The most rewarding fruit to grow at home

[Moopmoop]

I'm wondering what other peoples opinions are on their most rewarding fruit to grow at home. I don't just mean the biggest harvests but also better tasting tasting, cheaper than in the shops, not available in the shop or just what make them happy that they are able to pick from their own garden/lottie etc.

I have a fair amount of different fruit trees/bushes/shrubs/plants growing in my garden at home, I only have one of each variety of most things other than, strawbs, rasps, framberries and rhubarb so I don't get a huge harvest and a lot of these things I've purchased fairly recently meaning I've had no harvest at all from some of them yet.

Come to think of it up to now I've really only picked gooseberries, strawberries and rhubarb. In a few years time I hope to be also picking from my cherry tree, fig, jostaberry, blueberry, gooseberry, blackcurrant, white currant, red currant, pink currant, cranberry, tayberry, blackberry, framberry, yellow raspberry and both autumn and summer raspberries and a sloe bush. I'm sure I'll have added to that list by the time I'm harvesting the above fruit.

I started off only growing veg but I think the fruit obsession has now took over, what is your favourite fruit you grow at home? Mine up to now were red gooseberries cos I've never seen them in the shops, and the green ones when in the shop are expensive. I can't remember what variety of gooseberry I've got (anyone see a theme here) other than that it's red but last year the fruit was so sweet I was eating it straight from the bush which everyone said yuck no you can't do that cos they'll be too sour. Lovely

[Martin H]

Autumn raspberries for me. They are just delicious straight off the plant with the warmth of the sun on them. Unbeatable.

[Bohobumble]

Raspberries here... not sure if they'll make it to the kitchen.

[Kristen]

I think Raspberries would be top of my list too, but I am growing (but not yet harvested) things like Nectarines and variants such as Pluot & Aprium in containers (brought in for the winter) as well as Fig varieties that are not hardy but which are reputed to have much better flavour than the rock-hardy ones usually offered in the UK (like Brown Turkey). On my "somewhat more unusual" list I also have Sharon Fruit and Medlar

[Alison]

I love the smell of my quinces, never seen them in the shops and although inedible raw they make beautiful jams, chutneys, jellies and cheeses. Home grown strawberries and raspberries far outweigh bought ones and are easy to grow too. The currants (white, red and black) and gooseberries are very prolific but less use to me and blueberries usually get eaten straight off the bushes. I like the fact I can grow many different types of apples too and have cordons all along one side if the lottie (just bought the last 5 the other day at end of season discount to complete the row). The birds eat most of my cherries but will try and protect that and my plum this year.

[Bren In Pots]

I've not got a lot of space but managed to fit in raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, rhubarb and apples and its difficult to pick a fave, apart from the rhubarb they're all enjoyed straight out of the garden.
I love home made strawberry jam so perhaps thats my favourite.

[Nicos]

We grow apples, pears,plums,gooseberries,black cherries, blueberries,red and black currants, rhubarb and the occasional tiny peach,strawberries and raspberries.

Of all those my favourites are the raspberries, black cherries and strawberries.
I'd be hard pressed to choose my favourite between them to be honest!

[Guest]

The more I keep thinking the more I keep adding. I do love a range of fruit and even varieties within a type of fruit i.e. apples with your fresh, stored and cooking varieties. I do love red gooseberries and I no longer grow green ones as they are not for me. I am yet to sample figs, mulberries and jostaberries but am looking forward to when I do. Good ole strawbs I feel are a must, cape gooseberries (is worth the annual try should I succeed) and cherries are all on my yum list.

[Kier]

japanese raspberries, mulberries, when I stop eating them they might get to the kitchen

[TheChemist]

Raspberries are the fruit I'm most keen on growing in abundance. As a child we always grew raspberries and rhubarb in the greatest abundance. My mum used to send us out with colanders and we'd spend hours putting more berries in our faces than in the receptacles (in fact, when we were really little my mum would make us play/harvest naked and literally hose us down on the patio before we were allowed back in the house!)

I know they're inexpensive and widely available but our 8 apple trees absolutely shower us with both eating and cooking fruit that is so versatile (we can juice, cider, crumbles, cakes, jams, and eat raw) but I think best of all - if you only have limited freezing space - they store so well and for such a long time. The trees themselves also need minimal care.

[Bigmallly]

The top of my list is the good old Tomato, eaten straight off the vine.

[marchogaeth]

The top of my list is the good old Tomato, eaten straight off the vine.

Ahhh but knowledge is knowing tomatoes are fruit but wisdom is knowing not to put them in a fruit salad!

[Alison]

japanese raspberries, mulberries, when I stop eating them they might get to the kitchen

Never heard of Japanese raspberries, I have a wineberry but not sure if that's what you mean.

[Bacchus]

Another fan of raspberries here along with Worchesterberry and Jostaberry for something different and Blueberries if you can get the soil right.

Also the humble apple has countless varieties to explore.

So fay my ever expanding orchard has:
Elstar
Red Devil
Cox's Orange Pippin
Gala
Braeburn
Jonagold
Granny Smith
Falstaff
Bramley

and a couple more I can't remember off the top of my head. I hope to add to this next year.

[Scarlet]

I grow plums, cherry plums, cherries (birds get them first) gooseberries red and green,straws (though not many) rasps, blackberry, tayberries, red,black and white currants, apples, pears, quince, fig ( never picked one yet!) Cape gooseberries.

I probably get the most use out of the raspberries, no one turns down a raspberry dessert - a simple Victoria sponge with raspberry jam filling, raspberry icecream with fresh raspberries and chocolate fudge cake etc...but for me the cherry plums are gorgeous fresh off the tree and I wouldn't be without them.