# If you could grow any fruit or vegetable... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2006, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236 "2006-08-11T01:31:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/1 "2006-08-11T01:31:27Z")
Suppose that you could grow any fruit or vegetable regardless of your climate. Well, regardless in the sense of tomatoes in Alaska – if it has a definite season, you’d be limited to its season, not get watermelon 12 months a year. If you could, what would you have growing out in your backyard? Me – I’d have a nice big avocado tree. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/2 "2006-08-11T01:36:29Z")
Capsciums ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/3 "2006-08-11T01:37:38Z")
By which, of course, I meant capsicums. ---
**Author:** ![bagkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bagkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bagkitty)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/4 "2006-08-11T01:38:14Z")
nectarines or mandarin oranges but in live in Zone 3 (bordering on Zone 2) ☹ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/5 "2006-08-11T01:39:31Z")
See **Cuncator** ’s answer. Or maybe coconuts… ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/6 "2006-08-11T01:44:38Z")
Raspberries. I’m all about the raspberries. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/7 "2006-08-11T01:50:04Z")
Assuming I could eliminate the %#@)?! groundhogs that inhabit my neighbor’s yard but come to mine for the buffet… I’d go for an avocado tree, too. And artichokes. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/8 "2006-08-11T01:50:43Z")
mangoes ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/9 "2006-08-11T03:03:27Z")
wine grapes. Either zinfandel or cab sauv, or both just for the heck of it. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/10 "2006-08-11T03:10:30Z")
Asparagus. And artichokes. And papaya. I had a papaya tree in Hawaii and it was so yummy. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/11 "2006-08-11T03:12:51Z")
Corn. There is nothing better than fresh corn on the cob. ---
**Author:** ![Fritz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Fritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fritz)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/12 "2006-08-11T03:19:47Z")
Can’t grow it because I’m in an apartment now, but: Tomatoes. And blackberries and raspberries. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/13 "2006-08-11T03:48:20Z")
I agree with **Malienation** and **Fritz**. It’s all about the raspberries. Mmmmm…raspberries… _drools_ My parents used to have black raspberry bushes in their backyard, and my grandparents had red raspberry bushes. We used to pick them and eat them right off the bushes (watch out for the brambles, though!). And my grandmother made the most heavenly raspberry torte. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/14 "2006-08-11T03:49:46Z")
Strawberries. Or bananas. Or, since we’re wishing, a strawberry-banana hybrid. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/15 "2006-08-11T03:55:07Z")
Opium poppies! Er…opium counts as a vegatable right? Ok if I can’t have that, mulberries. I grew up with a mulberry bush in my front yard. Now I find it’s practicaly impossible to get one if you don’t alreadly have one. You can’t buy them. I would love a mulberry bush. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/16 "2006-08-11T04:45:00Z")
Mangos, yes. St. Julie/ East Indian hybrid mangos. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/17 "2006-08-11T04:55:13Z")
Does the mojo that lets me grow whatever include a reduction in the PITA factor for preparation? 'Cuz I love field peas, black eyed peas, purple hulled peas, and butterbeans, but absolutley hate to de-pod them. Hate it so bad I’m blanking on the word for the process. ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/18 "2006-08-11T05:42:40Z")
New Mexico chile and tomatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/19 "2006-08-11T06:29:15Z")
You can’t grow raspberries in Maryland or California? I figured they grew everywhere. We’ve got lots of wild raspberries where I grew up. I’d go with avocados or oranges. Or maybe pineapples - I don’t like them quite as well as the other two but I’ve heard they taste really great fresh off the vine. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2006, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236/20 "2006-08-11T08:15:16Z")
Oranges. The climate here in the UK, even where I live on the south coast, is _just a tiny bit too cold and wet_ for citrus. Of course they can be grown in tubs and moved under glass for the winter, but I’ve tried that and it’s difficult, and it doesn’t really work. So I would dearly love to be able to wander into my garden and smell orange blossom, or pick a fresh orange straight from the tree. I spent a few days in Spain back in April - which is actually a little late for the main orange season, but the trees were in full flower and there were still oranges to be had, just not so many of them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-grow-any-fruit-or-vegetable/368236.md?page=2)