Gooseberries are small, round thin-skinned fruits that look a lot like grapes. Ripe gooseberries can be green, pink, yellow, or white. Some gooseberry varieties are for fresh-eating and desserts; others are for cooking—pies, tarts, jam, jellies, and sauces; and some varieties can be used both fresh and cooked. The gooseberry is a hardy, deciduous, perennial
Dessert grapes and wine grapes are not difficult to grow in the home garden. Grapes grow well in most regions. The most commonly grown grapes fall into two categories American grapes and European grapes. American grapes are most hardy; they will grow in regions where winter temperatures fall to 0°F (-18°C). European grapes are less
Tangy grapefruit can be eaten raw—by the half or peeled and sectioned, it can be added to green and fruit salads and compotes, and it can be juiced. Grapefruits require heat to develop their sweet-tart flavor. A grapefruit that feels heavy for its size is ripe and ready to eat or juice. Grapefruits are best
Kiwifruits are easy to grow. They grow in clusters like grapes. Each is about the size of an egg or smaller. They have firm flesh like a melon and flavor that is a blend of melon, banana, lime, and strawberry. There are several kiwifruit varieties, some for growing in warm winter regions, some for growing
Kumquats ready for harvest Kumquats can be eaten fresh out of hand whole—rind and all. The skin of the kumquat is sweeter than the flesh. Roll a kumquat between your fingers to mingle the sweet skin and tart flesh, then eat the whole fruit or slice it and add it to fruit salads. Kumquats can
Lemons are too tart to eat on their own, but they are probably used more than any other fruit. Lemons are the defining flavor in many desserts, and they add zest to just about all savory dishes. Lemons grow where other citrus trees won’t. They have a lower heat requirement than sweet oranges and grapefruits.
Limes are too tart to eat on their own, but like lemons, they add a refreshing tang to both sweet and savory dishes. Limes are grown mostly in Florida, California, along the Gulf Coast, and in Mexico. Limes are the least cold-tolerant of citrus fruits. They are best grown where summers are hot and winter
Loquats are easy to grow. They produce plum-sized fruits that are sweet and tangy. Loquats are large evergreen shrubs or small trees. They can grow 20 to 30 feet tall but are usually about 10 feet tall or slightly larger. Loquat fruits are round, oval, or pear-shaped, 1 to 2 inches long with a smooth
Mango trees can grow in the home garden. The mango is native to southern Asia and eastern India. Mangoes are among the most widely cultivated fruits in the tropics. There are more than 500 hundred cultivars of mango. Some can grow more than 100 feet tall and more than 30 feet wide. Smaller dwarf cultivars
Mulberries look like blackberries, but they grow on a tree, not a bush. Mulberries are not difficult to grow once established. There are three kinds of mulberry trees: black, red, and white. Black mulberry fruit is large, 1 to 2 inches long, and juicy; they have an intense sweet-tart flavor. The tartness of black mulberry
