Ground Cherry flowering?

pershing · February 21, 2014

I have started my tomatoes and my ground cherry is about 2-3" tall and already flowering. None of my other varieties has this happening. Is this normal? Could it be stressed? Do I pinch the flowers off? Help please...

Pershing

pershing · February 24, 2014

Nobody? I clipped the flowers. But I see more forming. Not sure what is the deal.

-P

Hermitian · February 24, 2014

I've never seen ground cherry or any other annual behave that way unless there was excess phosphate. The plant is quite small. I'd continue to remove the flowers until you have at least a quart of root mass.

linzelu100 · February 24, 2014

My ground cherry plants last year never grew that tall. Maybe only 6-8 inches high and thats it. Then they start putting out fruit. They looked more like ground cover with little berries than a tomato plant or something like that. I have read about people who grow big ground cherry plants, but that wasn't my experience with them. Take off the flowers at transplanting to encourage root growth.

ScottinAtlanta · February 24, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by linzelu100

My ground cherry plants last year never grew that tall. Maybe only 6-8 inches high and thats it. Then they start putting out fruit. They looked more like ground cover with little berries than a tomato plant or something like that. I have read about people who grow big ground cherry plants, but that wasn't my experience with them. Take off the flowers at transplanting to encourage root growth.

My Aunt Molly's and my Cape Gooseberry grew about 6 feet tall with long fronds. Odd how environmental conditions change plants so dramatically.

Durgan · February 24, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by pershing

I have started my tomatoes and my ground cherry is about 2-3" tall and already flowering. None of my other varieties has this happening. Is this normal? Could it be stressed? Do I pinch the flowers off? Help please...

Pershing

What plant are you calling a Ground Cherry? These are the two common ones.

Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana)

Physalis pruinosa Aunt Molly Ground Cherry.

pershing · February 24, 2014

I believe is the second one...

- P

lefolly · February 24, 2014

Pershing I had that happen to me last year while they were still in their starter tray, pinching the buds off is what I did and they still grew like weeds. When did you pot them up?

pershing · February 24, 2014

I planted them on 1/22 and then pot them on 2/2 and then again on 2/11.

- P

lefolly · February 24, 2014

Sounds about right, I noticed with mine last year they got root bound amazingly quickly. I haven't started them yet this year, I'm still seeing too much white stuff and freezes.

pershing · February 24, 2014

Just cut 3 more buds with several more on their way. Guess I will keep at it. I have a husk berry that looks very similar in shape and size and is growing a lot better. Not sure why out of almost 25 varieties this one is the only one doing this early flowering business...

- P

Durgan · February 24, 2014

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?DHCWY 27 May 2012 Aunt Molly Ground Cherry (Physalis pruinosa)
My four Aunt Molly Ground Cherry (Physalis pruinosa) were placed in the outdoor garden. Usually there are four very robust plants, but this year germination was poor and my greenhouse plants are rather poor. I will save my own seeds for next year, since the purchased seeds had to be of poor quality
http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TJNHI 30 September 2012 Aunt Molly Ground Cherry. (Physalis pruninosa).

Your plants are very healthy and this plant needs plenty of time to be fully productive.Pot them up if necessary and don't disturb the roots when transplanting. Don't be concerned about the flowers.

Wil SC · February 28, 2014

Do you mind if I ask what soil and tempature you grew it at? I'm doing ground cherries for the first time and my seedlings are 2 weeks old and only 1" tall and only have seed leaves. They're inside at 70* and get 16ish hours of light. Soil is a homemade mix and i'm worried it may be the reason for dismal growth.

pershing · February 28, 2014

Mine are at 68 and have lights 12 hours. Started on those brown media sponge plugs and transplanted, plugs and all onto seed mix.

- P

pershing · March 2, 2014

Think Im losing the battle. Boh husk and ground cherries flowering. Leaves look a little twisted. Is this normal.

- P

February 21, 2014	#1
pershing Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Mckinney, TX Posts: 41	Ground Cherry flowering? I have started my tomatoes and my ground cherry is about 2-3" tall and already flowering. None of my other varieties has this happening. Is this normal? Could it be stressed? Do I pinch the flowers off? Help please... Pershing

February 24, 2014	#3
Hermitian BANNED Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vista, CA Posts: 1,112	I've never seen ground cherry or any other annual behave that way unless there was excess phosphate. The plant is quite small. I'd continue to remove the flowers until you have at least a quart of root mass. __________________ Richard _<\|\|>_

February 24, 2014	#4
linzelu100 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 447	My ground cherry plants last year never grew that tall. Maybe only 6-8 inches high and thats it. Then they start putting out fruit. They looked more like ground cover with little berries than a tomato plant or something like that. I have read about people who grow big ground cherry plants, but that wasn't my experience with them. Take off the flowers at transplanting to encourage root growth. __________________ Lindsey

February 24, 2014	#8
lefolly Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Washington, Z8b Posts: 25	Pershing I had that happen to me last year while they were still in their starter tray, pinching the buds off is what I did and they still grew like weeds. When did you pot them up?

February 24, 2014	#12
Durgan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 1,341	http://www.durgan.org/URL/?DHCWY 27 May 2012 Aunt Molly Ground Cherry (Physalis pruinosa) My four Aunt Molly Ground Cherry (Physalis pruinosa) were placed in the outdoor garden. Usually there are four very robust plants, but this year germination was poor and my greenhouse plants are rather poor. I will save my own seeds for next year, since the purchased seeds had to be of poor quality http://www.durgan.org/URL/?TJNHI 30 September 2012 Aunt Molly Ground Cherry. (Physalis pruninosa). Your plants are very healthy and this plant needs plenty of time to be fully productive.Pot them up if necessary and don't disturb the roots when transplanting. Don't be concerned about the flowers.

February 28, 2014	#13
Wil SC Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: SC Posts: 10	Do you mind if I ask what soil and tempature you grew it at? I'm doing ground cherries for the first time and my seedlings are 2 weeks old and only 1" tall and only have seed leaves. They're inside at 70* and get 16ish hours of light. Soil is a homemade mix and i'm worried it may be the reason for dismal growth.

March 2, 2014	#15
pershing Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Mckinney, TX Posts: 41	Think Im losing the battle. Boh husk and ground cherries flowering. Leaves look a little twisted. Is this normal. - P