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

(Best months for growing Cape Gooseberry in Australia - sub-tropical 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 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

13 Sep 15, Ted Dahms (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Sid and Barbara Try Turners Garden Centre, Rochedale 4123 Regards Ted
30 Aug 14, sue (Australia - temperate climate)
I bought my gooseberry plants from Bunnings last year.
19 Jan 14, Sid Dyer (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Where can I buy Cape Gooseberry' Plants OR Seeds in Australia...They are 'YUM" Barbara D.
19 Jan 14, Chris (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Eden Seeds have Cape Gooseberry seeds
18 Jan 14, Roslyn campbell (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Dear Brad Did u get an answer to yr query as to why you r getting no fruit? I am having the same problem
09 Jan 14, ray obrien (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
where can i please buy some cape gooseberries or some seeds we live on bribie island just 1 hr north of brisbane and our email is [email protected] and our phone is [07] 3408 8787 thank you i think they are the nicest fruit
10 Jan 14, Nina (Australia - temperate climate)
I never liked this fruit as a child but now I'm crazy about them :) Did you have any luck getting seeds? If not, I can post you some (next time I buy the dried Inca berries - or if you can get the dried fruit, save your own) ... or if you happen to be in Sydney I'll dig you up a plant. Mine are still small and not yet fruiting.
04 Apr 14, Venus Law (Australia - temperate climate)
Nina! I looking for cape gooseberry seed too... I have plenty of Husk Tomato seed...I lived in Sydney as well.. Can we exchange it. Venus
22 Dec 13, vera (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
We are living at the Mid North Coast and and this plant popps up at several spots in the garden, I completly neglect them, dont even water them. Plenty of fruit which my toddler demolishes daily. But we sometimes get an infestation of a yellow stripey beetle who mates on the leaves and severly damages some of the plants, any idea what that could be and how to treat it? cheers
26 Jun 14, Jill (Australia - temperate climate)
I think the yellow beetle is also known as the elm leaf beetle. I have a lot of plants and I get a plague of them in summer. I usually try and manually remove them because even though they are unsightly they actually prefer the leaves to the fruit so you can at least still get a crop. For this reason I don't spray them as they are a seasonal pest and aren't around in the cooler months. The plant does fine in cold weather even with frost and usually gives me a smaller winter crop although they take longer to ripen.
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