Physalis (Ground Cherry)

[FaeMelusine]

Hello all,

I'm a newbie here, but not to gardening. I'm looking to shake things up a bit and grow a few experiments this year so I planted 10 physalis seeds. 8 germinated and sprouted over a month ago, but they are still only the height of a thumbnail. They've started to develop their first true leaves. Normally I wouldn't consider moving seedlings on at this height but with the true leaf coming through, should I?

Also, do any of you wise people know if I can grow these in containers or growbags? And should they be under glass ideally?

It is an experiment so I'm going to try a few different things, but at the same time I don't want to waste too many plants so I thought I'd ask some lovely people here (I've been reading, you do seem lovely ).

Any advice you have would be great!
Thanks all

Jen

[Carltonian Man]

Also, do any of you wise people know if I can grow these in containers or growbags? And should they be under glass ideally?

Hi Jen
Physalis is rather invasive and will probably grow most places. We had loads spreading in one corner of the garden, now next doors have it on their side (just the other side of the fence funnily enough ). Currently it's making a spirited bid to cross their lawn. Luckily we got rid of ours before the current folks moved in so when they have a moan about it they blame the previous occupants.

[FaeMelusine]

Wow! Really? I didn't think it would go that mad in the UK :)
I'll do it in pots then and see what happens! I guess the problem is if the birds get to the fruits or if the fruits drop and seed?
I'll be doing them on concrete and will keep the birds off so hopefully it won't go too crazy, but to be honest, if it does its more fruit and I can live with that :)

Thanks for the advise!

Jen

[Durgan]

Physalis pruninosa does self seed but are easy to remove, also the self seeders do not get very large. The plant is very slow growing in the early stages, but finally speed up in hot conditions. They are a marvellous fruit. My area is marginal climate wise for growing, and four or five plants produce a plentiful supply of fruit. I have about six plants in the garden now, but still very small. Each plant at maturity takes about 9 square feet of space.

Here are my efforts at growing.
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?WXDUB 4 October 2011 Ground Cherry. (Physalis Pruinosa) aka Aunt Molly Ground Cherry
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?ZHJPX 25 July 2011 Physalis pruinosa (Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry)

A ground cherry plant will produce probably a six quart basket or more in a good year. I have two plants and picked a few cherries today. The fruit falls off the plant when ripe, and apparently it ripens a bit more laying on the ground. The fruit has a pleasant taste and if cooked lightly tastes almost exactly like stewed peaches. I usually eat the fruit raw. The plant needs a long season and needs plenty of Sun for maximum production. Any green shown on the fruit indicates unripe fruit and the taste is sort of tart and unpleasant. The green also indicates solanine, which should be avoided, the green on potato tubers. The membrane covering the fruit is seen on several plants like the Chinese Lantern, which is edible, but the fruit must be very ripe.

[Thomzo]

I've got four physalis in pots in my conservatory and they're fruiting already. I started them last year and they fruited quite well but quite late. They wouldn't have managed outside as the fruit wouldn't have ripened in time.

Zoe