If you’re concerned about food security like I am, having a garden full of food-producing trees can offer great peace of mind.
But you might worry that it’s too late to start your edible garden.
Fortunately, the fast-bearing fruit trees below are excellent choices for an abundant garden in less time, and many are available as grafted varieties, which significantly reduces the waiting period.
After all, who wants to wait years for fruit when you only have to wait 1-2?
11 Fast Bearing Fruit Trees For a Quicker Harvest
1. Fig
Adding a fig tree to your garden is a smart move if you’re looking for a fast bearing fruit tree that will boost your food security.
These quick bearing fruit trees can start producing within the first year, offering a steady supply of nutritious figs that can be eaten fresh, dried, or preserved.
Just make sure you purchase one advertised as capable of fruiting in the first year as these are often grafted or advanced stock.
Figs thrive in various climates and are perfect for both in-ground and container gardening, making them an excellent choice for preppers.
USDA Growing Zone: 5-10 (depending on the variety)
Fast Growing Varieties: Chicago Hardy, Brown Turkey
- Grows 15-20ft tall and thrives in full sun
- Suitable for Zones 6-10
- Produces medium, purple fruit early
- Tissue culture ensures robust growth
- Adaptable to various climates, including hot & dry summers
2. Peach
Growing a peach tree is a great way to ensure a quick and reliable harvest.
When you purchase a grafted variety, these fast bearing fruit trees can produce delicious fruit within the first year or two, perfect for canning, drying, or freezing for long-term storage.
Peaches are self-fertile and thrive in a variety of climates, making them an ideal choice for anyone looking to add a quick bearing fruit tree to their garden.
There are several types of peaches, but two main distinctions are freestone, which are best eaten fresh, and clingstone, which are better for canning.
USDA Growing Zone: 4-9 (depending on the variety)
Fast Growing Varieties: Harvester, Early Elberta, FlordaKing
- Grafted for fruit in less time
- Suitable for zones 8 and 9
- Requires only 350 chill hours
- Grows to a manageable 12-15 feet,
- Self-pollinating
3. Apple
Incorporating apple trees into your garden is a smart choice for those looking for a fast growing fruit tree that provides food security.
Some grafted varieties can bear fruit in the first year, providing a versatile harvest that’s perfect for canning, freeze-drying, or fresh consumption.
Apples are resilient and thrive across many climates, making them a reliable and quick bearing option for your long-term food supply.
Many preppers choose the apple as their favorite fruit tree to have over all others.
USDA Growing Zone: 4-9 (depending on the variety)
Fast Growing Varieties: Dorsett Golden, Anna, Honeycrisp
- Suitable for zones 4-8
- Produces crisp, juicy Honeycrisp apples with robust yields.
- Grafted for faster fruit production and better quality.
4. Mulberry
Imagine picking sweet, homegrown mulberries just a year or two after planting – especially if you select a grafted tree!
These trees are not only fast growers but also prolific producers, giving you plenty of berries to eat fresh, dry, or freeze for long-term storage. You could even consider the fruit as chicken feed if you can’t eat or preserve it all!
They can also be long-lived—think upwards of a few hundred years!
Thriving in a wide range of climates, mulberries are a reliable and low-maintenance choice for anyone focused on food security.
USDA Growing Zone: 4-10 (depending on the variety)
Fast Growing Varieties: Illinois Everbearing, Dwarf Everbearing
- Suitable for USDA Zones 5-11 outdoors
- 3-8 inch tall Mulberry Tree in a 3-inch-deep pot
- Tolerant of various soil types but craves moisture
- Requires full sun
- Harvest your own Mulberries, perfect for making jams
5. Pear
Pear trees are an excellent way to improve your food security as they are fast bearing fruit trees.
Some grafted varieties start producing within just a year or two offering a sweet and reliable harvest that can be preserved, canned, or eaten fresh. If you don’t select an advanced, grafted tree you can expect fruit in more like 3-5 years.
Pears are hardy and adaptable, thriving in various climates, making them a perfect addition to any prepper’s garden.
