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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19 Mar 18, Pauline Lambert (Australia - arid climate)
How and where do I grow my Gooseberry bush and how do I look after my bush. Do I prune it hard after fruiting, does it prefer sun or shade. Can it grow in a big pot. I have very little land and it does not get much sun but as I am on a corner and have a lot of Council land I can plant it there if it requires sun. Please help my plant flourish. Many thanks.
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18 Mar 18, Susan (Australia - tropical climate)
Trying to raise cape gooseberry plant from seeds purchased from a seed bank. It’s been 4 weeks and nothing has appeared. How long does it take. Am I too impatient?
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25 Aug 18, Lucy (Australia - temperate climate)
I just had great success with seeds from last years fruit. As they are tiny seeds and prone to drying out I use old sour cream, yogurt, etc. tubs, pierce a couple of drainage holes in bottom, half fill with moist seed raising mix, sow seeds and then pop the clear lid on to keep moisture in. Approx. 4 weeks and the seeds have emerged, now I'm hardening off by having lid slightly off and opening a bit more each day.
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18 Mar 18, Mike (Australia - tropical climate)
2-6 weeks I read for germination. Warm moist soil. Use a light spray to wet the soil. Maybe cover with shade cloth.
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02 Mar 18, Veronica (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I have bought some gooseberries and would like to plant them. Have grown them b4 by throwing rotten ones onto soil and it grew huge. But want to grow them for my parrot
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18 Jan 18, Stephanie Meggitt (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
We have an approx 12 month old cape gooseberry that has fruited really well. Looks like it is ready to be pruned now. Is it worth taking cuttings (would like a couple more bushes) and would I just put them in water till they shoot or is more required. Thanks
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19 Jan 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Give it a try - put about 8-10" of the vine in the water. Change the water each 3 days - it might take 2-4 weeks for roots to shoot. I'm doing Malabar Spinach at the moment.
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06 Jan 18, some one (Australia - temperate climate)
How long did u have to wait before taking cuttings. Mine are about 60cm high and just finished fruiting. But also from the mane stem only has 2 shoots about 40cm high
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30 Dec 17, Jason (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
My cape gooseberry has Black leaves all over and on the vey top they are green . Its currently fruiting seems to be growing well. Has direct sun light all day long .
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29 Dec 17, Denise Gravatt (Australia - temperate climate)
Bushes growing well, replanted them 2 years ago in same garden. Plenty of foliage, healthy, but no fruit. Venus Bay, Victoria, Australia. Would appreciate your comments please
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Showing 181 - 190 of 556 comments
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Hello George Cape Gooseberries planted in the ground need little or no extra Nitrogen fertiliser otherwise they will grow too much vegetation with very little fruit. Just before or at flowering time you should add Phosphorus - I add half of the recommended amount every 2 weeks. Phosphorus increases the number of flowers. After the fruit starts to form I start adding small amounts of Potassium to the soil or watering with a liquid Potassium - the liquid Potassium is absorbed quicker. Potassium is responsible for making the fruit sweeter or with flowering plants ( roses etc.) the flowers bigger and more colourful. It is a very common mistake that Potassium makes more fruit and flowers - it's Phosphorus that does that. I have been growing Cape Gooseberries for at least 35 years this way so I know by experience and I have experimented with these fertilisers. I also grow not only the usual citrus (10 dwarf trees in pots and some in the ground), bananas, figs, but other fruit like Star Fruit, Dragon Fruit , Black Sapote and I always use the same fertilising procedure with very good results. I grow my Cape Gooseberries in the vegetable garden - 3 plants in a row with 4 x 1.8 metre stakes and thin rope wound aroud the 4 stakes to keep the plants from spreading out over the garden.

- John W

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