Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry

venturabananas · 01-01-2012, 09:38 PM

Anyone have experience growing ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa) or Cape Gooseberries (Physalis peruviana)? I read up on them and they sounded pretty easy to grow, and I've tasted Cape Gooseberries and liked them, so I bought some seeds of both. But I'd like to hear from anyone who has personal experience growing them.

sunfish · 01-01-2012, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by venturabananas

Anyone have experience growing ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa) or Cape Gooseberries (Physalis peruviana)? I read up on them and they sounded pretty easy to grow, and I've tasted Cape Gooseberries and liked them, so I bought some seeds of both. But I'd like to hear from anyone who has personal experience growing them.

I've grown plenty of tomatillo pretty much the same ?

venturabananas · 01-01-2012, 09:50 PM

Good question. Tomatillo are the same genus and I think growing them is pretty much the same. But normally tomatillo are harvested green, before ripe, at least when used in salsa. Ground cherries and Cape Gooseberry are harvested ripe and are sweet, though I read that tomatillo get pretty sweet if you let them ripen rather than harvest them green.

momoese · 01-01-2012, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by venturabananas

though I read that tomatillo get pretty sweet if you let them ripen rather than harvest them green.

That's an interesting bit. The possibilities!

Richard · 01-01-2012, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by venturabananas

Anyone have experience growing ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa) or Cape Gooseberries (Physalis peruviana)? I read up on them and they sounded pretty easy to grow, and I've tasted Cape Gooseberries and liked them, so I bought some seeds of both. But I'd like to hear from anyone who has personal experience growing them.

Interesting what names sellers of seeds come up with!

Husk Tomato = Physalis pruinosa.
I don't believe I've ever seen this plant.

Peruvian Groundcherry, Cape Gooseberry = Physalis peruviana.
A favorite around here.

Tomatillo, Cutleaf Groundcherry, Mexican Husk Tomato = Physalis angulata.

venturabananas · 01-01-2012, 11:26 PM

Tony and Richard, any hints on growing tomatillos / Cape Gooseberries? I read that they don't need much: just a little fert and nothing else special. Treat them like tomatoes and they'll be happy.

Richard · 01-02-2012, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by venturabananas

Tony and Richard, any hints on growing tomatillos / Cape Gooseberries? I read that they don't need much: just a little fert and nothing else special. Treat them like tomatoes and they'll be happy.

Exactly.

Tomatillos are fast growing and often spindly. If you are using 1-foot square tomato cages, plant two per cage.

Peruvian groundcherry definitely trails. I grow them in 14" pots and let them trail over the side.

Avoid fertilizers with proportionally high nitrogen. For example, I wouldn't use fish emulsion.

harveyc · 01-02-2012, 12:28 AM

Mark, I have some seeds of them that I should get planted now that you reminded me.

I saw Alex Silber had them growing at his and his father's nursery in Woodland Hills (Papaya Tree Nursery). I've heard that my season might be a little short to grow them well here but I'll try to give them a try.

venturabananas · 01-02-2012, 12:38 AM

Thanks Harvey. I also saw the ones that Alex was growing. They're supposed to be easy to grow from seed, which is good because I usually can't justify paying Alex's prices -- only when I save my pennies for something I can't get elsewhere!

harveyc · 01-02-2012, 01:15 AM

Haha, I bought a plant from Alex once. I committed to buying a plant without a price tag on it. Last time I'll make that mistake!

I'd also like to get one of his grafted Santa Fe carob trees but not for $125!!!!!

venturabananas · 01-02-2012, 01:30 AM

Yes, not putting prices on your plants is a good way of suckering someone (like me) into buying a hard to get plant. I've bought several plants from Alex, but only a couple with prices that really made me think twice. I've had to walk away from several after hearing the price!

harveyc · 02-16-2012, 02:13 PM

Okay, here's a photo of the ones I got my seed from.

lkailburn · 02-16-2012, 02:51 PM

I've only grown it one year, was easy to grow, only trouble i seemed to have was getting the plant to consistantly ripen the fruit fully before dropping them. Most seemed to drop around 75% ripe. Still edible, but not as good as when they are that nice dark orange

-Luke

Dalmatiansoap · 02-16-2012, 04:21 PM

How hardy they are?

harveyc · 02-16-2012, 04:25 PM

I've heard they're sensitive to frost as well as very hot weather and require a long growing season, that's why I've started them indoors early.

Richard · 02-16-2012, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harveyc

I've heard they're sensitive to frost as well as very hot weather and require a long growing season, that's why I've started them indoors early.

My experience is that they are sensitive to temperatures below 45 F. But for the growing season, I would say it does not require a long season in my temperate climate -- instead it has a long productive season and out-performs its relative the tomatillo.

harveyc · 02-16-2012, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

My experience is that they are sensitive to temperatures below 45 F. But for the growing season, I would say it does not require a long season in my temperate climate -- instead it has a long productive season and out-performs its relative the tomatillo.

I think for up here folks have had a hard time getting them in the ground early enough to fruit so they need a longer season than tomatoes, I guess or maybe folks just have been more used to buying tomato transplants and don't get started with their cape gooseberry soon enough. Mine were planted 2-3 weeks ago and should do okay, I hope.

Richard · 02-16-2012, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harveyc

I think for up here folks have had a hard time getting them in the ground early enough to fruit so they need a longer season than tomatoes, I guess or maybe folks just have been more used to buying tomato transplants and don't get started with their cape gooseberry soon enough. Mine were planted 2-3 weeks ago and should do okay, I hope.

A 16" to 17" pot works great.

harveyc · 02-16-2012, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

A 16" to 17" pot works great.