USDA Growing Zone: 4-9 (depending on the variety)
Fast Growing Varieties: Shinseiki Asian, Bartlett, Hood
- Grafted for faster fruit
- Suitable for zones 8-10
- Heat & humidity tolerant
- Low chill hours needed
- Edible, large fruit
6. Lemon
Adding a lemon tree to your garden is a fantastic way to secure a quick and steady supply of citrus.
These fast growing fruit trees can begin producing within the first 1-3 years if you purchase a grafted tree, offering versatile fruit perfect for preserving, juicing, or using fresh.
Most people don’t go around snacking on lemons, but they’re still a nice item to have on hand and can help add vitamins and variety to those looking to create a self-sustaining orchard.
Lemons thrive in containers or the ground, making them a flexible choice for preppers in various climates.
Yes, they do require warmer temperatures, but there are a few varieties that can grow in containers and moved around as needed.
USDA Growing Zone: 8-11 outdoors, 4-11 patio (depending on the variety)
Fast Growing Varieties: Meyer, Eureka
- Grafted for fruit in less time
- Suitable for zones 8-11 outdoors (3-11 on patio)
- Mature height of just 8 ft.
7. Avocado
Including an avocado tree in your garden is a great move with fast growing grafted varieties that can bear fruit within the first year or shortly after.
Avocados are rich in healthy fats and can be easily grown in various climates, whether in the ground or in containers.
This quick bearing fruit tree is self-fertile, making it a reliable and nutritious addition to your long-term food supply.
USDA Growing Zone: 8-11 outdoors, 4-11 patio (depending on the variety)
Fast Growing Varieties: Cold Hardy, Hass
- Cold hardy down to 20 degrees, perfect for colder climates.
- Produces homegrown avocados in just 3 years.
- Ideal for gardeners of all levels, including beginners.
8. Papaya
Growing a papaya tree is a great choice for preppers looking for a quick bearing fruit tree that delivers tropical flavor and nutrition fast.
These fast growing fruit trees can start producing within the first year, providing a steady supply of sweet, juicy fruit.
Papayas thrive in warm climates and can even be grown in containers, making them a versatile addition to your food security plan.
USDA Growing Zone: 9-11 (depending on the variety)
Fast Growing Varieties: Red Lady, Solo, Hawaiian Solo Sunrise
- 20 seeds Hawaiian Solo Sunrise Papaya
- Sweet, juicy flesh, superior to other papaya varieties
- Semi-dwarf tree grows up to 8 feet tall
- Thrives in light, well-drained soil
9. Apricot
Like the idea of having apricots from your own tree within the first year? These fast growing fruit trees provide a sweet, versatile harvest that’s perfect for canning, drying, or enjoying fresh.
Just make sure you pick a grafted tree to short-cut your time to harvest.
Thriving in various climates, apricots are a reliable and solid addition to your homegrown food strategy.
USDA Growing Zone: 4-10 (depending on the variety)
Fast Growing Varieties: Moorpark, Blenheim
- Grafted for fruit in less time
- Suitable for zones 4-8
- Capable of fruiting in the first year
- Grows to 15-20 ft. tall
10. Cherry
Craving fresh cherries straight from your garden in just a year or two? When grafted, these quick bearing fruit trees deliver a delightful harvest that’s perfect for snacking, preserving, or drying.
Beyond their delicious fruit, cherry trees also add vibrant beauty to your garden, making them an essential choice for anyone focused on food security.
USDA Growing Zone: 2-11 (depending on the variety)
Fast Growing Varieties: Bing, North Star
- Produces cherries in the first year, no long wait.
- Thrives in drought conditions, low-maintenance tree.
- Grows supermarket-quality Bing cherries organically at home.
11. Carambola (Star Fruit)
You could be slicing into your own homegrown star fruit within just a year or two.
Carambola, known for its unique star-shaped slices, is a fast growing tree that quickly contributes to your food security.
This tropical delight is perfect for fresh eating or preserving, thriving in warm climates and adding a touch of the exotic to your garden.
