Which fruits?

My family and I will only be here for the next 5 years tops. I have been doing SFG for 2 years now and love it. I have lots of strawberries (even though they are usually small and not too many) and I would like to do more.

I have some small blueberry bushes that made it from last year (when I bought a lot of fruit and we moved and most of them died). We eat so much fruit but I don't know where to start. Should I buy an apple tree? What if it doesn't produce for a couple years and then we leave? Is it worth the investment? I don't feel like I want to put a ton of money into them but I want to get as much fruit as possible for the next 5 years since we will move to Michigan and won't take it with us.

Any suggestions?
Thanks!

I recommend contacting your local County Cooperative Extension Service Ag Agent for this type of specific information.

I don't know where you live, but if you can grow a peach tree I'd get a Red Haven dwarf tree. We got 13 full-size fruits in only its 2nd year and they were delicious. I can't wait to see what we get this year.
It doesn't need another peach for pollination so a single tree will fruit without help. I'm in Zone 5a. but it grows in zones 5-8.

This is the skinny whip I planted May 2011.

Here's the peaches I got Aug 13, 2012 (that's only one year). There's also a Honey Crisp apple from our dwarf apple tree.

kcunha wrote: We eat so much fruit but I don't know where to start. Should I buy an apple tree? What if it doesn't produce for a couple years and then we leave? Is it worth the investment? I don't feel like I want to put a ton of money into them but I want to get as much fruit as possible for the next 5 years since we will move to Michigan and won't take it with us.

An apple tree alone is a barren tree, because it is self incompatible. You must have pollen from another variety (the pollenizer) for your tree. Of course you also need pollinators (bees normally). You are probably OK if your near neighbors have apple or crab apple trees. Otherwise if you have a single tree, you can graft one limb of crab apple onto the tree; purchase a pre-grafted, multiple variety tree, or plan to bring a bouquet of apple or crab apple limbs to set near your tree and let the bees mix it up.

If you want fast bearing apples, be sure to get a full dwarf tree, not a semi-dwarf or seedling tree. Full dwarfs will usually set some fruit the year you set them out and will be in full production by the third year.
Be forewarded though that they need support - either a post or a trellis, or a fence to "espalier" the tree (Google that word for more info).

Some plums are quite precocious. Be sure to check as some varieties need pollenizers and some don't.

Last year I grew a delicious little fruit called ground cherry. It's in the tomato family so is grown like tomatoes. You might try that.

I had 3 different dwarf apples, dwarf, not semis which grow taller.
Only one gave me fruit in its 3rd year, the Honey Crisp and the others not. I lost my Granny Smith a year ago to something that mystified and had to cut it down.
I'm hoping the Fuji dwarf finally gives me apples this year, its 5th year.
So be warned, not all apples give fruit quickly. And yes, I have a large beautiful crab apple in the mix.
Most apple trees also need lots of winter chill to make them fruitful which is another consideration.