I have quite a lot of herbs and stuff, mostly hydroponic, but can’t find a lot of inspiration what I wanna grow next year.

I’m looking for some sweet, delicious fruit, maybe even exotic ones that you can’t find in the supermarket.

Preferably they should have those checkboxes, but don’t have to fullfil all requirements:

  • Be annual. If they require overwintering inside, then they must check next mark
  • Be non-toxic/ only mildly toxic to cats
  • Grow well in a hydroponic environment. Shouldn’t be a problem I guess?
  • Shouldn’t grow too large, especially on the floor (for example like melons)
  • Have a good yield
  • Should be growable from seed, or preferably cuttings

My ideas/ experiences:

  • Melons (watermelon or cantaloupe) -> already tried, but didn’t survive due to inconvenient circumstances
  • Strawberries (sadly, bad ratio between size and yield)
  • Lemons or citrus fruits (already growing, are in seedling stage)

Do you have any suggestions or experiences? What are your favourites?

  • poVoq@slrpnk.netEnglish
    7·
    4 months ago

    I tried Papaya here, but didn’t work out. Apparently they only fruit when growing to a certain size which is too big for the typical balcony.

    I think you should give cherry tomatoes a try. Yes not what you are asking for, but they a easy to grow and a very nice addition to one’s daily diet.

  • Nyssa Sylvatica@lemmy.worldEnglish
    6·
    4 months ago

    Absolutely figs. One of the easiest things to grow, even in a container. The easiest citrus to grow in a container is probably kumquat.

    Not annual, but not many fruits are. Maybe just melons and tomatoes.

    • nomad@infosec.pubEnglish
      2·
      4 months ago

      I second figs. Fresh figs are so delicious. Dried figs are kinda men. They grow easily and plentiful but require a big container.

  • itchick2014 [Ohio]@midwest.socialEnglish
    4·
    4 months ago

    Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries. Buy once, let them grow! Not exotic, but sweet and delicious. They are perennials but do not require being taken inside during winter. On my next to buy list is a plum tree and pawpaw tree…

    • protist@mander.xyzEnglish
      2·
      4 months ago

      Get yourself some thornless blackberries, there are few thorns that will cause more damage to your body.

  • Cheradenine@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    4·
    4 months ago

    Passion Fruit, it can be grown as an annual if you summer is long enough. Readily grows from seed, can be trained on your balcony railing where it will provide shade and give bees a pollen and nectar source. Delicious as a drink, on ice cream, as a preserve, in salsa.

  • nomad@infosec.pubEnglish
    2·
    4 months ago

    Zucchini, Aubergine and pumpkin are good eating and grow with good yield. Pumpkin vine can get pretty out of hand though. I recommend small pumpkin varieties.

  • redisdead@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    4 months ago

    Strawberries. Strawberries all day every day.

    You can leave them outside in the winter. Average plant lives 4 years. Strawberries do two things: make fruits and spread like weeds.

    Mix a June bearing variety and an everbearing variety for constant harvest + a bounty in june.

    Get one of them towers that lets you have 12+ plants on a tiny amount of floor space for more strawberries.

    Or like just stack buckets. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/strawberry/vertical-strawberry-tower.htm

    Strawbs don’t care