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Exotic fruits?

debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
in Plants
Hello all, last year I successfully grew melons in my greenhouse and this year I fancy trying some other exotic fruits. Any suggestions? Greenhouse is unheated but in a sunny spot. West Midlands. Not citrus really thinking something more unusual. Has anybody tried something and really grown it well? Or failed miserably? 
Any advice gratefully received. 
Thanks
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Posts

  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    I tried melons once but we had such a miserable summer that the fruit didn't grow very big and they didn't ripen. If I'd have known last year was going to be like it was I'd have had another go.

    It's a very interesting question you pose. I'm very interested to hear if others have any ideas as I love growing different fruits but the ones I can think of are all from multi year, perennial, plants, which would need somewhere warmer in the winter.

    I do grow Chilean guava, which is a little exotic sounding and the berries are exotic tasting but it's pretty hardy if given a little protection.      
  • NormandyLizNormandyLiz Posts: 788
    Ask me at the end of the year, I've got some kiwano seeds to try. I'm trying it outside on a very sunny wall (to be germinated inside), but I've also given a couple of seeds to the market gardeners who sell at the market, and they are going to try it in their polytunnel. I'll report back!
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Kiwi.  You get nice flowers too.  You need both male and female plants (ignore how they self-identify).
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Kiwi fruit are vines and need 3 years before fruition and they fruit in the autumn like any exotic fruit.  Kiwiano might be fun to try.  I think you'll find it difficult as melon is a summer fruit and not exotic.  I grew Cape Gooseberries one year quite successfully.  As UK is more humid than here, you will probably have more success.  
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    I should proof read my messages!  @debs64  I meant to say that you will find it difficult to grow something exotic that is not a tree or a vine such as passionfruit.  Melons are a summer fruiting plant for warm climates.  I think we are going to have another ripper of a summer, so why not try other types of melon :  honeydew, cantaloupe etc

    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    There is a self fertile Kiwi - Jenny - so male and female not needed.  An attractive climber too.  Same with the Passion fruit but you do need the right site ( and space ) for both.
    I get a reasonable crop in the GH ( no heat ) of the P fruit but I haven't tried Kiwi other than in SW France where they did well.
    I also had some success with Pineapples many years ago but that was in a heated GH.  Nothing quite like picking your own Pineapple  :D
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    @philippasmith2. grows Passion Fruits,   Not warm enough here for me to grow exotics,  I only have raspberries, strawberries and rhubarb.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    Anyone tried pineapple guava? Or paw paws? 
  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    I haven't yet but pineapple guava is on my list of things to try.
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    Thanks for all your suggestions I think I am going to try pineapple guava. It’s just a little bit of a very small greenhouse the rest will be tomatoes and chillies and cucumbers. 
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