Keepitlow: It will be difficult for anyone to offer you helpful advice unless you are more specific about the types of rootstock you have, and the cultivars growing on them. There is quite a size range in the dwarf apple rootstock group alone, as well as those classified as semi-dwarf. And, of course, a tree on any rootstock can be pruned frequently, including in the summer, to control its size. Peach and plum trees sold on "dwarf" and "semi-dwarf" rootstocks will usually become quite large without frequent pruning. So if you want to keep your trees small, and they are not cooperating, pruning is the way to do it. If your trees are not developing enough spreading side branches, which are the most productive and easiest to work with, spread the branches out with spreaders or by tying them down. Many peach and plum trees sold as "dwarfs" or "semi-dwarfs" have very little dwarfing that anyone can notice. I have some vigorous apple varieties, such as Spigold, that would easily reach 25 feet tall on the semi-dwarf rootstock M-7 without severe annual pruning. Other varieties, such as Goldrush and Ashmead's Kernel, on the same rootstocks, are much easier to control at under 12 feet. That's where I try to keep all my trees, both pome and stone fruits, for very good reasons which include spraying, thinning, and bagging in the case of apples. When you cite your source of info as "I was told", it is always nice to know who did the telling. Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

I bought 2 bonanza dwarf peach trees back in 2009. They are planted in the ground and have doubled in size since being planted. Currently they are about 4' - 5' tall. They are healthy, bloom like crazy, and every year for the last 3 years they've been covered with "would be peaches" HOWEVER the fruit NEVER develops into an edible peach. The fruit stays green and gets a bit bigger than a peach seed then JUST STOPS. Why? Is this normal? Granted, I probably shouldn't have bought peach trees at Lowes but I'd never seen a small variety and the tag on these said they wouldn't get larger than 6 feet (which was perfect for my yard). Why are they setting fruit but not producing mature fruit? Here's one of the trees (below). The other one is 8 feet to the right (not pictured). Here's how big the "fruit" is (below). It has been this size for a month with no sign of getting any bigger - just like last year, and the year before that (sigh).

Wow, what a shame! Our Lowe's still has lots just sitting in pots outside and not being sold. They are nice too -- about 2-3 feet tall! I don't think a lot of people in my area even know about them. lol I really wish our Lowe's would send what they have at this point down to the warmer states before they get these 38 degree nights they're calling for tonight and tomorrow night! I'd hate to see those beauties get frozen and die. Maybe you can call some Lowe's in our state to see if they have them and/or can send them to the stores in your area.? Just a thought. Hope you find some!

Kristimama, Citrus are nearly carefree in the Bay Area, so there is no reason not to grow as many as you like. Fill up your whole yard with them! The only real problem that most people run into is infestations of sucking insects (particularly scales), vectored by the omnipresent Argentine ants. Other than that, you basically just plant them and let them go. Give them some acidifying fertilizer in the winter, and keep your soil healthy through mulching. That's about all you need to do. Calamondins are small, sour citrus fruits. They are generally used for their juice, much like you would use lemons, etc. (You wouldn't eat them out-of-hand, unless you *really* enjoy tart flavors!) Calamondins are essentially everbearing, meaning that they should carry ripe fruit just about all year long. This is a very nice characteristic. It is very handy to be able to pluck a few fruits for squeezing into water, over a piece of fish, etc., at any time! I haven't been following this forum that closely, so I'm not sure why folks here prefer to put citrus in smaller pots. However, I would say that most participants on this board probably don't live in areas where there may be absolutely zero rain for months and months on end. Keeping potted plants going when it is extremely hot and dry can be burdensome, and using large containers like half-barrels will at least minimize this problem.