The fastest fruit tree to bear fruit is the fig, with peach and dwarf citrus close behind. Each can give you a small first crop within 1 to 3 years of planting. The key is to buy a grafted nursery tree and skip the long juvenile phase of a seed grown tree.
I planted a bare root Elberta peach tree in February of my second year in this house. By August of the next year, the tree gave me 15 large peaches with rich flavor. The early reward turned my whole backyard into a small fruit garden over the next few years.
Compare that with the seed grown apple tree I started from a store bought apple seed. The tree grew tall and leafy for 7 long years before it set its first fruit. The wait taught me to always buy grafted trees from a nursery and not start from seeds.
The quickest fruiting tree in most home gardens is the fig at 1 to 2 years from planting. Figs root from cuttings with ease and produce fruit on the same year wood. A small cutting can give you a handful of figs the first summer after rooting.
Peach trees take 2 to 4 years from a bare root start to bear a full crop. Some grafted varieties give a few fruits in year one, but a real harvest comes by year three. Peaches need full sun and a yearly prune to keep producing well over time.
Dwarf citrus trees fruit in 1 to 3 years from a grafted nursery start. A young Meyer lemon or lime can set fruit in its first year in your yard. Blood orange trees take 2 to 3 years to bear a real crop from a grafted nursery tree like a Moro or Tarocco.
Mulberry trees join the fast bearing fruit trees list at 2 to 3 years to first crop. Once they start, they pump out heavy crops of sweet dark berries every summer. A single mulberry tree can feed your family and a flock of birds at the same time.
Early fruiting trees all share one trait: a grafted scion from a mature parent. The scion already knows how to flower and fruit. The rootstock just feeds the top growth. This trick saves you 5 to 10 years versus starting any tree from a seed.
Seed grown trees must finish their juvenile phase before they can flower or fruit. The juvenile phase is hard wired into the tree and cannot be rushed by feeding or pruning. Most fruit trees from seed need 5 to 15 years to mature into a fruiting plant.
Dwarf rootstocks add another speed boost to your fast growing fruit tree plan. The dwarf stock keeps the tree small and pushes more energy into fruit instead of leaf and wood growth. You get bigger crops faster on a tree you can pick without a ladder.
My favorite trick for new growers is to buy a 2 to 3 year old grafted tree from a known nursery. The tree comes with a head start of two years over a young whip or bare root stick. You shave a year or more off your wait for the first crop.
Plant your young tree in full sun with rich well drained soil to push it along. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Mix compost into the backfill to feed the roots. A deep weekly soak builds a strong root system in the first season.
Pinch off any flowers in the first year so the tree can put its energy into roots and branches. This trick feels wrong but pays back fast. The tree builds a stronger frame and gives a bigger crop in year two than if you let it fruit too soon.
Feed your tree with a balanced fruit tree fertilizer every 6 to 8 weeks during the growing season. Skip feeding in late summer and fall so new growth can harden off before winter cold. This timing prevents soft tender shoots that frost can damage.
Your fruit tree first harvest will arrive faster than you think if you follow these steps. Start with a fig, peach, or dwarf citrus for the quickest reward. Your first season of homegrown fruit will spoil you for store bought versions for the rest of your life.
Read the full article: Blood Orange Tree Complete Guide
