Topic: Cape Gooseberries

[Wicker]

I've never grown these tho I do enjoy eating them!  This year I've bought seed and intend having a bash - have been told they are easy to grow but am not totally convinced so are they easy, are there any special tips/hints? Any help apopreciated as usual.......

[Curryandchips]

As a complete novice, I cannot offer any qualified advice, but I was given some of the previous years fruit for seed. I just squashed the fruit, scraped out the seed, rinsed and dried them on paper and then planted in compost. After a couple of weeks (or a little longer), they have all started germinating. I have them on a warm shelf at work, so I cannot comment on whether they would germinate in cooler temperatures.

Once they have two true leaves, then I will prick them out into individual pots.

[glow777]

Grew some in my greenhouse last year, quite large plants and lots of "lanterns" on them but were very late ripening and only a few made it before the frost got to them. Other people I know bring them into heated greenhouses/conservatories to finish off ripening which can be as late as Christamas! They also overwinter the plants which should bring the harvesting period earlier in the year.

Maybe if I restricted the numbers of fruit as with tomatoes they would be better. Not growing again this year due to lack of space but will no doubt try again some time.

[jennym]

Very easy plants to grow - but start NOW! They need a long growing season. I start them off now, indoors, prick out into 7cm pots, then into 9cm pots, keep them in indoors at night (putting themn out on sunny days).
Then, come early April, I put them out side, hardening off gradually, into plastic covered cprotection, I guess pound shop cloches would do.  Any really cold frosts, I bring them in, but they seem to tolerate down to about 3 degrees C with protection from wind. Then at just before I put tomatoes out, say in early May, I plant them out into good moist fertile, soil about 2 ft apart. No pests or diseases noticeable, even the slugs don't seem to bother. Have grown Physalis primosa and Physalis edulis (don't know if same, but they were the names on seed packets). They got to about 3 - 4 ft tall and cropped really well. Never kept them overwinter though.

[flower]

I kept mine through the winter ( took them inside one of the greenhouses  on the lotties when weather cooled last autumn )picked the last fruits last week and have trimmed them down and  will put them bk outside come warmer weather they are perennials and are supposed to fruit  more prolifically in their second yr

 forgot to add unheated greenhouse which hit temps on the freezing mark and slightly below

[theothermarg]

Tried these a couple of years ago  they grow quite big and took over a big patch on the lottie didn't get any fruit as the season wasn't long enough for them. The onees in a pot in the greenhouse did better,but took up alot of room I could have used for something else!  had afew fruits but a bit sharp.I think perhaps they needed to ripen faster to be sweet soI lost interest and give up (short attention span you see)
I'd be interested in how yours turn out

[Georgie]

I had an excellent crop of Physalis peruviana treated as a HHA and grown outdoors in pots last year (in London).  They must be easy if I can grow them.  I started mine in March.  I say go for it!   ;D

G xx

[Wicker]

Thanks for the input, folks - I'll get them started off tomorrow then! If I am successful I'll certainly try overwintering them -  there I go getting ahead of myself already!!

[Curryandchips]

You never know Wicker, I may join you ...