Less conventional Fruit.
- Thread starter TeeDee
- Start date
I have tried Blueberries before but I suspect I didn't feed them correct as they didn't fruit. Am I right in thinking they like acidic soil? did you feed them anything special.
I've got Pomegranate, Figs, Cherry Plum, Apricot and Oregon Grape in the garden, the Fig fruits well as does the Oregon Grape which is a bit insipid tbh, the Pomegranate fruits, but they are so small as to not be worth bothering with, the Cherry Plum does fruit, but not this year as it got a right good cutting back as it was becoming unwieldy, the Apricot does fruit and they are delicious straight from the tree.
I also have Quince, Greengage, Bullace & Damson amongst the more usual Apples, Pears, Black Grape, Cherry, Loganberry, Hazelnuts & Blackcurrants.
I also have Quince, Greengage, Bullace & Damson amongst the more usual Apples, Pears, Black Grape, Cherry, Loganberry, Hazelnuts & Blackcurrants.
Gooseberries seem to have fallen out of favour.
Indeed - I said the same the other day. When I was a lad we had at least a dozen bushes of the little spikey darlings. Delicious.
Yes, they like acidic soil. We grow some in pots of ericaceous compost and they've done ok so long as they are watered from time to time with rain water or acidic water.
This year I've fed them well and had about 10 pints of blueberries from 4 plants which are different cultivars so fruit over a few months.
More are grown in our woodland that has acidic soil and they do very well. However all fruit is eaten by the wildlife as they need netting.
We’ve got two gooseberry bushes, one established and one a baby. The established bush gave us 2KG of fruit this year, and we’re hoping that the smaller one will start fruiting next year. The fruit is all going into gooseberry and ginger jam - one of my favourites.
We tried cucamelons last year, and although the vines went mad throughout the green house and fruited all over, I wasn’t that keen on them.
This year we’ve had some success with aubergines in the greenhouse - good eating.
We tried cucamelons last year, and although the vines went mad throughout the green house and fruited all over, I wasn’t that keen on them.
This year we’ve had some success with aubergines in the greenhouse - good eating.
Gages (green & golden)
Black, white & red currants
White & Black Mulberry
Medlar
Gooseberry
Bilberry
Blueberry
Cranberry
Tayberry / Loganberry
Pineapple strawberry
Red, yellow & black raspberry
Chequers
True Service Fruit
Are your Mulberry trees laying down? I was told by an old gardener many years ago (he's long gone sadly) that mulberry trees were purposefully planted at an acute angle to the ground so they grew almost laying down; that way you can pick the fruit. I wasn't sure I believed him until I saw the very old Mulberry trees in St Fagans - all laying down as though the wind had blown them over when young.
The first mulberry I saw was at an old work - it was laying down. I saw one recently too when on holiday (but can’t remember where ) and that was laying too.
I've sampled all of those in the past albeit the last Two.
Are they worth the bother? ( Subjective question i appreciate )
We have Boysenberries; like a very large, long. blackberry (slightly more red). I believe they are a hybrid of four different berries developed in the early 20th century. They taste nice but, if I'm honest, there's too high a seed to fruit ratio for me. Best made into jelly as opposed to jam.
From a purely fruit basis probably not. I grew them for biodiversity mainly
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Haven’t had a medlar in a couple of years, loved picking them and boxing the up to go soft and during the winter months eating them, spooning out the middle and put it on cheddar cheese, lush!
For some reason my local Sainsburys super market when building it some years ago decided to plant a mix of Medlars and Gages around the car park. I dont think many know what they are so I'm happy to avail myself of them.
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Greengages can't be that hard to grow as theres a few growing on a bit of waste vround in Carlisle where I walk the dog. Taste nice enough to me anyway.
Big fan of gooseberries and although I wouldn't call it a fruit, Rhubarb.
As for other Strange Fruit? Theres a very dark song about that with an interesting (but not at all nice) backstory. Worth looking it up.
Big fan of gooseberries and although I wouldn't call it a fruit, Rhubarb.
As for other Strange Fruit? Theres a very dark song about that with an interesting (but not at all nice) backstory. Worth looking it up.
I'm familiar with the song.
Obscure fruit maybe a better term.
Its strange how our fruits and veg are limited to a certain range offered by supermarkets lead by I guess our farming and consumer led purchasing.
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