A food forest for a small yard or city lot

Small space, same idea

A forest grows up as well as out. In a small yard, that's the whole game: choose trees that stay small, train them flat against fences, send vines up, and fill the ground below with berries and herbs.

Find your sun, and test your soil

Sun is the limit in a small space. Iowa State University Extension recommends at least 8 hours of direct sun a day for fruit trees, and good drainage. University of Maryland Extension notes that blueberries, currants, and gooseberries can manage with about six, and that north sides shaded by buildings or trees usually don't get enough.

On a city lot, test the soil for lead before planting food. University of Georgia Extension's guidance says soil under 75 parts per million of lead is safe for growing food directly in the ground; from 75 to 400, use raised beds or a barrier and skip root crops; above 400, consider moving the garden. Your county extension office can send sample bags and instructions.

Choose small trees

The rootstock a tree is grafted onto controls its size. Iowa State University Extension gives apples on dwarf rootstocks about 8 to 10 feet tall, semi-dwarf about 15 feet, and standard trees 25 to 30 feet tall and wide. It suggests spacing dwarf trees 8 to 12 feet apart and notes they often need permanent support.

For the tightest spots, University of Maryland Extension points to columnar apples: slender, single-stemmed trees about 8 to 10 feet tall.

Plan for pollination partners

Many fruit trees need a partner. Iowa State University Extension explains that apples need at least two varieties that bloom at the same time, planted within about 50 to 100 feet of each other, and most European pears and sweet cherries need partners too. In a small yard, that's a reason to check what your neighbors grow, or to choose self-fruitful plants:

• Self-fruitful: tart cherries, most peaches, grapes, raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, and strawberries.
• Partly self-fruitful: Asian pears and European plums.
• Better with two varieties: blueberries set more and larger berries with a partner.

Go flat: espalier

Espalier trains a fruit tree flat against a fence, wall, or wire frame. Oregon State University Extension describes the method, usually with a dwarf apple planted in late winter, and the payoff: fruit in a strip of space a foot or two deep.

Go up, and into pots

Vines use the space other plants can't. University of Maryland Extension describes hardy kiwi as a rampant grower that needs a sturdy trellis, so build it before you plant.

Containers let you grow fruit on a patio, a balcony, or a rental where you can't plant in the ground. The same guide gives minimum container sizes: about 16 inches across (10 gallons) for raspberries and blackberries, and about 18 inches across (15 gallons) for blueberries, currants, gooseberries, and figs.