Without a doubt, fruits are the king of the home grower’s garden.  Rarely does mention of a lettuce, carrot or leek earn quite the same immediate interest from a visitor as talk that the apple tree is ready for harvest, or the strawberries ripe and ready to be plucked from the plant. And as we move into the last month of summer and into the harvest season, many aspiring growers will be tempted to grow a fruit tree or plant a gooseberry bush or find some way to take advantage of the sweetest products from nature’s bounty. 

In order to get started with growing fruits you’ll need to get a few things first.  These include: 

The Right Land:

 Whether you have a few pots in a studio apartments or a couple of acres going spare on the estate, you can get involved in growing fruits.  Naturally you’ll have to adapt your plans to the area you want to grow plants in – you won’t get far growing an apple tree on a third floor balcony!

The Right Soil:

From the dirt you plant the seed in to the fertiliser you use to nourish the fledgling plant, you’ll need to ensure that your plant will be able to take root and flourish where you intend to grow it.  Different plants thrive in different soils and fruit plants are no different.

The Right Seeds: 

Not all fruits are created equal.  A strawberry isn’t just a strawberry, but a particular variety with its own strengths and vulnerabilities that you need to be mindful of and take into account when growing your fruits.

The Right Knowledge:

Above all things, you need the know-how if you’re going to get the most out of your plants.  Many of the fruit plants cultivated today have long been bred into a symbiotic relationship by generations of farmers and horticulturists.   In the case of fruiting flora this generally means better, tastier yields which is the goal of farmers.

But sacrifices are made in other aspects of the plants biology, often meaning that cultivated varieties of crops are naturally weaker and less able to compete in the natural environment without the care and attention provided by humans.  Parasites, hungry wildlife and competition from other plants can snuff out the unattended domestic plant.  Which is a long way of saying that if you take the left over seed from an apple and just put it in the ground without thought you probably won’t get the best of results.

That’s why it’s essential to make sure you know what you’re doing before you prepare to plant your first seedling and the best way to do that is with a short course from ADL.  Whether you’re looking to grow fruits in a temperate climate or a more exotic locale, our fruit growing courses are the ideal first stop for the would be fruit grower to get the most out of their garden.