I might do that if I really like them but that's pretty heavy to move around much.

Richard · 02-16-2012, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harveyc

I might do that if I really like them but that's pretty heavy to move around much.

Oh I won't move it, just performs better than putting it in the ground.

01-01-2012, 09:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
venturabananas venturabananas's Photo Gallery Location: Ventura, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Mark Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 2,845 BananaBucks : 239,557 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,752 Times Was Thanked 3,968 Times in 1,713 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 39 Times	Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry Anyone have experience growing ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa) or Cape Gooseberries (Physalis peruviana)? I read up on them and they sounded pretty easy to grow, and I've tasted Cape Gooseberries and liked them, so I bought some seeds of both. But I'd like to hear from anyone who has personal experience growing them. __________________

01-01-2012, 09:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
venturabananas venturabananas's Photo Gallery Location: Ventura, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Mark Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 2,845 BananaBucks : 239,557 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,752 Times Was Thanked 3,968 Times in 1,713 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 39 Times	Re: Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry Good question. Tomatillo are the same genus and I think growing them is pretty much the same. But normally tomatillo are harvested green, before ripe, at least when used in salsa. Ground cherries and Cape Gooseberry are harvested ripe and are sweet, though I read that tomatillo get pretty sweet if you let them ripen rather than harvest them green. __________________

01-01-2012, 11:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
venturabananas venturabananas's Photo Gallery Location: Ventura, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Mark Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 2,845 BananaBucks : 239,557 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,752 Times Was Thanked 3,968 Times in 1,713 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 39 Times	Re: Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry Tony and Richard, any hints on growing tomatillos / Cape Gooseberries? I read that they don't need much: just a little fert and nothing else special. Treat them like tomatoes and they'll be happy. __________________

01-02-2012, 12:28 AM	#8 (permalink)
harveyc Been nuts, gone bananas harveyc's Photo Gallery Location: Isleton, Calif Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Harvey Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 5,117 BananaBucks : 262,484 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,024 Times Was Thanked 4,453 Times in 1,894 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,785 Times	Re: Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry Mark, I have some seeds of them that I should get planted now that you reminded me. I saw Alex Silber had them growing at his and his father's nursery in Woodland Hills (Papaya Tree Nursery). I've heard that my season might be a little short to grow them well here but I'll try to give them a try. __________________

01-02-2012, 12:38 AM	#9 (permalink)
venturabananas venturabananas's Photo Gallery Location: Ventura, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Mark Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 2,845 BananaBucks : 239,557 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,752 Times Was Thanked 3,968 Times in 1,713 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 39 Times	Re: Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry Thanks Harvey. I also saw the ones that Alex was growing. They're supposed to be easy to grow from seed, which is good because I usually can't justify paying Alex's prices -- only when I save my pennies for something I can't get elsewhere! __________________

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01-02-2012, 01:15 AM	#10 (permalink)
harveyc Been nuts, gone bananas harveyc's Photo Gallery Location: Isleton, Calif Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Harvey Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 5,117 BananaBucks : 262,484 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,024 Times Was Thanked 4,453 Times in 1,894 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,785 Times	Re: Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry Haha, I bought a plant from Alex once. I committed to buying a plant without a price tag on it. Last time I'll make that mistake! I'd also like to get one of his grafted Santa Fe carob trees but not for $125!!!!! __________________

01-02-2012, 01:30 AM	#11 (permalink)
venturabananas venturabananas's Photo Gallery Location: Ventura, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Mark Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 2,845 BananaBucks : 239,557 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,752 Times Was Thanked 3,968 Times in 1,713 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 39 Times	Re: Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry Yes, not putting prices on your plants is a good way of suckering someone (like me) into buying a hard to get plant. I've bought several plants from Alex, but only a couple with prices that really made me think twice. I've had to walk away from several after hearing the price! __________________

02-16-2012, 02:13 PM	#12 (permalink)
harveyc Been nuts, gone bananas harveyc's Photo Gallery Location: Isleton, Calif Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Harvey Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 5,117 BananaBucks : 262,484 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,024 Times Was Thanked 4,453 Times in 1,894 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,785 Times	Re: Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry Okay, here's a photo of the ones I got my seed from. __________________ Last edited by harveyc : 02-16-2012 at 02:17 PM.

02-16-2012, 02:51 PM	#13 (permalink)
lkailburn lkailburn's Photo Gallery Zone: 5a Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 232 BananaBucks : 17,346 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 176 Times in 106 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 4 Times	Re: Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry I've only grown it one year, was easy to grow, only trouble i seemed to have was getting the plant to consistantly ripen the fruit fully before dropping them. Most seemed to drop around 75% ripe. Still edible, but not as good as when they are that nice dark orange -Luke

02-16-2012, 04:21 PM	#14 (permalink)
Dalmatiansoap Let there be light Dalmatiansoap's Photo Gallery Location: Makarska, Croatia Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Ante Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 9,160 BananaBucks : 607,873 Feedback: 10 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,508 Times Was Thanked 8,381 Times in 3,031 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 720 Times	Re: Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry How hardy they are? __________________ https://abnb.me/AXJty518xib

02-16-2012, 04:25 PM	#15 (permalink)
harveyc Been nuts, gone bananas harveyc's Photo Gallery Location: Isleton, Calif Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Harvey Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 5,117 BananaBucks : 262,484 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,024 Times Was Thanked 4,453 Times in 1,894 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,785 Times	Re: Physalis: ground cherry and Cape gooseberry I've heard they're sensitive to frost as well as very hot weather and require a long growing season, that's why I've started them indoors early. __________________

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