If you’ve ever thought… “I wish I had more space to grow fruit,” This one’s for you! I’ve squeezed over 200+ types of fruit and edible plants into my suburban block… and while this may sound a bit crazy and not for everyone 😂 There are a few key tricks I’ve learnt along the way I want to share to help you grow a wider variety of fruit in a small space 🍊🍑🍓 Below are my top 5 tips to grow more fruit in less space..that actually work!
Top 5 Ways to Maximise Fruit in a Small Garden or Urban Space
Grow Fruit Trees in Pots
Pots make it possible to grow fruit trees almost anywhere.. balconies, patios, rental properties, awkward spaces, driveways. Choose dwarf or compact varieties, and you can move them to catch the sun or protect them in winter. Bonus: Potted trees are naturally dwarfed, so less maintenance and pruning.
Use Vertical Space
Increase the number of varieties by growing vertical fruits. Train passionfruit vines along fences, grow berries on trellises, or espalier apples along walls. Vertical growing = more fruit with less garden bed space used.
Try Multi-Grafted Trees
One tree, multiple fruits! Grafted trees can grow many varieties on a single trunk. You can purchase these as fruit salad trees or learn to graft and do it yourself! Each family type can usually be grafted together eg: stonefruit like peach, apricot, plum, nectarine can all go on one tree (except cherries must go with cherries) or citrus mixes. Great for variety, especially in limited space.
Plant High-Density Style
You probably know by now this is something I practice in my gardens… but there is method to my madness. Fruit trees don’t need to be spaced as far apart as you think. You can either have x2 fruit trees “correctly spaced” or x4 closer together. This means you will need to prune them smaller, resulting in less fruit on each tree, but more trees means more variety AND may extend your fruit season. I don’t need 1000 oranges, I’m happy with 20 😄 This works best by combining dwarf fruit trees and #5 👇
Succession + Seasonal Layers
Grow fast fruiting crops like Cape Gooseberry, Papaya, Tamarillo, and Bananas between slower ones. You’ll get harvests while your trees are still establishing. It’s all about planning for layers and timing. Then, after a few years, once your main fruit trees, say Avocado or Mango, start taking up the space, you can cut the short-lived crops out to make space.
Start Small and Grow in Less Space
You don’t need a huge property to enjoy an abundant, homegrown harvest. Even a small courtyard, rental garden, or suburban backyard has the potential to grow a diverse mix of fruit when planned strategically. Start with just one or two of these tips, like adding a potted citrus or training a passionfruit vine, and see how much more you can grow. With each season, you’ll learn more about your microclimate, sun patterns, and fruit tree behaviour, which will help you maximise your space even further. Over the years, I have edited many of my fruit trees by removing ones I don’t enjoy as much as I thought I would. I have even created multi-grafted fruit trees to then remove one of them to make room for a new tree…But I still get to enjoy the same fruit just on one tree.
Your Backyard Fruit Jungle Starts Here
Urban gardening isn’t about sacrificing abundance; it’s about designing smart, layered systems that work with the space you have. By thinking vertically, embracing container gardening, and planting with both time and growth habits in mind, you can enjoy a steady harvest of fresh fruit almost year-round.
Want to learn more about my favourite Perennials? Download the Free Ebook Here
Happy Gardening,
Holly 🌱
