Hello Kevin,
I develeoped a different strategy.
Looking for dwarfs is highly restricting in choice.
Make your own dwarfs.
I have 20+ fruit and nut trees. All under 2.5m. Many of them already productive.
And all will stay at 2-2.5 metre, because that is the size I designed them to stay.
How ?
Root control bags.
These bags are made out of geo-fabric (predicted lifetime 50+ years).
If you put a plant (any) in a root control bag you will observe some amazing effects.
The plant roots will
grow strait into and through the root control bag.
But, because the geo-fabric is made in a way (needled) that do not allow to widen the very fine holes in the fabric, the root is stuck after about 10 cm grow.
This restricting of the roots has has an almost magic effect on the plant.
The plant "think" it is grown up and done with root development.
The plant now:
- Stop growing in high.
- Start growing fruit/nuts.
VERY early. Usually after 3-4 years. Even with species that usually take 20+ years unrestricted to come in production.
You will get a strong ! healthy, productive plant.
I have: Acca sellowiana | Araucaria bidwillii | Asimina triloba | Carica papaya × C. pentagona | Coffea arabica | Citrus × sinensis | Cyphomandra betacea | Diospyros kaki | Ficus carica | Jubaea chilensis | Juglans neotropica | Morus alba × Morus ruba | Morus macroura | Morus nigra | Musa acuminata | Parajubaea torallyi var. torallyi | Punica granatum | Rollinia deliciosa | Xanthoceras sorbifolium
In root control bags.
Only Diospyros kaki and a peach are grafted, all other on own roots.
On own roots works best with root control bags. If you can't get what you want on own roots, get it on the most vigorous root stock available.
I have the best results with 3 gallon / 10 litre bags
in 40 litre high strength plant bags (with handles).
You can put the bag of course also just in the ground. You *may* have to secure them with stakes to not get blown over.
They make usually a 2-2.5m plant.
But you can also start with a 2 gallon bag and if the final size after 3-4 years is not large enough, just transplant it to a 3 gallon bag.
The plant will start growing again until the new bag is filled up with roots.
If you one day decide that you want 'free' a plant from the bag, no problem the plant will establish itself in an amazing speed and start growing again until its natural/genetic size is reached.
You can get them sold as "Smart Pot"
http://treebag.com/root-control-bag/
For example sold worldwide from:
http://www.horticulturesource.com/high-caliper-3-gallon-smart-pot-10-x-8-5--p20408/
There are Chinese clones sold as "Phat sacks". These seems to work too. But I would stick to the Smart Pots because there are since many years on the market.
Good luck.
Andy
P.S. if you want recommendations for fertilizer and my irrigation system, ask.