Hi

I once stayed at an airbnb that had those four seasons lemon trees.

It was really nice to pick a few and use them for our drinks during our stay.

They ( like many other fruit trees) can be grafted onto dwarfing or semi-dwarfing rootstock if you want them to stay small, but the yield will be so much better at full size.

I love traveling to tropical locations and would love to be able to pick fruit from the property if the short term rental owner said it was ok. That said, fruit trees can also be a huge mess if there is no one to clean up fallen fruit. Will there be someone (you or someone you've hired) to maintain the landscaping and keep fruit from being a nuisance?

wait until you move in ... before you plant hobby trees ...

in the alternative ... i doubt anything will prosper to the point of fruiting significantly ... ... in 2 or 3 years .... [though i have no experience with tropical fruit trees..and no clue how large you would start with ....] ... so you would get a head start on getting the trees established before you move in ...

its like saying i would like a horse .. so ill install it at a rental.. until i can move there ...

ken

I would love to be able to pick fresh fruit off a tree if I were staying in such a place.

I'm a great believer in living one's dreams. Go for, I say.

I've only ever had bad experiences with renting property, so I'm a little jaded. My thoughts on anything like this are "how can someone destroy it?"

Lovers will carve their initials in it. Teens will burn parts of it for fun, or try to swing on it. Adults will smoke some meth and shoot at it. Sometimes, people just get jealous of someone else having something nice so they'll try to tear it down. All it really takes is one person to go out there in a bad mood, and destroy all of your hard work.

Were I in your shoes, I would pick trees and plants that are darn near indestructible, and cheap enough that if they DO mess it up then it won't be a tragedy. Save the good stuff for when you move in and know it'll be safe.

How close do you live to the rental property now? Can you keep an eye on it? Are you the one to clean it between guests? I think it's a delightful idea and it would be a good investment in your future. I have no idea about what would grow in that zone as I live in snowy Vermont where it is winter for half the year! I'm wondering if something like a pistachio tree would grow there. From pictures I've seen, they look like pretty trees, and the fruit is not so big as to clobber someone on the head. I think the trees only get to be about 25' tall and its value in produce would pay for itself...if you like them! I think that and a Meyer lemon or some such citrus tree would be wonderful.

Adults will smoke some meth and shoot at it.

==>> is this a big problem where you live..lol ...

I’ve always enjoyed staying in places with fruit trees. We’ve had bananas, citrus, figs, apples, plums and apricots in various places. And what’s to stop you going to the house and picking the fruit yourself? You could just regard it as an extension of your own garden.

I don't know much about tropical fruit trees but I always regard a well selected fruit tree as a positive advantage. I have planted quite a few too because apart from the fruit, there is also spring blossom, autumn colour and graceful winter architecture...including the amazing versatility and willingness to be shaped and trained. Honestly, everyone wins, including wildlife.