Growing a Child Friendly Fruit Tree Garden

Grow a Child-Friendly Orchard: Why Small Fruit Trees Make a Big Impact

There’s no doubt that growing fruit trees with your child is one of the most enriching and educational gardening experiences you can share. But here’s the catch: traditional fruit trees can quickly become massive, overtaking your yard and making maintenance (and fruit picking!) a real challenge.

The solution? Keep your fruit trees small.

Dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees are ideal for family gardens. Large varieties are also possible if you prune them in summer to limit growth.

Smaller trees are easier for kids to care for, monitor for pests, fertilize, prune—and most importantly—harvest! A child-friendly orchard doesn’t just save space; it turns fruit tree care into a hands-on science, nutrition, and nature lesson all in one.

Fruit trees are covered by Step Up; however, there are limitations. And the 'rules' for PEP are confusing! Read my blog post here for more information.

🌳🍎 Read on to discover tips for choosing, planting, and maintaining a kid-friendly orchard in your own backyard!

For 2025-2026, fruit trees up to 7 gallons are approved for UA. For PEP, fruit trees are mentioned in the prohibited list as an approved item (confusing, I know!) Please read the Purchasing Guide for PEP or UA for more information.

The secret to planting lots of fruit trees is to prune them to keep them small!

Grow a Little Fruit Tree is the 'gold standard' for small space growing! Add this book to your collection.

Mango Trees benefit from proper pruning.

Grow in containers! Learn more here: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/stlucieco/2020/08/07/growing-fruit-trees-in-container/

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