use inside your landscape if space is a concern. These genetic dwarf fruit trees are gaining in popularity. They are cute looking and short, and have beautiful flowers and attractive fruit, but some have higher chilling requirements and may have problems bearing fruit properly in our mild winter area, and availability of them is limited and sometimes scarce. There is also not a large selection of varieties of dwarf trees as compared to the traditional semi dwarf or standard fruit trees. These dwarf trees grow more bushy and short and do not have the look of a normal tree.

Espalier: Grow Fruit Trees Flat Against a Fence or Wall

Let’s say you have a narrow area without much clearance width wise. With this challenging area you can always train fruit trees along a fence or wall and espalier them. This style is effective if you have an area that is between two buildings with a walkway that runs through it. You can even grow fruit trees as a hedge row or as privacy. A tree trained flat takes up very little room, though an espalier does need to be pruned several times during the growing season to keep it in control (Oregon State University Extension).

Growing Fruit Trees in Pots and Containers

Lastly, you can always grow fruit trees in appropriate size containers if in ground planting is not an option. Planting in containers forces the fruit tree to grow slower and not as large because it is in a limited space. In most cases, a good container to start out with would be a half wine barrel or something near its equivalent. I recommend using either a semi dwarf or dwarf fruit tree because they are more suitable for that application. Remember to keep the fruit tree pruned to keep it under control. Every couple of years you may need to root prune to help keep the tree from getting too large and root bound.

The possibilities are almost endless; just use your imagination and creativity to create your own edible garden even if your sunny space is limited. Feel free to visit your favorite Green Thumb Nursery location. Winter bare root season, when fruit trees go dormant, is when we carry our biggest fruit tree selection, and our nursery professionals can help you pick varieties and rootstocks that fit your space.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fruit Trees for Small Spaces

How far apart do you plant fruit trees?

In a backyard, 4 to 5 feet apart is enough when you keep the trees pruned to size. The 15 to 20 foot spacing used in commercial orchards exists so tractors and trucks can drive between rows, not because the trees need it (Dave Wilson Nursery). You can even plant 2 or 3 trees in a single hole, spaced 2 to 3 feet apart, and manage them as one canopy.

Can you plant 3 fruit trees in one hole?

Yes. Space them about 2 to 3 feet apart in the same hole, choose varieties on matching rootstocks (all standard or all semi dwarf), and cut all of them back to the same height at planting so no tree shades out the others (Dave Wilson Nursery). High density planting like this gives you 2 to 3 months of fruit from the footprint of a single large tree.

How do you keep a fruit tree small?

Summer pruning. Pick the height you want, often just 5 or 6 feet, and cut vigorous shoots back whenever they grow past it, trimming new growth by as much as half in spring and again in late summer. Avoid removing more than about 1/3 of the canopy at one time so interior limbs do not sunburn. Our guide on how to keep fruit trees small covers the technique step by step.

How tall does a semi dwarf fruit tree get?

Close to 15 to 20 feet tall and wide if left to grow, with some exceptions. Semi dwarf describes the rootstock, which affects soil adaptability, disease resistance, and vigor; it is not a guarantee of a small tree. With regular pruning you can hold a semi dwarf (or even a standard) fruit tree at whatever height fits your yard.

Do you need two fruit trees to get fruit?

It depends on the type. European plums and tart cherries are self fruitful and do not require a second variety, while hybrid plums and hybrid apricots need a second compatible variety nearby to set fruit (University of Minnesota Extension). Most peaches and nectarines bear fine on their own, and many sweet cherries and Japanese plums do best with a partner, which is why our chart pairs Minnie Royal and Royal Lee cherries; they pollinate each other. Planting several varieties close together, as in high density planting, naturally improves pollination and fruit set.

What are the best dwarf fruit trees for Southern California?

For reliable fruit in our mild winters, choose low chill varieties. Favorites from the harvest charts above include Babcock white peach, Katy apricot, Fuji apple, figs like Black Mission, and Fuyu persimmon, and all of them can be kept small by pruning. True genetic dwarf trees stay naturally compact, but some carry higher chilling requirements and may not bear reliably in our mild winter areas, so check the chill rating before you buy. Selection varies by store and season.

Can fruit trees grow in pots?

Yes. Start with a container about the size of a half wine barrel, choose a semi dwarf or dwarf variety, and keep it pruned. A container naturally slows growth and limits the size of the tree, and every couple of years you may need to root prune so the tree does not become root bound.

Sources

Do you like what you see? Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get content like this every week!

Subscribe to the Green Thumb Nursery newsletter

Sign up for our Newsletter

Sign up for our Newsletter