Do you grow anything that you don't like to eat?

RobThomas · 2017-02-01T15:24:37.993Z

I grow lots of varieties of tomatoes every year. But, I hate eating tomatoes. I’ve tried liking them. On sandwiches, burgers, salted, and I’ve tried all different types of tomatoes. But they all taste the same to me - disgusting! I know that’s probably blasphemy to some folks!

But, I LOVE growing tomatoes. My seed order for this year was just shipped out yesterday, and I can’t wait to get the seeds started. I’ll grow lots of varieties, but I’ll give them all away to friends, family, and coworkers. I just find growing them to be very rewarding, even though I can’t eat them.

So are there any fruits or veggies that you grow, but don’t like to eat yourself?

fruitnut · 2017-02-01T15:29:22.643Z

I only grow what I like to eat. And while I don’t find tomatoes disgusting they don’t have a pleasing flavor for me. I’ll eat them like on a sandwich but not by themselves. I’d rather eat another fruit.

jeremymillrood · 2017-02-01T15:56:38.843Z

never wasted time on anything I personally wouldn’t eat…for what it’s worth, I happen to love tomatoes, but can’t grow them worth a darn…they’re tricky here in Florida.

speedster1 · 2017-02-01T16:13:08.203Z

jeremymillrood:

never wasted time on anything I personally wouldn’t eat…for what it’s worth, I happen to love tomatoes, but can grow them worth a darn…

I agree 100%. If I or someone in my family doesn’t like it sayonara. I’m already short on time, I don’t want to waste it with something I don’t care for.

I love good tomatoes too. But I’m horrible at growing them. Nothing beats a BLT with crispy peppered bacon. I also love to cut up ripe tomatoes and mix them with cottage cheese.

galinas · 2017-02-01T16:32:55.489Z

So you don’t like fresh tomatoes? Does it also mean you don’t like ketchup, tomato juice, homemade tomato sauces, staffed tomatoes, salads, soups and 1000+ more way to eat a tomato? I pick a minimum 30 gallons of ripe tomatoes for the season but eat fresh may be one-two a day. The rest goes into cans and freezer. I use whole frozen tomatoes to cook in winter, and all my peppers/eggplants need a lot of tomatoes to be canned. You may enjoy a different way to use the tomatoes too, try it !

ltilton · 2017-02-01T16:39:41.626Z

I don’t like fresh tomatoes either, but the spouse does. If no one in the household likes it, I sure don’t grow it.

aheartforhome · 2017-02-01T16:58:00.637Z

I haven’t done it, but I’ve been very tempted to grow collards and other winter greens just because my grandparents always did when I was growing up and learning gardening from them. . .we never had a garden without those greens! I, however, do not enjoy eating said greens (even though I had plenty as a kid!!). But I imagine if I ever do succumb to the temptation my chickens would enjoy eating the greens!!

RobThomas · 2017-02-01T17:00:00.508Z

I should have clarified - I do like things made from tomatoes. I love salsa, tomato soup, ketchup, ect. I just don’t like the taste of fresh/uncooked/unprocessed tomatoes. I wish I did. They look delicious. So deceptive

marknmt · 2017-02-01T17:12:23.929Z

Kale. I grow it from year to year looking for a variety I’ll enjoy more than once or twice, and I have some that self-seeds and comes back. I eat a batch or two (and I have a really good salad and a slaw made with kale, and even sautee it with oil and garlic), but I never feel like preparing it and eating it. So it sits in the garden attracting aphids (Boy! does it ever.)

A few tomatoes, green beans, garlic, shallots, a few peppers, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage, lots of lettuces and a little spinach, which always bolts on me anyway.

Tried fall-seeding spinach, beets, chard (under cover to prevent heaving) but they are not really my favorites.

joehewitt · 2017-02-01T17:30:50.130Z

I feel the same way about fresh tomatoes, yuck! Only exception is Sungold cherry tomatoes. I grow tomatoes mainly to cook them or dehydrate them, which makes them extremely delicious.

Richard · 2017-02-01T19:29:43.476Z

Things I’m growing that I don’t like to eat:
Roses
Jasmine (Jasminum)
Verbena
Pelargoniums
Germander
Cuphea
Lemon Mint Marigold
Yarrow
etc.

jkuo · 2017-02-01T19:56:21.229Z

I don’t usually grow them, but I really like having hot peppers in the garden. I love the way they look, but I never actually eat more than a couple. Whenever I do grow them, I basically give them all away.

marknmt · 2017-02-01T20:00:44.884Z

I do a little of that with peppers too- grow more than I want just 'cause peppers are neat to look at.

VSOP · 2017-02-01T20:50:10.565Z

All the melons. I hate watermelon, cantaloupe, etc. But everyone else loves them,so I grow them!

LarryGene · 2017-02-02T04:55:13.076Z

Often it is the texture of a food that is off-putting rather than the flavor.
I don’t care for the texture of fresh tomatoes or melons. But a slice of tomato in a sandwich adds welcome moisture and variety.

Levers101 · 2017-02-02T17:53:23.009Z

I am with the folks who don’t like raw tomatoes plain. I never have really liked them. I can eat a few cherry/grape tomatoes, but overall I’m not a fan. But once you mix them with a little lime, onion, peppers, and cilantro I love raw tomatoes.

My wife keeps trying to get me to plant a sweet cherry. Recently I have not been impressed by sweet cherries from the store with their lack of any sort of redeeming acidity. Though I do remember the fresh ones in Door Co., WI being good the one year we visted. With the cold, the brown rot, black knot, and birds, I see them as too much of a hassle. However, I may just break down and plant one this year if it garners me some extra support for my fruit tree problem.

glib · 2017-02-02T19:58:55.069Z

I am too one of the tomato non-lovers. If I eat a pound of them my joints ache. I prefer self-seeding, semi-wild, somewhat bitter greens, and roots. No work, lots of nutrition, I feel great. But you have to take the family tastes into account, so I grow them.

speedster1 · 2017-02-02T20:00:52.230Z

I raved above about loving raw tomatoes but I must clarify. If slice a tomato and eat it I must sprinkle a little sea salt on them. I don’t care for tomatoes without salt.

RobThomas · 2017-02-02T20:43:28.517Z

Thanks, Richard! I should have seen that coming. I think I should clarify my question a little better next time!

Olpea · 2017-02-04T15:05:18.326Z

speedster1:

I raved above about loving raw tomatoes but I must clarify. If slice a tomato and eat it I must sprinkle a little sea salt on them. I don’t care for tomatoes without salt.

Me too. I love tomatoes, but can’t hardly eat them without salt. I didn’t used to like them when I was younger, then tried them peeled and salted and fell in love with them. Now it’s the fruit I look forward to the most in summer. We eat a lot more tomatoes than peaches. It’s not unusual to fix a large bowl of them for dinner, and we eat them all at the sitting (because they don’t taste good once you refrigerate them )