If you are growing a fruit tree, you may not want to wait 10 years until the trees start to bear fruit. Fortunately, there are specific fruit trees as well as grafted trees that not only grow fast but bear fruit in as little as 2-3 years.
Peach Trees
Peach trees not only bear one of the most delicious fruits, but they also grow very fast. Standard Peach trees can reach up to 25 feet tall but should ideally be pruned to 12-15 feet tall. Peach trees grow best in at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Moreover they prefer well-draining loamy soil. Although some peach trees can produce fruit without the help of another cross-pollinating tree, most need another peach tree with the same bloom time planted closeby.
Apple Trees
There are many delicious apple varieties suitable for different growing zones. However in order for apple trees to bear fruit, they will need a certain amount of cold temperature during the winter, known as chill hours. Although some varieties such as Golden Delicious are self-fruitful, most varieties need another compatible apple tree to cross pollinate with. If you grow dwarf apple trees, they will bear fruit earlier than standard apple trees.
Mulberry
There are three types of mulberry trees, the white, black, and red mulberry. All of which are very delicious, delicate, and more familiar to people from the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Far East. Did you know that a mulberry tree can grow 2.5 feet per year? A three year old tree can be about 12 feet tall and once the trees start to produce fruit (in about 8-10 years), they can bear for decades. Additionally, mulberry trees tend to produce a lot of harvest. However note that mulberry trees may send up volunteer trees in places where you may not want a tree to grow.
Citrus
Most citrus trees prefer a warm climate. However if you live in a place with cold winters, you can always grow these trees inside in containers, such as the dwarf varieties Meyer lemons or Satsuma oranges. Other dwarf citrus trees will also be easy to grow and produce early. Additionally they are self-fruitful and won’t need another tree to produce fruit. Depending on the type of citrus and the growing environment, you can expect to see fruit in about 3-6 years.
Apricot Trees
Not only do apricot trees create a beautiful spring bloom with their white/pink blossoms, but they are also self-fruitful and don’t need another tree to produce fruit. However if your region has frequent late frosts, these may damage the apricot trees since they tend to bloom early. If you would like to grow varieties that grow especially fast, then you can try “Moorpark” or “Early Golden.” Moreover, apricot trees need about 700 to 1,000 chilling hours in order to bear fruit.
Cherry Trees
Cherry trees not only grow fast but produce beautiful white/light pink blossoms in the spring. Of the two types of cherries, sweet and sour, sour cherries tend to produce fruit earlier than sweet cherries (typically in three years). Additionally sweet cherries are self-sterile so they cannot pollinate themselves and will need another compatible cherry tree nearby.