Growing Cape Gooseberry, also Golden Berry, Inca Berry

Physalis peruviana : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
		S
				T
				P

(Best months for growing Cape Gooseberry in USA - Zone 5a 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

23 Mar 17, Jonno (Australia - temperate climate): Cape gooseberries are normally treated as an annual. The cooler nights and mornings are probably contibuting to its sad appearance. It may still survive in a sheltered spot. Another alternative would be to buy some seed and germinaate them inside. Grow them on in individual pots ready for planting out in spring. That would get them established for a good season ahead.
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13 Mar 17, Anton Morrison (Australia - temperate climate): I have grown cape gooseberry from seeds and have just recently started repotting them. With some of the plants there are obviously more than one plant in them. Should I cut back all but the smallest or will they just carry on regardless? Thanks in advance. A.
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14 Mar 17, Ken (Australia - temperate climate): Normally you would select the strongest plant and cut off or remove the others. This would give the remaining plant the best chance of developing. Cape gooseberies are frost tender and are normally treated as an annual but will cary over in areas with mild winters. You could pot them on and keep them in a protected area until the spring before planting out if you need to.
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03 Feb 17, Gayle (Australia - tropical climate): Will gooseberry bushes grow in Rockhampton Central Queensland and can I buy from you (We don't sell plants - Gardenate)
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05 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate): Look up seed catalogues on the net. They are easy to grow from seed.
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30 Jan 17, Lenny (Australia - temperate climate): Cucumber beetles mencozeb fixed the problem
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28 Jan 17, Lenny (Australia - temperate climate): Striped beetles on plant making a mess
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21 Jan 17, Max Collier (Australia - tropical climate): I am wondering why i haven't got a reply about my Cape gooseberry plant yet, i still don't have fruit coming on?, Max.
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13 Apr 17, Quyen (Australia - tropical climate): Im not expert but i think you must help the pollinating process by using ear cotton stick to touch from flower to another ones. I often do it for some kind of vegetable in my garden. It worked! (or soft artist's brush - Liz)
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07 Apr 17, Steve (Australia - temperate climate): How did your Cape Gooseberry go? Did it flower? Did it fruit? I just read your post and saw no reply so thought I'd ask. I hope it ended up fruiting for you.
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Can these be perennial in zone 7? If I keep them out all winter and will they grow back next spring? I hear they are perenial but not sure about growing them in my zone.

- Tammy r

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Growing Cape Gooseberry, also Golden Berry, Inca Berry

Physalis peruviana : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Your comments and tips

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