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 S S S S
                T T T T
              P P P P P

(Best months for growing Cape Gooseberry in Australia - temperate regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • 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 50°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 39 - 59 inches 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

09 Sep 18, Angela (Australia - temperate climate)
I grow the Aunt Molly variant /relative- also known as Ground Cherry. You don’t pick them. You wait till they fall and the case has turned papery and gather them from the ground. This happens very late in the season, seems to take forever. Highly recommend Aunt Molly.
07 Aug 18, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Poor soil or growing conditions - the amount of sunlight etc. If you have a smaller weak plant then hit it up with some fertiliser or add some compost or manures around the plant for the next crop.
02 Jul 18, PETER (Australia - temperate climate)
Where can I purchase cape gooseberry seeds
03 Jul 18, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Seed selling companies on the internet. Boondie - New Life Seeds - The Seed Collection Company.
17 Jun 18, Carole (Australia - temperate climate)
My cape gooseberries are growing well in tubs and flowering and setting fruit. My problem is what looks like black jelly inside the lanterns (fruit) I don't know if it is from cucumber beetles or what it is. Any ideas what it is and how to treat it please. I had cucumbers which got decimated earlier in the season and have seen some striped orange beetles on the berry plants
18 Jun 18, Mike L (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Pick a few and see what it is. We have cucumber fly here. Don't know about beetles. If fly try some sticky yellow fly catching cardbpard. Some of the cheap $2 shops stock it in Aussie.
11 Jun 18, Glenis Greenwood (Australia - temperate climate)
In Gosford Cape Gooseberry plant just came up itself. A metre high now has flowers and lanterns some with normal fruit but some with distorted leaves and fruit. Looks healthy otherwise. Is it lacking something or too much fertiliser (blood and bone and maybe a bit of dynamic lifter ). Not a lot of sun. Next to little maples and azaleas in garden bed with bush type mulch
13 Jun 18, Mike L (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Can't really help you - maybe being in the shade all day and staying wet most of the day due to overnight dew leads to some fungus and diseases. Plant some in a sunnier position next year. If leaves are nice and green it has sufficient fertiliser. If leaves are yellow it needs some fert.
27 May 18, Jeannie (USA - Zone 10a climate)
Will it grow in full sun in Phoenix, AZ?
29 May 18, Mike Logan (Australia - temperate climate)
You are on the Australian section of the web site. Try the USA section in the "Set my climate zone" Top left side of the page.
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