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
    S                  
        T              
        P              

(Best months for growing Cape Gooseberry in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • 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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06 Sep 15, 1st time veggie grower (Australia - temperate climate)
Do you cut/trim the cape gooseberry plant after fruiting and when is the best time to do this please? PS: My Dad's gooseberry jam is awesome.
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01 Sep 15, Margaret (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You can buy beautiful organic non GM gooseberry seeds from Eden Seeds, an irreplaceable resource in our country.
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28 Aug 15, Beth Prins (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
What soil will gooseberries best grow in. I have managed to grow some from seed but they seem to wilt when they reach around 20/30 cm tall. I battle to get them to grow to full height and fruit.
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10 Aug 15, Kay Whitley (Australia - temperate climate)
When is the best time to prune your Cape goosberry bush I live 50 k North of Brisbane
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09 Aug 15, Helen Saunders (Australia - temperate climate)
Is facing West with full Summer sun good growing condition for cape gooseberry? Or can you suggest another not too high fruit bush ? Not higher than one metre as it would then block sun from enclosure garden where herbs etc are grown at our Community Garden. Thank you in advance Helen.
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03 Aug 15, Robyn (Australia - temperate climate)
We live in north Western Sydney and wondered where the cape gooseberry plant can be purchased from.
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17 Aug 15, Matt (Australia - temperate climate)
You can buy the seeds from bunnings. I bought mine the other day
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02 Aug 15, Terry (Australia - temperate climate)
In relation to the Cape Gooseberry be sure they are golden with no green when picked for eating. I have read the plant, and green fruit, is poisonous to animals including humans. Even fowl will steer clear of it. I did research when I noticed the sheep would not eat it. It makes a sumptuous jam and are yummy coated in chocolate.
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21 Jul 15, Kalidasan (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I need cape gooseberry seeds. Where its possible?
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10 Aug 15, Pam (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Try Living Seeds and Organic Seeds. Both are online shops
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Showing 351 - 360 of 558 comments
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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.

- Brad

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