Eating healthy is hard to do - and growing your own garden to feed yourself is even harder.
From pruning to weeding, fertilizing to mulching, it seems as though growing your own food - and especially your own fruit - is an incredibly time-consuming task.
Luckily, you don’t have to have tons of spare time on your hands in order to provide your family with delicious, nutritious fruit.
You can easily grow your own fruit at home - as long as you consider this list of the top twenty easiest fruits to grow.
These fruits are healthy by nature and need next to zero maintenance. Let’s get started!
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20 Easiest Fruits to Grow
1. Strawberries
Strawberries are filled with fiber and other beneficial nutrients, like antioxidants. They're also incredibly easy to grow. As long as you have plenty of sunshine and well-draining soil, you can grow these berries just about anywhere.
There are several times of strawberries you can choose from, including June-bearing strawberries and alpine strawberries.
One tip? Remove the runners as they appear on the plant. You can replant them elsewhere. This will improve fruit development.
You can grow strawberries in containers, on the ground, or even in hanging baskets for a delicious late spring to early summer harvest. Read our in-depth guide on how to grow strawberries.
2. Blueberries
Blueberries thrive on neglect - in fact, you’ll often find blueberries growing in the middle of the forest. They’re easy to care for as long as you have moist, acidic soil. For best results, choose a self-pollinating variety - then sit back, and wait for fruit. Blueberries tend to start producing in the third year of growth.
3. Raspberries
Like blueberries and strawberries, raspberries are also shockingly easy to grow. There Are varieties that fruit in both the summer and the fall.
They grow best in the ground or in raised beds, but can also be cultivated in containers. Just make sure you have plenty of sunshine and well-draining soil, and they will more or less take care of themselves.
You can find ideas for delicious jams and jellies to make with your fruit here.
4. Figs
Figs are native to the Mediterranean and have a sweet, chewy flavor. They are incredibly healthy and versatile, able to be used in a wide array of recipes. Figs like being warm, so ideally, you should grow them in containers so you can bring them indoors when a frost threatens.
5. Gooseberries
Most people don’t think of gooseberries when it comes to hardy, low-maintenance fruits. They are delicious when picked directly from the plant as well as when cooked into jams, jellies, and pies.
Gooseberries aren’t finicky plants, requiring little more than fertile soil in full sun (although partial shade will also suffice). You'll want to keep them well-watered, but otherwise, there is little work required.
6. Citrus
Yes, you can grow citrus fruits! This large group of fruits includes limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, and kumquats. The key to making citrus-growing easy is to choose the right ones for your climate.
If you live in a warm environment, you can probably grow any type of citrus. We've got you covered on how to grow a giant lemon tree here, as well as some fun things to do with orange peel after you've eaten all your delicious oranges.
If not, you may need to be more selective about which kind you choose, as you'll want one that can be grown in a container.
7. Grapes
Believe it or not, grapes don’t have to be tough to grow. They get their tough-to-grow reputation because they are actually hard to harvest (you will face some competition when the grapes are ripe from birds and other wildlife).
You will also need to supply your grapes with some kind of trellis. Otherwise, they don’t require much care - just some sun.
8. Honeyberries
Honeyberries are tough, resilient plants that produce berries that are packed to the brim with nutritious antioxidants. These berries are great to snack on directly from the bush, but also taste great in smoothies.
You can plant your honeyberry shrubs in containers or directly in the ground. As long as you have full sun and well-draining soil (along with decent circulation) you shouldn’t need to do much else.
Grow them in pairs for the best chance at pollination.
9. Dwarf Pears
Dwarf pears are great for growing in containers, which is good news if you don’t have a lot of garden space to spare.
You’ll want to position your dwarf pear tree out of the direct wind, and you don’t really need to prune it (unless it’s damaged). Otherwise, this tree will more or less fend for itself.
10. Goji berries
Goji berries are also easy fruits to grow. They can handle windy and even coastal (read - salty and fast-draining soil!) conditions with ease. Goji berries are believed to be the next new “superfood,” offering plenty of health benefits along with a rich, licorice-like flavor.
To grow goji berries, all you need is a sunny location. That’s it!
11. Cherries
The humble cherry tree is one of the easiest fruit trees to care for. With minimal pruning required, these trees are not even susceptible to most diseases and pests, either. You’ll want to plant two trees for cross-pollination, and you should try to prune the tree in the winter. Otherwise, it will take care of itself.
12. Blackberries
Blackberries can be grown just about anywhere, as long as the soil is moist and slightly acidic. Your best bet? Plant your blackberry canes in the early spring and cut them back to six inches so you’ll get fruit the following year. There are even thornless varieties available if you don’t let the bristly stems!
13. Melons
Not sure you want to have a fruit tree or bush around for the next twenty years? Melons don’t require a lot of commitment, because they are annual plants that only last one season.
All you need to grow delicious, juicy melons is a bit of space. Melons grow on vines that can rapidly reach twenty feet or more. These fruits can also be grown on trellises, but you’ll yield smaller fruits.
14. Apples
Apple trees can be grown in containers, but they’re best grown directly in the ground. There are all kinds of varieties you can choose from for a delicious fall harvest. Plant your apple trees in well-draining soil, ideally in full sun. Although pruning once per winter can encourage better growth, there’s not much else you need to do to care for these hardy fruit trees.
15. Pineapple
You might be doubting this one already! But believe it or not, you can grow pineapples at home. In fact, you can even grow a pineapple in a container! You’ll start by cutting the crown off a pineapple and soaking it in water for one day. Then, you can plant it in a gallon-sized container and position the container in full sun.
With a bit of time, you’ll have delicious, nutritious pineapple to enjoy.
16. Dwarf Banana
Bananas can be tricky to grow, particularly if you don’t live in a warm climate. However, you can grow dwarf bananas in containers, which will allow you to bring the fruit tree inside when the temperature drops. Easy and healthy!
17. Mulberries
You can also grow mulberries with very little effort involved. These plants can be grown in a container, but you’ll need to choose a dwarf variety if that’s what you’re interested in. Just be careful about where you position the container, as it can leave behind unsightly stains from the ripened fruits.
18. Currants
There are several types of currants you can grow, including white, red, and black currants. No matter which kind you choose, know that you will be treated with a delicious snack - all for minimal effort.
Currants like being grown in full sun, but ideally a bit sheltered from the driving wind. You’ll also want to cover your plants with some netting to prevent birds from stealing your harvest. Otherwise, currants are remarkably easy to grow. There are even some kinds of currants that are designed for being grown in tight spaces, like containers.
19. Passion Fruit
You might not think of passion fruit as a common, easy-to-grow fruit, but it’s actually quite easy to grow. Since it’s a vine, you’ll only have to plant it once. Many people grow passion fruit in containers - all you need is a sturdy trellis, as the fruits can grow quite heavy.
20. Tomatoes
Yes, a tomato is actually a fruit! Although many people consider tomatoes to be vegetables, the reality is that they are fruits - and they’re super easy to grow. You’ll need regular water and good trellising or staking.
Otherwise, you can grow tomatoes just about anywhere, including in containers or even indoors. Luckily, we have the ultimate guide to growing tomatoes.
So there you have it! 20 fruits that are not only good for you, but easy to grow, too.
For even more inspiration you can look through our list of low maintenance fruit and vegetables you can grow in your garden. These storage solutions for keeping your fruit fresh might be helpful too.
Consider adding these easiest fruits to grow to your garden planting list next spring. You’ll enjoy lower grocery bills, better health - and less stress, too.
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