8 Tips for Growing More Fruit in Your Backyard

Whether you have a huge yard or just space for a pot on your porch, there will be some type of fruit plant that you can grow at home. Some will keep you in fruits all year round, while others will give you enough for a pot of jam.

Either way, there is nothing quite like growing, harvesting, and eating homegrown food.

Check out these OGP articles that give you the lowdown on getting to grips with fruit growing.

1. Elderberries

For those with a wet spot in the yard, be it a ditch bank or a low area, elderberry shrubs are a great choice for growing something edible. These plants thrive in moist soil, and they put out berries very quickly. But elderberries aren’t something just everyone has handled. We have to learn what to do with them, so check out these 7 Ways to Use All Those Elderberries You’ve Grown.

2. Pomegranates

Pomegranate fruits are considered extraordinarily healthy, with lots of anti-oxidants and medicinal qualities. The juice-laden seeds are delicious as a fresh snack, or they can be enjoyed in all sorts of recipes, in everything from pomegranate sweet and sour tempeh to pomegranate oatmeal burst. In other words, these can be a great addition to your edible home garden. Click here to learn How to Grow Pomegranates at Home.

3. Unconventional Fruits

Cherry, apple, pear, and peach are classics; while others like figs and plums are fruits we are very familiar with, know, and love, hence their popularity. With the exception maybe of fresh figs, we can readily find them in the supermarket. When planting an orchard, it makes sense to take a look at these fruit trees to see if they fit within your USDA growing zone. But, sometimes growing an orchard can also be about growing those fruits we are less likely to find in the run-of-the-mill produce section. There are lots of fruits that, if we don’t grow them at home, we aren’t likely to eat them very often. Check out these 10 Unconventional Fruit Trees for the Backyard Orchard.

4. Melons

During the summertime, a slice of sweet, juicy melon tastes so fine. Growing them in the home garden can make them so much better. However, deciphering which types of melons to sow and when to plant them can be a little daunting. But, they are a lot of fun to grow. They are magnificent sprawling vines that can take over a garden space or drape themselves on a trellis. They have pretty flowers that attract bees, and watching the young fruits develop into treats is so rewarding. Look here for The Lowdown on Growing Various Types of Melons.

5. Stone Fruits

Fruits that fall into the stone fruit category include peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, plums, mangoes, lychees, olives, and dates. These fruits have one large seed at the center of their drupes (fruits), and they tend to be happy and easy to grow successfully from seed. It’s not all that complicated, either. Check out this article for tips on Growing Stone Fruits from Seed.

6. Plums

Plums don’t get nearly the press that apples, cherries, and peaches get, but they are delicious. Like peaches, nectarines, and apricots, plums are stone fruits, also called drupes, and they work wonderfully as fresh fruit. They are small, highly productive trees, usually pruned to about 15-20 feet. They have beautiful white and pink flowers in spring, and in late summer/early autumn, they put out sweet colorful fruits. In other words, what’s not to like? Learn All About Plum Treesright here.

7. Rainbow of Fruits

Having a healthy diet isn’t just about eating greens, don’t you know? It’s about eating the reds, purples, and yellows, too. The concept of eating a rainbow‘s spectrum of colorful veggies isn’t a new one. You might already be on the bandwagon. But, how about stepping it up a notch and trying your hand at growing a rainbow of veggies in your garden? Check out How to Grow a Rainbow of Fruits and Veggies in Your Garden and have all the colors at your fingertips.

8. Mulberries

Mulberries come from the Morus genus of the Moraceae family, which makes them more closely related to figs, breadfruit, and jackfruit than to their blackberry lookalikes! Mulberry trees produce an incredible harvest of soft fruits that can be enjoyed as jam, wine, and tea. Mulberries are vastly nutritious, and a tree can make a beautiful addition to your garden if you have the room and time to maintain it. Click here to find out How and Why You Should Grow a Mulberry Tree.

Related Content:

• Easy-to-Grow Fruits for Even the Smallest of Spaces
• How to Grow and Harvest Dragon Fruit
• How to Grow a Rainbow of Fruits and Veggies in Your Garden
• Growing Stone Fruits from Seed
• 8 Tropical Fruits You Can Grow in the US

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