Most people want to grow fruit trees in their gardens. Some people try to grow the fruit trees from the seed and some buy established plants from the nursery but remember the trees grown from the seeds rarely resemble the fruit that they came from.
It is suggested that the fruit tree should be grown from the cuttings from a tree of the desired variety. It is good to buy established plants because you can get fruit quickly as compared to other methods which you adopt for growing fruits but it is expensive. Growing fruits from cutting is a cheap way of producing fruits.
In this article, we are going to discuss how to grow fruits from cuttings. But first, we will discuss the simple steps which are necessary for growing each fruit tree.
The basic steps are:
- For growing a healthy fruit tree, you need a healthy 6 to 8 inches branch of the desired fruit tree. Make sure the branch has at least two nodes, this is the place where leaves start emerging. Choose the cutting carefully, its diameter should be ¼ to ⅜ inches.
- The second step is to fix the branch in the soil of your garden. As I told you, your branch must have two nodes, one node must be above the ground while the other node should be in the ground.
- If you are doing this in the dormant season then you should use potting soil or loose soil. But if you are doing this in the growing season then you should use perlite, it is a more effective way of growing from cuttings. You can also prepare the branch in a pot and later transplant it. Your cutting needs moisture and a hot environment. You can also use a plastic bag for making a mini-greenhouse to maintain humidity inside.
- When your cuttings start growing you can see new leaves on the top of the branch and a substantial root system below. This is the time to transplant the rooted cuttings in the soil.
The above are simple and basic steps for growing fruit trees from cuttings but for each species you have to follow some additional tips. Now we will discuss 20 fruits that can easily grow from the cuttings.
1- APPLE
Growing an apple tree from cutting is not a difficult task. For this purpose, you need a branch from a mature, healthy, and dormant apple tree. This should be done in early spring or winter and your cutting should be several inches long.
Prepare the flower pot by filling one part of the peat and one part with sand. If the cuttings have any leaves or buds at the lower end then remove them. Now dip this cutting’s end in rooting hormone in a saucer.
Now plant the cuttings in the pot and you can use a plastic bottle as a mini-greenhouse for creating a humid environment. You will see leaves emerging from the cuttings after a few weeks. Now transplant the cuttings in the desired location in your garden.
2- LEMON
You can grow lemon trees from cuttings in a pot for one season but next spring you can transplant the tree in your garden or a permanent big container that has drainage holes. The length of the healthy branch should be 6 inches long.
Make sure your branch has at least three nodes. Nodes are where leaves and roots produce. The cuttings need moisture and humidity for growth so cover the pot with a plastic bag. The temperature of the soil should be 70 to 80 degrees.
3- FIG
You can use larger cuttings for growing fig, the diameter of cutting is an inch and the length is 3 feet. You can directly plant the cuttings in the ground or in the permanent location you choose for your fig tree as it can tolerate slightly cold weather.
You can grow this tree indoors in a container if there is harsh cold outside. when the height of the plant is 6 feet you can shift it outside in the ground of your garden. The reason for doing this is that the height of the tree can be 20-30 feet tall. This height is very tall enough and can’t manage inside your home.
4- AVOCADO
It is good to grow avocados from seeds because they don’t produce true seeds. It is a very cheap way of propagating avocado trees. Take 5 to 6 inches long cuttings from a healthy avocado tree. You should take a new shoot with leaves that are not fully opened.
If you see any leaves at the bottom part of cuttings then remove them. For increasing the chances of rooting, you can scrape two opposing ¼ to ½ inches at the base of the stem. You should mix the peat moss and perlite in a pot and plant the shoot in it.
Now your cutting needs water, after watering cover the pot with a plastic bag. Keep the pot in a warm area where it receives indirect sunlight. After 3 weeks your cutting is ready for transplantation in your permanent and desired place in the garden.
5- PEAR
Pear is another fruit tree that can easily grow from the cuttings. It needs full sun and acidic soil. The pH of the soil must be between 6.0 and 6.5. With proper care and attention, it is possible to propagate the pear tree from cuttings.
It is suggested that you should plant multiple cuttings, in this way, at least one will live. The cuttings should be from a healthy tree and make sure the diameter of the cuttings is ¼ to ½ inch with nodes.
6- CHERRY
It is possible to buy a small cherry tree from any nursery, it is a very quick way of growing a cherry tree in your garden but very expensive. The cheap way to grow cherries is from cuttings.
First of all, fill a small pot with half perlite and half peat moss. Make the potting mix with help of water. The young cuttings have 2-4 nodes and from a healthy tree. When your cuttings start rooting then transplant them.
