Golden berry cape Gooseberry.

[northener]

Anyone grown them before? Just set some seeds off all i know is they need a long growing season and up here need to be grown indoors.

[northener]

[saddad]

Not grown that specific one, but grew some capes in the big greenhouse last year. Beautiful flowers. Plants got to 8' tall by the end of the season... so be careful if in a small greenhouse... or you might not get back out...  :)

[northener]

Could you eat them?

[SPUDLY]

Hi northener,

I 'm growing the golden berry this year. Got my seeds from alan romans. Set some of the seeds in february in a shed on the allotment. No sign of any yet, got plenty of seeds left so i'm going to try stagger sowing as the weather gets warmer. This is the first time i've tried them, but if i succeed they should taste great, think i read a cross between a strawberry and a pineapple.

[Jokerman]

I grew cape gooseberry in the greenhouse, didn't really like it though. Was full of seeds and found it quite bitter. Tried giving the fruit away but no one would take it... ending up just rotting on the greenhouse floor. Have been told it makes nice jam though.... if only I could cook!!!   ;D

[Jayb]

Saddad is right most CG.'s get big and go for space domination, I think they taste gorgeous though. Given somewhere frost free they can continue to fruit and harvest well into winter. they can be overwintered and do start to fruit earlier. Size can be restricted a bit by growing in containers and having restricted roots will help with fruiting (rather than leaf making) They do crop better inside, guess it depends where you are and how much space you have. Might be worth a try out doors if you have somewhere sheltered.

There are a couple of smaller growing ones, I know Little Lantern is one and I have a feeling Golden berry is too. They grow to about a foot or so but do spread horizontally prob a couple of feet. They harvest sooner than the biggies possibly cos they are annuals. Sweet taste and yes lots of seeds!

[reddyreddy]

surely they can be grown outdoors? My Mother just ordered me one for my allotment (as she likes them!) I have no room in my greenhouse!!

[cjb02]

I grew one last year from realseeds

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/physalis.html

Grew it from seed in February, I sadly only got about 8 fruit by the end of the year (it got to about 2ft high). Grew it on the patio. However I have over wintered it in the greenhouse and I have already got about a dozen fruit on it. So I have high hopes for it this year.

The 8 I grew tasted really nice too not tart, slightly sweet

I will take a photo later and post.

[manicscousers]

we grew them last year, in the poly, they took over so maybe you're better outside..we had hundreds of fruit, couldn't keep up and ended up feeding them to the chickens  :o
we had 3, if I grew them again, it would be 1  :)

[saddad]

I put in 5 that hadn't sold in June... hundreds of fruit... they took up about 1/8th of that big greenhouse...  :-[

[little pud]

got some to try, put a few seeds in pots beginning of march but no sign of them yet. :P

[northener]

Hmm, think i'll put them in a pot in the greenhouse then when they get too big i can pop them outside by which time the weather should be nice. Cheers Neil

[Wheatyman]

 Hi all
     Trying them for the first time this year and seem to be doing rather well seven seedling coming through but after read this thread I may not need them all.  My seeds are from Thompson & Morgan according to the information on the back they can be grown out doors after the risk of frost has passed, but don't say how high they grow but say they taste like pineapples. looking forward to tasting them.

Wheatyman

[asbean]

I got some on the seed swap, never tried them before ... ... we shall see  :) :) :)

[amphibian]

I grow them outdoors, I start them off in heat, indoors in February, they start of very small. I plant them out in May and they romp away, forming large 4-5' plants. They're happy in big pots too. I have even overwintered them before, by hard pruning them to a stick, like with chilies and bringing them indoors.

[cjb02]

I have even overwintered them before, by hard pruning them to a stick, like with chilies and bringing them indoors.

My cape gooseberries over wintered no problems at all. but I tried it with Chillies and peppers and they all died. I hard pruned them back to 6 inch above soil and kept them from just drying out. They stopped in a greenhouse that was kept from freezing. Can ask for any tips on keeping them alive ( I also tried it with toms but they also died)

[Inky]

Oh you have confused me now.I fancied growing one of these, I thought I had eaten them before in restaurants ontop of deserts with the paper lantern bit round it still. But I dont remember it having any seeds in it?!?

[cjb02]

This is my over wintered gape gooseberry, Once the last frost has gone. It will be out on the patio


http://flickcabin.com/public/view/full/25912

[Georgie]

Oh you have confused me now.I fancied growing one of these, I thought I had eaten them before in restaurants ontop of deserts with the paper lantern bit round it still. But I dont remember it having any seeds in it?!?

Must have been a good wine you had with 'em.  ;)  ;D

G x

[Toadspawn]

I think Golden Berry is one of the dwarf forms. I grew three in a growbag on a sheltered S. facing patio a few years ago. Spread about 18" -2' and height about 1'. Produced lots of small fruit, taste OK but nothing special and most ended up being thrown away. Not tried them since but I am trying a 'giant' form this year from Chiltern Seeds just for interest.