I’m looking for a fruit tree that I can safely plant 4-5 ft from my house. It’ll double as shade tree for my sliding glass door during the summer (deciduous is ok). I don’t mind fall leaves since I use them as mulch anyway. I’m hoping it’ll grow 10-12 ft tall at maturity. Do you have any suggestions on fruit trees whose roots will be safe at that distance from my foundation? I have concrete slab.
Thanks!
That is a tough request because most tree roots will eventually buckle concrete. Figs are about the only fruit I would put that close to a foundation and even then I would watch for problems.
I could not recommend that since most homes use a chemical termlite border.
Since you are in the South, maybe you could put something in a large planter or pot there, like a dwarf plum or something.
I have both citrus and guava in that distance, maybe a bit closer. I plan to keep both under 7 feet. I would avoid figs, mulberries and sapote, all of which I’ve read have more invasive roots.
just noting for everyone that if I read this correctly MARTIN HAS NO BASEMENT, just a slab.
I don’t know if that impacts the calculations, up here we all have basements and I wouldn’t put anything that close, but it might be less an issue for him??
@Martin
How about digging a trench. And installing a root barrier , thick rubber/ pond liner , type thing , to keep the main roots from going toward the foundation ?
Should be able to plant about anything then ?
Keep in mind, having your fruit tree that close to house will severely limit your choice of sprays if needed.
A fruit tree that close to the house may need to be trained as an espalier.
I have a fig tree planted a foot or from the house (with a basement). But I also plan on pruning it back to 2’ every year and letting it regrow to 6-7’ tall. I don’t think it will be able to establish too massive of a root system this way.
For what its worth, the original builder of the house put a crepe myrtle and several bushes only 2-3’ from the house and the crepe myrtle is already over 10’ tall.
I would be wary of any pesticides placed near the foundation for termites like clark said and have absolutely no knowledge on that and if so i would personally not plant. I know some people will bury copper painted terracotta against the concrete or do a copper paint barrier to keep the roots out and very dwarf apples are known for having gentle root systems for concrete.
You’ve all given me a lot of food for thought, thanks. I’ll likely build a large planter that will be partially submerged in the ground with an enclosed bottom (with drainage holes).
Is there something that can grow to 10-15 ft tall inside a 3x3x3 ft planter? I’ll likely put it 1ft deep so that the 2ft height above the ground can be casual seats.
The smaller the root area the more often it will need water and the less insulated against cold it will be. Yes a cubic yard of soil would be a appropriate size for a tree but would probably need a whole lot of water on automated drip unless it was drought tolerant and slow growing.
This is not a tree but a vine of your choice (muscadine) could be planted a longer distance from the foundation and could be trained to a pergola for shade and fruit.
If you live on a concrete slab, you don’t have to worry about tap roots eating your basement walls. The shallow roots tend to follow the overall shape of the tree, so an espalier may be your best bet. If you keep it 3-4 feet from the house and train it parallel to the wall, the shallow roots should not grow strongly toward the house unless you chose a rootstock known to put out a wide/shallow root system. A rootstock/scion combo that are not too vigorous could be considered. There are many examples of fruit tree espalier growing against the walls of houses.