USDA Growing Zone: 9-11
Fast Growing Varieties: Arkin, Golden Star
- Starfruit tree, 24-36 inches tall in a 3-gallon pot
- Ideal for Zones 3 to 9
- Grafted tree, ready to bear fruit in 1-2 years, faster than seedlings
Other Fast Fruiting Plants
If a tree isn’t in your backyard space budget, then you may want to consider:
- Strawberries: These will produce fruit in 1-2 years and come in varieties that bear fruit up to three times a year, or even all growing season.
- Raspberries: Produce after 2 years and will continue to produce for 8-15 years afterwards. They’re also self-pollinating!
- Blueberries: Blueberries can take three to four years to produce, and they do need more specific conditions to grow well. Namely, they need acidic soil, and they don’t self-pollinate, so you’ll need to plant a few varieties.
Will growing trees from seed affect fruit production?
Growing trees from seed if you want fruit quickly is not advisable. Not only will you spend additional time and energy keeping the seedlings alive, but the quality of the fruit may not be what you expected when you finally do get to taste it.
A reputable nursery is a great place to learn about what grows best in your area and will have the flavor you’re looking for.
Why do grafted plants produce fruit faster?
Grafting is a method of plant propagation where the more mature top part of a tree (a budding stem) is attached onto the less mature root portion of another tree. The result is a Frankenstein tree that has the mature upper portion that is ready to bear fruit sooner.
Grafting is often done on species that are hard to grow from seed but is also a great way to be 100% sure you’re growing a plant you really like.
A grafted plant is essentially a clone of the plant you got the shoot from.
This means that if there’s a tree that produces excellent fruit year after year, the best way to be sure that all your trees produce similar fruit is to clone that exact tree. It also means the tree will begin producing fruit much faster!
Planting the seeds of that tree has a lot more uncertainty—especially if it’s not a self-pollinating tree.
What is a USDA Zone?
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Plant Hardiness Zone Map divided the country up based on the average annual minimum winter temperature.
This map is used by gardeners to help them figure out which types of plants will be able to grow successfully in their region. The zone map is color coded and very easy to use.
What is a self-fertile or self-fruiting tree?
A self-fruiting tree is one that can use its own pollen to pollinate its own flowers.
A flower is the pre-cursor to a fruit. Inside each flower is a stigma, which looks like a little sticky stem. For self-fruiting trees, if pollen from the same plant or the same variety of tree lands on the stigma, the flower will become a fruit.
But this isn’t the case for all species. Some need a different tree’s pollen in order to turn a flower into a fruit—this is one way the tree promotes genetic diversity.
Examples of self-fruiting trees include:
- Peaches
- Apricots
- Citrus
- Figs
- Nectarines
- Pears
- Black cherries
Will pruning help trees make fruit faster?
Yes, the purpose of pruning is to help the tree grow in a way that maximizes fruit production. By cutting off big spindly limbs you’re re-directing the tree to put its energy into other things.
Remember that when you prune a tree, you’re essentially injuring the plant. That fresh cut is an opening where pathogens and fungus could enter your tree, so it’s important to follow best practices to avoid killing your tree.
Although you may want fruit as fast as possible, it may be advisable to pinch off the first year’s flowers to prevent your tree from fruiting (remember—flowers become fruits!).
The reason for this is that it takes your tree A LOT of energy to produce fruit; energy that might be better spent growing and maturing strong branches first. Again, this advice varies by species, but it’s something to keep in mind.
When do you prune a tree?
Pruning should be done at the time of year specified by your tree species. Each tree has a different yearly timeline whereby they start producing fruit.
Pruning right before fruiting season could mean a fruitless season for you. One general pruning rule is to never take off more than 1/3 of the tree at time. Any more and you’re doing more damage than good.
What Next?
Choosing the right varieties for your climate is the first step to getting the most out of these fast-growing fruit trees.
Once they’re planted, stay on top of watering and pruning to keep them thriving. Keep an eye out for pests and diseases, and be ready to tackle any issues as they arise.
When harvest time comes, it’s satisfying to know you can preserve the bounty through canning, drying, or freezing, building up your food storage in the process.
With a little care and attention, these trees become more than just plants, they are a dependable source of food and peace of mind, essential parts of your emergency preparedness plan.
