Tried these for the first time this year and can't believe how successful they have been - realise now why the Americans call them Ground Cherries as they fall to the ground when ripe! Ones that are nearly ripe and finish off at home on a sunny window sill.
I planted 8 in a sunny sheltered spot against a wall and they are the msot vigorous. As a precaution I left 4 in pots but placed ouside and they are now catching up. Will need to check for recipes - tho they are getting eaten pretty quickly!
Will they grow again next year? I plan taking the potted ones into the g'house then cutting back and covering the outside ones with fleece or suchlike over the winter - any ideas?
if you can protect them from frost they can be grown as perenniels, but need to be cut back hard to stop the plants getting weak and leggy.
they make great pies and jam and are fantastic in fruit salad.
They grow so easily from seed I just collect my own each year and sow it in the following February. Then again, space is at a premium here. But if you have plenty of room in a frost free place then it should be possible to overwinter them.
G x
Lots of fruit and flowers but haven't had a ripe one yet, eagerly awaiting for them :)
Amazing how the few varieties available of cape gooseberry can be so different (or have performed so differently this year). Grown two, which are:
Physalis pruinosa "Pineapple" has produced low growing plants, which are maybe 30 - 45cm high and sprawl over the soil, with fairly rigid stems so I havent supported them. They've been producing good quantities of fruit for a good month now - they are tiny sweet fruit (1cm dia) with a vague pineappley taste, which do drop easily to the ground when ripe.
Physalis edulis has produced taller plants, up to 1.2m high, which need support. The fruits are only just starting to ripen, and often stay on the plant when ripe (about 1.5 - 2 cm dia) but there are less of them than on the other. this plant also has duller green furry leaves, with more rounded edges.
Both were sown indoors in early March, and kept outside in 6 - 8" pots in a sheltered spot from early May, and planted into open ground first or second week of June. They haven't been watered after planting.
Thanks for mentioning that about falling when ripe, Wicker. I have about 6 plants, with fruit that still has 'green' cases, I was wondering how I would determine when they could be harvested.
I have no idea what variety they are, as I was given fruits from which I harvested seed. They have furry green leaves, which I have confused with aubergine and are less than a metre tall.
Quote from: Curry on September 11, 2006, 12:37:54
...They have furry green leaves, which I have confused with aubergine and are less than a metre tall.
That'll be the Physalis edulis then, is my guess.
Quote from: jennym on September 11, 2006, 12:43:11
That'll be the Physalis edulis then, is my guess.
I will believe them to be that then. Thank you.
While we're on the subject ;) Do you save the seeds like tomatoes? and do the seeds cross easily?
PS I can't believe how huge the plants grow! and soooo delicious!
I harvested my seeds from some fruit given to me, rinsed the seeds and dried them on a sheet of paper, then put them in a little packet until I sowed them. This is the first time I have ever tried growing stuff from harvested seeds, I get the impression that cape gooseberries are not keen on crossing ...
I only grew Peruviana this year (having been quite disappointed with the amount of fruit on Edulis last year) but I am definitely going to try 'Pineapple' next year having seen how much earlier it ripens. Peruviana fruits also stay on the plant when ripe and I've been picking for about a week now.
In terms of saving seeds, I treat them the same as tomato seeds: wash in a fine sieve, rub off as much pulp as possible then dry on saucer in a warm dry place and store when completely dry. I did try drying on paper towels once but found them very difficult to pick off although I don't suppose leaving the paper on would matter?
G x
Sorry to keep hogging you post Wicker! do you ferment the seeds when saving?
Sorry, I don't understand what you mean.
G x
QuoteSorry to keep hogging you post Wicker! do you ferment the seeds when saving?
It's not necessary :)
Looked out the seed packet from DT Brown (still lots in it) - they are called "Golden Berry" but don't know if that is the Peruvian type or not? Anyway, glad to see others are as enthusiastic as me/I/myself (grammar???) :-[