It will not set fruit without pollen from another tree (has to be another variety, not just another tree of the same variety). Crabapples will do the job, so if there are any ornamental crabapples on your yard or your neighbors yard, that will probably be good enough. I don't know how long it will take to bear fruit, you may get more input on that at the fruit growing forum.

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

Ditto what Alex said. In most places, you're likely to find a crabapple close enough for pollination, but you may get better fruit set if you provide a pollenizer near by.

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:

Here is a link that might be useful: Container Soils - Water Movement & Retention

we dont know whats in your neighborhood .. presuming you arent 2 miles from everyone else ...

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