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Index : Container Plants & Patio Gardening
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- 13. Growing Tropical Fruit in Containers - Top
- You may have thought it was too cold to grow tropical fruits in Tucson, a point driven home by our recent freezing temperatures. But many tropical fruits can be grown in containers, and if the containers are on casters, they can easily be moved to warmer locations, even indoors during our periodic cold snaps.
Some of the tropical fruit that grow best in containers are the ones that are typically small, either a shrub or small tree form. These include; Banana, Guava, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Barbados Cherry, Surinam Cherry, Monstera, Jaboticaba, Miracle Fruit, Star Fruit, and Cherry of the Rio Grande.
Although you won't find these plants being sold at local Garden Centers, for obvious reasons, they should be able to order them for you. Or you can go on-line. There are several nurseries in California that grow these exotic or tropical fruiting plants. In addition, you can contact the Southern Arizona Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers Association. Their e mail address is: south_arizona@crfg.org. They can inform you about membership and plant sales conducted by the Association.
An adequate size container is necessary to grow most of the exotic fruits. Because they range from medium-sized shrubs, like Surinam Cherry , to small trees like Carambola, a roomy pot is necessary. Half whiskey or wine barrels work well, as do large plastic pots. The new feather-lite foam pots are also a good choice. Because they're light, even the largest ones can easily be moved about when set on a small platform with rollers.
A 24 inch diameter pot is probably the smallest size I would recommend for growing these plants. As with any potted plant, the container should have adequate drainage holes. Feather-lite pots usually don't come with pre-drilled holes. You can drill your own using a three-quarters or one inch drill bit. This will be large enough to allow drainage water to escape unimpeded.
As for a soil mix, I recommend using any common bagged potting soil with the liberal addition of perlite. Mix 4 parts potting soil with one part perlite. An alterative recommendation is a mixture of 1 part sand, 1 part peat and 1 part small bark chips or perlite. Do not use straight potting soil as most are too heavy and do not allow for good drainage.
Although most fruiting plants grow best in full sun, here in Arizona, where the sunlight is so intense, mid-day and afternoon shade must be provided from May through September. It does not have to be a heavy shade, filtered light provided by a mesquite or palo verde tree will be adequate. If plants have been kept indoors during the winter months, bring them out into direct sunlight, even morning sun, gradually to acclimate them to the increased light level
Tropical and subtropical fruit trees and shrubs cannot tolerate freezing temperatures for very long. Depending on the variety, the damage might be as light as frozen outer stems or as heavy as freezing back to the soil line. Root damage can also occur because the root system is not as well insulated from cold in a container as it would be in the ground.
If you choose to keep your plants outside during cold weather and cover them, be sure to put a heat source under the cover. Blankets, burlap, frost covers or other protective measures will be insufficient without additional heat. Cover the plant, pot and all. Then place a utility lamp with 60 watt bulb under the cover. This will help keep the soil and plant warmer and will work well for temperatures down to the lower 20 F. range. Temperatures in the teens will require moving the plant indoors. Plants moved indoors during these cold spells should be placed away from drafts caused by doors and heating ducts.
Fruiting plants in containers need adequate nutrients. I recommend using a timed-release fertilizer from Spring through Fall. The fertilizer should contain roughly even amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Other nutrients in the mix should include: magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc and copper.
Finally, do not expect container grown plants to produce as much fruit as those grown in the ground. Under the best of conditions many of these plants will produce some fruit, but even if they don't, you'll have an interesting plant and a fun experience!
Written by John Begeman, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona, 520-626-5161. - Updated: January 11, 2004
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