Top 10 Must-have Fruit Plants For Your Garden
March 15, 2021Being able to see your plant grow from a sapling to a mature plant, old enough to bear fruits is unexplainable. Fruits are an essential part of our daily diet, and having them grown in one’s own garden is every gardener’s dream.
Read on to know the benefits of these Top 10 Must-have Fruit Plants that can be grown even by a gardening novice. Learn about their requirements like weather, soil and other needs.
Make the best use of that extra space you have to plant your favourite fruit and see the magic happen.
1. Mango Plant - The Summer King
Mango, also known as Mangifera indica, has over 100 varieties planted all over the world. Grafted Mango trees can produce fruits in 3-5 years and remain in production for 40 years!
Mango trees grow best in low rainfall, requiring relatively low humidity at the flowering stage. Fruit set and harvest in warm to hot temperatures during the fruiting season.
Plant the seed in drained soil, and place it under plenty of sunlight for best fruit production.
Benefits of Mangoes:
- Cures respiratory problems
- Treats gall and kidney stones
- Mango leaves are very useful for managing diabetes
- Treats dysentery
- Remedy for earaches
2. Sweet Lime - The Taste of Refreshment
Sweet lime, also known as Mosambi, is a cross of citron and bitter orange. It takes a minimum of 3-4 years for the plant to bear fruit depending on its growth and the time of purchase.
Mosambi plants do not require too much watering. In monsoon, it does not require watering. In winters, it needs irrigation every 3 to 4 days, and in summers, every alternate day. A preferable place to plant this fruit plant is somewhere with plenty of sunlight and well-drained soil.
Benefits of Mosambi:
- Relieves constipation
- Respiratory problems
- Improves the immune system
- Urinary disorders
- Treatment of sunstroke and dehydration
- Treatment of jaundice
Buy Fig Plants
In India, Fig plants are a minor fruit crop and usually grown in parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamilnadu, and Karnataka.
Fig plants usually dry out quickly and hence, they need regular watering. The soil should be moist and water clogging should be taken care of. There are five common varieties of figs - Black Mission, Kadota, Calimyrna, Brown Turkey, Adriatic. Each type differs subtly in flavour and sweetness.
Benefits of Figs:
- Enhances digestive health
- Improves heart health
- Cures anaemia
- Prevents breast cancer
- Prevents wrinkles
4. Lakshmana phal - Fruit with Thornes
Buy Annona Atemoya or Lakshman Phal Seeds
Annona Atemoya, popularly known as Lakshman Phal, is heart-shaped green fruit which has thorns on its outer skin. It resembles a custard apple because of its creamy pulp fruit with blackish-brown seeds.
This fruit plant is very easy to grow in your homes. They bear fruits after 3-5 years of planting. Tropical and subtropical areas are the best locations to grow this plant. Make sure that the soil is well drained and fertile before planting.
Lakshmana Phal plant needs plenty of water throughout the summer and relatively less during rainy and winter seasons. Grow this fruit plant in the areas where there is abundant sunlight. Fertilizers may be required in winters.
Benefits of Annona atemoya:
- Prevents leg cramps
- Prevents breast cancer
- Prevents UTI or urinary tract infection
- Prevents osteoporosis
- Increases stamina and energy
Guava plant, also known as Amrud, begins fruit production after 3-4 years after planting. These plants grow well in areas where there is full sunlight, and the soil is well drained.
You must prevent placing the fruit plant pots in cold areas, especially in their initial 3-4 months. They can survive without water in dry areas, but it is better to water them at regular intervals.
Benefits of Guava Tree:
- Helps relieve painful symptoms of menstruation
- Boosts heart health
- Benefits your digestive system
- Aids weight loss
- May have an anticancer effect
6. Pineapple - The One with a Crown
Pineapple plants take at least 2 years to produce fruits after planting them. One plant can produce only one fruit and then it dies - but before dying it also produces offsprings that take 18 months to grow.
Pineapple plants need a lot of sunlight and space (3-5 ft.) for their proper growth. You can also increase the growth rate of pineapple fruit plants by trimming the meat at the top of the plant.
Benefits of Pineapple:
- Contains disease-fighting antioxidants
- Its enzymes can ease digestion
- Ease symptoms of arthritis
- Loaded with nutrients
7. Dragon Fruit -The Powerhouse of Antioxidants
One of the biggest reasons you must consider growing dragon fruit in your home is that dragon fruits are very expensive when purchased from the market. This fruit plant can start bearing fruits after 6-8 months from planting depending on the age and size. It can bear fruits for 20-30 years.
Dragon fruit plant is a drought-tolerant plant—meaning it can grow and survive even with very little water supply. You can grow this fruit plant on a wide range of soils, from sandy loam to clay loam. However, sandy soils with good organic matter and internal drainage are best for its cultivation.
Benefits of Dragon Fruit
- It's rich in antioxidants
- Helps fight chronic disease
- Strengthens your immune system
- May boost low iron levels
- Excellent source of magnesium
8. Grape - The Pearls of Sweetness
Growing grape plants in your home is quite tricky, but when done properly with complete knowledge, it can be your most favorite weekend activity.
Four major ingredients needed while planting a grape plant are—topsoil, cow dung powder, neem cake and groundnut cake. You can find the mixture of these ingredients with proper proportions from our fertiliser section.
You need to fix a vine at the centre hole to provide support for the plant. Leafy branches which grow on the vine should be removed regularly.
This fruit plant takes a minimum of 3 years to bear fruit and has a lifetime of 25-30 years. They grow the best in warm summers and rainy winters.
Benefits of Grape:
- Beneficial for heart health
- Protects against diabetes
- Contains several compounds that benefit eye health
- Improves memory, attention, and mood
Buy Apple Plant
Apple, scientifically also known as Malus, has a lot of health benefits. Hence the saying - ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away.’ There are over 7400 varieties of apple plants present in this world.
In India, apple trees are grown mainly in the northern states because of their cold climatic conditions. Temperature below 7 degree celsius is the perfect temperature for the fruit plant. Extremely low temperatures can also damage the plant.
You can cultivate apples in many varieties of soil. However, a loamy soil, rich in all essential organic matter along with well-drainage power is the best soil. Depending on the size of the apple plant—dwarf apple plants take up to 2-3 years to bear fruits whereas standard plant size takes up to 8 years.
Benefits of Apple Plant:
- Boosts good HDL cholesterol
- Reduced risk of stroke
- Bolsters immune function
- Hydrates the body
- Heals muscle cramps
- Fights free radicals damage
10. Jamun Tree - The Monsoon Companion
Buy Jamun Tree
Jamun, also known as Syzygium Cumini, is known as a slow growing plant, grown for decoration. It is the most common berry among all the berries in the market and is grown mainly in summer.
Jamun fruit plants require well-draining soil that are rich in nutrients. They can easily survive the waterlogged conditions. They need ample sunlight to grow.
Jamun plants need a lot of water for healthy growth, especially during the early stages. They require frequent irrigation.
Benefits of Jamun Plant:
- Improves haemoglobin count
- Improves the health of skin and eyes
- Keeps your heart healthy
- Prevents infection
- Strengthens your gums and teeth
To summarise, different plants have different favourable conditions to grow healthily. Every plant has its own fanbase. Which one would you want to grow in your garden? Find out more options for fruit plants on Nurserylive.