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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30 Dec 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Soil: The cape gooseberry will grow in any well drained soil but does best on sandy to gravelly loam. Very good crops are obtained on rather poor sandy ground. Irrigation: The plant needs consistent watering to set a good fruit crop, but can't take "wet feet". Sounds like Brad has it pretty much right - mulch and watering - not too much water thought - depends on how hot it is.
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28 Dec 17, Brad (Australia - temperate climate)
Have a cape gooseberry going on 3 summers now. Not much fruit in first year, bucket load in 2nd summer, now bucket loads in 3rd summer. Red spider mites would attack it from about March through to start of winter, but we just cut it back to about 20cm from base and the spider mites disappear heading into the winter. Noticed about a month ago after the hot weather hit, that alot of new flowers would just fall off at the slightest touch. Put this down to lack of water, so we placed sugar cane mulch to about 6 inches thick and out to a radius of about a meter, then stretched shade cloth over the mulch and pegged down (to keep the blackbirds from destroying the mulch). Under the mulch cover we also placed weaper hose and had this going for a few hours each day, and problem soon resolved with loads more flowers and setting fruit.
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15 Dec 17, michelle (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Trish; about your Cape Gooseberry fruit being attacked by 'borers', maybe it;s earwigs. The larvae do that to rose buds, maybe it's the same for the C.G fruit.
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03 Dec 17, Des Harvey (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
My Capegooseberry is planted in a lge pot and was planted in fruit / vge mix. The plant has a good crop of fruit but appears to be yellowing. could i be giving it too much water or should i give it some fertiliser and if so what ???? Many thanks DES HARVEY
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01 Dec 17, Collins Kiprop (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
I've soon realized my Cape Gooseberry stem have become fragile. Whenever I turn the branch or stem it tend to damage yet there is little water and manure in the soil. What mineral or deficiency is my Gooseberry suffering from?
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01 Dec 17, jennifer alex (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I am trying to grow golden berries at my kitchen garden. i sow some seeds and now they are tiny plants. i am waiting for the fruits.
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20 Nov 17, Roy (United Kingdom - warm/temperate climate)
Hi I have planted 6 cape gooseberries in June they have grown well until now . I have loads of green husks but every thing has come to a standstill Also as they are perennials how and when should I prune them .Your advice would be much appreciated Thank you Ro7
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21 Nov 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I'm no expert here. Maybe a light fertilizing with a K leaning. Your weather would be coming into winter - may cause them to slow down growing. If you want to prune them I would do it after they have fruited. Google how to grow them. Try a site called gardening channel.
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13 Nov 17, Colin (Australia - temperate climate)
I am a proud owner of one cape gooseberry "bush". I am experimenting with propagation by cuttings, taken from vigorous side shoots down low near the ground surface. Has anyone propagated with cuttings. After some 4 weeks the one cutting I have taken appears to have "taken" and looks healthy. There are many new side shoots on my "bush" and I wish to take many more cuttings. Has any one been down this path. Any problems I should be aware of.? I live in Western Victoria, on hours drive from the coast. Thank you in anticipation. Colin
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08 Oct 17, Dom (USA - Zone 6b climate)
Will the Golden Gooseberries grow in zone 6b in the USA?
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Showing 191 - 200 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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