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
                  P P P

(Best months for growing Cape Gooseberry in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • 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

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24 Oct 18, robert brown (Australia - temperate climate)
Boiled Rhubarb leaves are a good insecticide and for the ground invasion use coffee grounds the left over from coffeemakers
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24 Oct 18, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Rhubarb leaves are poisonous to humans too, so don't spray onto something you are going to eat.
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22 Oct 18, Kerri Hingston (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Where can you buy plants from
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23 Oct 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try a seed selling company on the internet. i doubt any nursery would sell seedlings - not a common plant.
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04 Oct 18, Dirk (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
Is there any export opportunities for Cape Goosberries and who can I contact?
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29 Sep 18, promila Relan (Canada - zone 4a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I bought cape berries from farmers market in Calgary Alberta, I remved the seeds from the caper berries. It was in July.--too hot outside. So I kept the tiny pot inside and re potted them as needed. It was very easy. Now I have three plant in three pots about 18 inches tall.and I am waiting for summer- Now I need to know will I have fruit if planted outside and when. I also want to know the precautions necessary to be successful. I do love gardening
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22 Sep 18, ruby (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
I have Physalis plant & it is just loaded with fruit not ripe yet, I had to bring in the house as was getting to cold outside. My plant is about 40 inches tall with the pot. I need to know how to treat the plant as I want the fruit to ripen They are very delicious. Red Deer AB Canada Help PleaseRuby
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19 Sep 18, Gerry McCarthy (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
We are growing physalis in the Kenya highlands for the past 15 months. Have many questions and would love to connect with a south african grower/growers to chat further. Thanks.
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02 Sep 18, Margaret Doro (Australia - temperate climate)
You can buy cape gooseberry seed from www.edenseeds.com.au
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25 Aug 18, George (Canada - zone 4a Temperate Warm Summer climate)
Is it little too late now to only have a few developing fruit? I've read that fruit takes 60 days to mature on the plant.
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Showing 141 - 150 of 557 comments
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Hi Rosemary, I bought two cape gooseberries only a few months ago and planted them in my n. facing Adelaide Hills food garden. They have grown like crazy and are loaded with fruit...trouble is I just cannot remember where I got them...but I buy seedlings at Heynes Norwood, or Crafers garden centre sometimes and only once recently at Cleland nursery in Stirling. they are as tall and wider than staked tomatoe bushes with a fruit for every leaf!

- Caroline Johnson

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