7- POMEGRANATE
It is 12-foot deciduous shrubs, this fruit plant has beautiful red flowers in the spring season. These flowers have a great attraction for Hummingbirds. This plant can tolerate low temperatures and survive the low temperature of 10 degrees. If you want to grow this fruit in a pot meal then choose a dwarf variety.
8- PAPAYA
It is a perennial plant that produces delicious fruit. Dwarf varieties are fast growers and produce fruit in 10 to 12 months. If you grow papaya from cuttings then within 21 days the cuttings of the papaya tree start rooting. The temperature should be below 35C.
9- POMELO
You can grow a pomelo tree from seeds but it needs patience because it will take at least eight years to produce fruit. The baches you select should be mature, remove the leaves at the bottom section of the branch so you can plant them in the soil in the pot.
10- GRAPEFRUIT
The best way of growing grapefruit is from cuttings. Take a tray or box and fill it with coarse sand, water the sand so it will become saturated. Take 4 to 7 inches cuttings from the desired grapefruit tree. Dip the cuttings in rooting hormone and moisturize the ends and after that stick them in the sand.
Cover the box with plastic and place it in the shade. When roots are formed and the length of the roots becomes 2 inches long then this is the time to transplant them at your desired place in the garden or a container.
11- MEYER LEMON
The seeds can’t produce tasty Meyer lemons so it is best to start with cuttings. Take at least 3 to 6 inches long cuttings for growing Meyer lemons. Plant the cuttings into a moist mix after dipping the ends in the rooting hormone.
12- BLACKBERRIES
There are different ways of growing blackberries but here we are going to describe how to plant blackberries from cuttings. take 4 to 6 inches of the piece from the blackberry plant and place them in a pot of potting soil.
A mixture of peat moss and sand works best for the growing of blackberries when the roots start developing then your plant is ready for transplanting.
13- BLUEBERRIES
The size of blueberry is different for each variety. It can be 4 to 12 feet tall. Blueberries can grow marvelously from cuttings. Acidic soil is needed for the healthy growth of these juicy berries.
If the soil of your garden is not acidic then you can amend it by adding a hefty quantity of peat moss or decomposed pine needles. You can grow different varieties of blueberries together because they require cross-pollination.
14- GRAPES
Grapevines can easily grow from cuttings. The vines need a strong structure as the weight of the fruit is huge and the plant has to hold them. This fruit can tolerate the subzero temperature. Grapes are available in different colors such as white-green, red-purple, and blue-black.
The taste of the Grapes depends on the variety; each variety has a different level of sweetness and juiciness. Always select the grapes that are plump and firmly attached to stems.
15- KIWIFRUIT
Kiwi may be propagated from seeds but it is not guaranteed to have the desirable fruit from this method. The diameter of the cuttings should be half-inch and the length about 5 to 8 inches. The root will start appearing in 6 to 8 weeks. Now your cuttings are ready for transplanting.
16- MANGO
You can grow mango trees from cuttings under controlled environmental conditions. You should take thin 8 inches long cuttings from a young and healthy tree.
Take a cup and fill it with water and add a pinch of rooting hormone. Now leave the cuttings in the solution for 8 to 10 days but change the water every 2 to 3 days. After that plant these cuttings in well-drained soil.
17- ORANGE
You can grow orange trees from cuttings easily. You should take a first-year branch which is 8 inches long. After dipping the cuttings in rooting hormone powder bury it in the pot which has damp sand.
Now water the sand and cover the pot with a plastic bag to retain the moisture. The roots will be developed after 8 weeks. This is the time to transplant the root stems.
18- MULBERRIES
You can’t find mulberries in grocery stores so it is great to eat these berries directly from the tree. This berry has a sweet taste with a chewy texture. It is a good source of iron, magnesium, and vitamin C and K.
The best time to propagate mulberries is late winter. Different varieties have different sizes, you can find large shrubs to 40 feet tall trees. The height of the tree depends on the variety which you are growing.
19- RASPBERRIES
It is great to get fresh raspberries from your garden. Berry bushes can easily propagate from the stem or root cuttings. The best time of removing sections of raspberry in the morning in late summer. The length of the cuttings should be 3 to 6 inches with at least two nodes.
Nodes are where leaves emerge, these are small swellings on the stem. Dip the stem in the rooting hormone and remove the lower leaves if any. Plant the cuttings in a tray and cover it with a plastic bag to retain the moisture in the potting mix.
When the roots appear then transplant each cutting in the container. In spring, transplant the cuttings again to a permanent location.
20- OLIVE
The evergreen trees can be grown with cuttings very easily in spring. The olive tree quickly grows and the maximum height of it is 30 feet. They are restricted to areas where the temperature in the winter remains above 20 degrees.