Find out how to grow each fruit on your allotment plot or in your kitchen garden. Click the fruit below, that you would like to learn more about and discover all the information you need to grow a successful crop this season.
Click Herbs, Nuts or Vegetables to go to more growing your own information pages.
Growing fruit is a rewarding challenge, that despite what people think, is absolutely possible to do in the UK. In fact, with our fairly temperate weather and cultivable land, you can enjoy fresh, year-round produce. From apples and pears to different types of berries, choose your favourite fruit and give it a go!
If you’re wondering how to grow fruit, you’re in the right place. With Allotment Online’s detailed individual fruit-growing guides at your fingertips, you’ll find tried-and-tested tips and tricks on the best fruits to grow in your allotment.
Growing fruit in your allotment has never been easier!
The first step to growing fruit is deciding what you want to grow. Shortlisting your favourite options or making a note of what you eat the most of can be a good start. Before narrowing down your selection, find out how simple it is to grow each fruit by determining whether or not it requires special growing conditions, such as a greenhouse.
For example, to grow fruit like peaches, you need a particularly sunny allotment spot. However, if your allotment receives a lot of shade, then it would make more sense to grow fruit trees or plants that thrive better in shade-rich conditions.
Take your time to explore our individual Grow Your Own Fruit guides on our website to understand all that it takes to grow fruit in the UK.
Where you plant your fruit plants depends on the light, temperature, and exposure of your allotment plot. Before you begin planning and planting, make sure you fully understand what areas receive shade and sunlight.
Growing fruit of almost any type is possible under sunlight-rich sites. This includes grapes, figs, peaches, apricots, and kiwi. For growing strawberries, cherries, redcurrants, whitecurrants, and gooseberries, a shady spot is preferred.
Allotment gardeners with a fencing structure must be aware of ‘rain shadows’, areas that easily dry out even in rainy weather. The soil is quite dry in this part and needs adequate irrigation, or else plants may succumb to drought-like conditions.
Where you plant your fruit plants depends on the light, temperature, and exposure of your allotment plot. Before you begin planning and planting, make sure you fully understand what areas receive shade and sunlight.
Growing fruit of almost any type is possible under sunlight-rich sites. This includes grapes, figs, peaches, apricots, and kiwi. For growing strawberries, cherries, redcurrants, whitecurrants, and gooseberries, a shady spot is preferred.
Allotment gardeners with a fencing structure must be aware of ‘rain shadows’, areas that easily dry out even in rainy weather. The soil is quite dry in this part and needs adequate irrigation, or else plants may succumb to drought-like conditions.
If you’re a beginner at allotment growing, it often takes experimentation and practice. We’d recommend starting with the more hardy varieties of fruit that need little to no maintenance, like blueberries.
Knowing the amount of time it takes to your fruit of choice at the allotment is also an important consideration. Late autumn or early spring is a great time for planting most fruit plants, however it does depend on the variety and weather conditions. When planting your fruit, ensure they are spaced adequately to facilitate enough circulation and growth.
Growing fruit needs adequate pollination from bees, flies, and wasps. While some fruit trees and plants produce compatible flowers and pollen that are self-fertile, many others produce incompatible flowers that need another tree’s pollinating flowers. Flowering is a crucial time, so choose cultivars that are likely to flower simultaneously and lead to pollination.
Regular watering is important, particularly during hot and dry spells. Create a watering schedule to avoid overwatering or underwatering your plants and trees. Different fruits require different levels of water, especially during the first year.
You may need to check the moisture levels in the soil to avoid overwatering your fruit. One way to check for moisture content is by conducting a finger test. Just insert your finger in the soil up to your knuckle, if the soil feels dry, it means your plant needs water, but if it's moist, you can delay watering. Adding compost and mulching around the base of the plants can help your fruit plants retain and lock in moisture.
Pruning is often neglected but is a necessary horticulture process involving snipping and cutting branches that are broken, dead or crowding other branches. Moderate to light pruning of fruit trees is best done in summer months and when it starts to get colder.
Timely pruning can help maintain the uniformity of your plants and trees, promote fruit generation, and make harvesting convenient. It’s worth understanding the specific pruning needs of your fruit trees and plants to encourage growth and ensure the best yield of fruit.
Fruit plants and trees are susceptible to pests and diseases at various life stages. The most common pests affecting fruit plant growth are aphids, brown scales, pigeons, rabbits, raspberry beetles, scale insects, slugs, snails, vine weevils and winter moth caterpillars.
Grey mould, brown rot, blossom wilt, silver leaf, blossom wilt, and powdery mildew are some of the most common diseases affecting fruit cultivars.
Use organic pest control techniques such as companion planting, organic pesticides and natural predators to control the growth of unwanted pests and diseases. Browse our website to find the answers you need!
Harvesting is the most exciting time. Pick your fruit when it’s nice and ripe and enjoy it in different ways.
The yield of your mature and healthy fruit plant depends on multiple factors, including the weather. On average, apples, pears, quinces, peaches and nectarines can yield from 9 to 22 kilograms per tree, while shrubs like currants and berries can yield anywhere from 1 to 4.5 kilograms per bush.
Besides having it fresh, here are some more ways to enjoy and store your fruit yield:
Most fruit makes excellent preserves like jams and jellies. This is a great way to use up a large yield and preserve the produce for longer.
Currants and raspberries can be frozen and defrosted when in need, staying as good as fresh. Fruits like plums can be frozen raw but best if cooked before consumption. Apples and pears need to be cooked first and then frozen.
Another useful way to preserve fruits is by drying them using a food dehydrator. Use dried fruits in baked goodies such as breads and cakes, or eat them as it is as a snack.
Check out our recipes for more inspiration!
Allotment Online is a happy and thriving community of allotment growers. You can count on us to support and guide you at every stage of your fruit-growing journey, whether you’re just starting or have years of allotment-growing experience. Our community members are here to support your fruit-growing endeavours by providing valuable tips, guidance and useful resources.
Find out all there is to know about how to grow fruit on your allotment plot here.
For more information on growing herbs, vegetables and nuts, explore our website and get involved sharing your success. Join us and be a part of our community, to connect with like-minded growers. Sign up for our newsletter and share your fruit-growing journey with us now.
