Growing Cape Gooseberry, also Golden Berry, Inca Berry

Physalis peruviana : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
      S                
          T            

(Best months for growing Cape Gooseberry in Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 25°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 100 - 150 cm apart
  • Harvest in 14-16 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Will happily grow in a flower border but tends to sprawl over other plants.

Your comments and tips

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25 Aug 14, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I believe the unripe fruit are toxic to animals.
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29 Jul 14, Julie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
They handle light frost well. Only leaf damage and kept on growing. These are also excellent chicken treats to keep them away from your valuable veggies.
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09 Jul 14, Glenda (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have just purchased some gooseberry seeds which I will plant in August. I live 40 kms west of Bundaberg in Qld. My question is do they require a lot of watering?
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29 May 14, Richard (Australia - temperate climate)
I just received seeds from rangeview seeds and have sown them. Will grow them in my greenhouse for a start
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23 May 14, Frank - Albany WA (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
grows well in well tilled free draining soil . I have a few plants which are growing voraciously one close to 2mts high which i have to prune every 3-4 weeks. I like to go out and just pick and eat 10 -20 'berries' straight off the bush- different flavors depending on the ripeness f the berries.
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18 May 14, Carolien (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Can I grow cape goose berries from cuttings or only from seeds??? Thanks
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07 May 14, Allie (Australia - temperate climate)
I just bought seeds from Fair Dinkum Seeds (fairdinkumseeds dot com). Now to try growing them...
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30 Apr 14, Cher (Australia - tropical climate)
They are so very hardy and tolerant of weather extremes. I've grown them in many areas of Australia, mostly Queensland, and my latest offerings have just survived a drenching from cyclone Ita and are looking great. The harvest is always eaten straight after picking!
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24 Apr 14, archie archive (Australia - temperate climate)
On a West facing balcony in Perth I planted a Cape Gooseberry I bought around September last year. It has been slow growing in its 40cm pot (but it is at least growing unlike the one I bought in 2012 which reached 30 cm and had three fruit). It began setting fruit about six weeks ago and has suddenly spurted - it is over 1.5 mtrs tall (above the pot soil level), bushing and is setting many fruit with many more flowers. My concern is that it is now only a couple of months to the cold weather and I wonder if the fruit will ripen in time and if the plant will over-winter. I remember picking fruit from my Grandfather's self-sown bushes many years ago in Kelmscott but cannot remember which season that was.
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23 Apr 14, elissa (Australia - temperate climate)
All those people looking for seeds I got mine from theseedcollection.com.au
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