Cape Gooseberries

[Primrose]

I had some nice seedlings of Cape Gooseberries in a tray on my patio from the free seeds packet. I thought it might be a bit late but they were looking very healthy until I came home this morning and found a pigeon gobbling the last one !

Is it too late to resow for this year and get a yield? ?. I only have a mini plastic greenhouse and have never grown them before so unsure of their cropping times.

[Westi]

I tried to sow my free seeds as well Primrose but they didn't germinate too well and the few seedlings I planted out got attacked by slugs - well one's demise was from a clumsy me. I've tried a direct sowing but no show on them so I'd be interested in a reply as well.

[Primrose]

I still have a few seeds left Westi. I think I've probably missed the boat for this season now and will have to try and experiment with them again next year.
I felt I couldn't be too cross with our injured wood pigeon. She has great difficulty in walking and we've probably saved her life by feeding her three times a day. She comes and waits patiently by our patio doors to be fed and like mugs, we respond like Pavlov's dogs on her arrival. :

[PLUMPUDDING]

I'd sow a few more. They grow quite fast once they get going. If you transplant some the seedlings into individual pots you can bring them in at the end of the season and they will keep flowering and producing fruits. They usually germinate very readily and I've always got some self seeded ones appearing in the greenhouse border.

[Primrose]

Thanks for that suggestion. I'll try again and transplant into pots so they can go into mini greenhouse. Any idea what size/height they grow to and what size pot they might need? Same as chillies and peppers?

[PLUMPUDDING]

Does it say a size on the packet Primrose, there are different sized varieties. The ones I've grown can reach 6 ft in the greenhouse border but I've one in a pot that is more manageable.

[Pawty]

Hi,

I grew them one year in a large pot outside. I would say they grew larger than a chilli plant - more
like a bushy tomato plant. Tasted good but fruit were a lot smaller than those you get at the greengrocer. But , very pretty, so a good addition to the garden if you have space. I have a habit of ignoring grow times from June - if stuff wants to grow it will. And as said, if you keep them in a pot you can always bring them in.

Pawty

[Primrose]

Well I've resown a few seeds and see what nature brings. Always like to have something new to look forward to. I imagine they probably belong to the same family as tomatillos which also grow inside their papery green/brown lantern shape husk.

[Geoff]

Correct - lots of different Physalis. Philadelphica - Tomatillo, Peruviana - Cape Gooseberry, Alkekengi - Chinese Lanterns. to name a few.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis

[Diane]

I'm growing a few this year - (physalis peruviana) and they've reached the grand height of 8" so far. Some are outside and some in the border soil of the greenhouse. I haven't noticed any difference in height of the outside or inside ones yet. Perhaps they are slow to get going. It would be worth a try sewing a few seeds and hoping for the best.

The tomatillos that I got from the RHS, however, are almost to the top of the greenhouse already. Flowering like good 'uns

[Westi]

Well it would appear I have grown a cape gooseberry which is getting wee fruit in their husks. It was labelled aubergine in the pot so is in the little shelter with the tomatoes - gonna have a stern chat to the cats again! Every year one of them pulls the white labels out & I do the best I can to id the seedlings but obviously I've not got a talent for that!