Physalis peruviana (Cape Gooseberry)
 

[url]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MVCKQ[/url] 6 Septrmber 2013 Physalis peruviana (Cape Gooseberry)
The Cape gooseberry was ready to pick. The fruit is very sparse but of good quality.Quantity of fruit makes growing of marginal utility. The fruit falls to the ground when ripe but sort of clings until the last moment.The screens were not deployed, since the quantity of fruit was so low. The fruit must be approaching orange colour to be utilized. If green tinge the fruit has too much solanine for consumption and is bitter.

[url]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BCIXX[/url] 16 May 2013 Physalis peruviana Planted outdoors
Five Physalis peruviana (Cape Gooseberry) plants were placed outdoors. The planting area was mulched and a stake supplied for some support. Some plants are in blossom. Fibre glass screens were made to collect the fruit when it falls off the plants.

[url]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?IUMLB[/url] 18 April 2013 Hardening Off Physalis peruviana (Ground Cherry). The process of hardening off my five Cape Gooseberry plants has begun. The plants are growing well.

[url]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?KFMJB[/url] 4 March 2013 Potting up.Physalis peruviana The five plants were moved to larger pots. This is probably the last move until planted outside at the end of May depending upon the growth.The plants will be kept in the greenhouse until planted out.Pictures depict the method.

[url]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?RWFYX[/url] 25 February 2013 Physalis peruviana
Photos indicating growth after 39 days. The plants are healthy and strong.

[url]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HOAEC[/url] 2 February 2013 Physalis peruviana (Cape Gooseberry) plants growing well.
Five plants are thriving. When it warms up they will be placed in the outdoor greenhouse.The bags tend to keep the moisture level high. At this stage watering is done to achieve bottom watering by placing the pots in a container of water as required.

[url]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XOYYZ[/url] 16 January 2013 Physalis peruviana
Required are five or six plants. Germination is slow and erratic judging from past experience in my zone 5. These plants are slow growing and require a long season. They will be planted outdoors about the end of May. Of all the ground cherries, this has the largest fruit and the bushes are more upright, also the fruit tends to stay on the bush until picked. These plants were started on 27 December 2012, and about 30% of the seeds were viable.

Very interesting. I have two big plants in my garden, and not a single flower yet.

I'm jealous. I love Cape Gooseberries. They're great for making gooseberry fool. Looking fabulous Durgan.

I'm jealous. I love Cape Gooseberries. They're great for making gooseberry fool. Looking fabulous Durgan.

[url]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?LBXEL[/url] 23 October 2013 Physalis peruviana (Cape Gooseberry)
Plants still producing fruit after about five frosts over the last six weeks. This fruit, one pound, was plucked from the branches not off the ground. Plants are still producing flowers.There appears to be no frost damage and the quality of the fruit is excellent and all ripe.

[url]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OAQLP[/url] 3 November 2013 Physalis peruviana (Cape Gooseberry)
Frost has affected the plants. There are many green fruit which will not ripen prior to a hard freeze. The season in Zone 5 is probably not long enough to grow efficiently. The Summer season need be exceptionally warm. The ripe ones are large and still in pristine condition.

Looks wonderful. Can you overwinter them, maybe they will produce more on their second year?

[QUOTE=green_go;380469]Looks wonderful. Can you overwinter them, maybe they will produce more on their second year?[/QUOTE]

Never tried over-wintering. I will leave them until the Spring and see what happens.

Trying some next year.
Is this a variety that demands cross-pollination (two plants minimum) for a succesful crop?

No idea about cross pollination, since I have always grown five or six plants.

[url]http://www.durgan.org/URL/?MRXNZ[/url] 13 November 2013 Cape Gooseberry Pictures were taken to indicate the large quantity of fruit not matured even after about eleven months of growth. This indicates to me this plants needs a long growing season with no frost, certainly for economical commercial growing.

Thanks for sharing your gardening experience with the peruviana (poha berries). In region 9 where I am, and at my 800 feet elevation, the plants grow stunted (two feet high) and produce small berries about 3/8 inches. At higher elevations, they may produce much bigger berries, maybe 1/2 inches. My first attempt at growing them was in early 2011, most plants died young or were eaten by slugs. Some survived and I had some tasty fruits. These plants lived for about ten months before drying up despite regular watering, so maybe they cannot be expected to last longer in year round warm climates. The seeds from dropped fruits do sprout every so often, but the plants are so weak that I just pull them out. I'll try to grow them again soon, this time in a controlled enviroment that I'll post later.

For all those who have grown this in containers: is it OK and effective to grow two plants in a container, or would it be better for the roots for each plant to have their own pot?

Narnian, yes it is a good idea to grow two or more plants in one container. I would recommend a 20 gallon container filled with potting soil. Scatter about thirty seeds and cull out the weak ones as they grow. A 20 gallon container should support up to ten plants.

Thanks, I'll see how many of my seeds germinate - only two have shown up in the cup so far, of five. One or two goes to my parents, but I hope to keep at least one on my balcony.
So far the seedlings are very very small - I hope they are what they're supposed to be and not just some grass ..!