Some people grow dwarf fruit trees in pots, but planting it in the ground is easier IMO. The bigger the pot the better. You'll have to repot it once in a while to change the potting medium. Look at the container growing forum for more info.

Alex

The tree's precocity will depend on variety and rootstock, but most dwarf trees are fairly precocious.

Growing in a pot is fine if you can provide proper soil moisture. As Alex said, its a lot more work than growing them in the ground. How often you have to repot will depend on your soil mix, but typically it will need to be done once a year or every other year. Here's a link to a very valuable thread concerning container soils:

one trick is to watch when your blooms.. and see what is blooming in the neighborhood ...

it is surprisingly amazing.. how MOST all apples and crabs blooms at nearly the same time ... do you neighbors have some????

if you find such .. then you are all set ...

if you are in total isolation .... then you need another tree ...

at three different houses.. i have planted one each of the following:

apple
plum
cherry

always get fruit set ... sooner or later [when the plant is ready] .... i suppose maybe.. i might have gotten a bigger crop ... had i planned ahead ...

ken