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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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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25 Feb 17, Dogmama (USA - Zone 5a climate)
Can golden berries be grown in Wisconsin?
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26 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
I am in southern Australia but my research tells me that you could grow them in 5a. you would need to get the seedlings started inside in trays or pots in April for transplanting outside in June. They need 3-4 months to harvest so would be harvestable in September. I trust your season is long enough for this. All the best.
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10 Feb 17, Greg (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
Feb.10, 2017 It would be much appreciated if someone could advise where to purchase seedlings. Thank you, Greg
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14 Feb 17, Greg (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
Hello John from Australia, Thank you kindly for letting me know that Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in the United States lists seeds foe Golden Berries. I will try to make an order right away. Lets hope they have the seeds and they could mail them to Canada. Unfortunately, many other internet based suppliers (of various items) do not ship to Canada (and this is not something new), they do this because they experience some kind of "red tape" formalities. Thank you John
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12 Feb 17, John (Australia - temperate climate)
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in the United States lists them. They are very easy to grow from seed, and much cheaper than plants. All the best.
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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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Showing 251 - 260 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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