Homestead Garden Cash Crop Fruit and Citrus Trees, No Depreciation

Citrus Trees, A Prepper's Survival Garden Investment

Unlike most objects found in a survival garden homestead, fruit and citrus trees do not depreciate in value over time.  In fact the opposite is true.  A fifty dollar investment into a producing fruit tree will payback an amount many times greater than if the initial fifty dollars had been invested in a top preforming stock market trade.

Survival and prepper landscapes can be designed to pay back dividends.  

We have a large pear tree in our backyard, probably between fifty and sixty years in age.  Each year we harvest bushels of sweet juicy pears from the tree.  Bought at the market these organic pears would cost us hundreds of dollars.

And fruit trees are not just limited to those with a yard.  Today, the nursery industry has available cultivars that even do well and produce in containers, perfect for the apartment balcony or patio.  Container grown fruit and citrus trees can be moved indoors during seasonal weather changes they are not normally adapted to.

This week I ran across an ad on Craigslist for "Citrus Tree Sale".  We drove to the address and the seller had healthy looking citrus trees in five gallon containers for a reasonable price so we purchased three; a grapefruit, a satsuma orange and a Myers lemon.

Ruby red grapefruit planting underway

When we arrived back at the urban homestead I immediately planted the citrus.  First I dug an appropriate sized hole, about the same depth as the height of the root ball and then about six inches wider than the root ball width.  After carefully removing the tree from its pot I gently loosened most all the root tips so as to encourage proper root architecture and prevent root circling.

Loosening root tips encourages healthy growth and prevents root circling

After placing the citrus in their planting holes and backfilling the dirt around them I gave them a good watering.  Fortunately the next day we had about three inches of rain.

The importance of investing in fruit and citrus cannot be over emphasized.  Most plants will pay you back many times their initial investment over the years.

Food and fruit from on site sources that can be traded in commerce, is an important component of a successful survival plan.

Whether you have a small balcony or large plot, planting fruit and citrus trees is one of the best investments you can do with your permaculture or prepper capital.