Ground Cherries, anyone?

[drew51]

I'm growing Aunt Molly's. I got a free package from Knapp's Fresh Vegies, so I decided to try it. Glad i did! Cool plant! I grew two. I put one in a raised bed another in a pot. The one on a 15 gallon root pouch is growing really well, and the fruit is not that small, it is a little small, fruit varies in size.





I'm also growing Tzimbalo, interesting plant too.

[Starla]

Originally Posted by Ken B

I love ground cherries! I'm with Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, we carry a couple kinds (Cossack Pineapple and Goldie). A few years ago we did a small trial patch where we compared those two with three other ones -- one was Yantar, I forget the name of the other two -- and was disappointed to find there wasn't much obvious difference between all of them. Seems like there should be some more "different" kinds out there somewhere; since they're related to tomatillos, I'd like to think that somewhere out there there's a purple ground cherry variety, seems like that should be a natural color variation.

I get seeds from Southern Exposure. That's where the Cossack Pineapple came from. We were at a tomato tasting in Decorah for Seed Savers Exchange, and they had several kinds of ground cherries. That one was by far the best in flavor. Really sweet. Of course the tomato varieties were unreal. My husband was in heaven. They had a homemade salsa competition too. That was wonderful! The whole day was incredible. Highly recommend it if you ever come this way.

[Starla]

Originally Posted by drew51

I'm growing Aunt Molly's. I got a free package from Knapp's Fresh Vegies, so I decided to try it. Glad i did! Cool plant! I grew two. I put one in a raised bed another in a pot. The one on a 15 gallon root pouch is growing really well, and the fruit is not that small, it is a little small, fruit varies in size.





I'm also growing Tzimbalo, interesting plant too.

Way cool. I do love ground cherries.

[Ken B]

Originally Posted by Starla

I get seeds from Southern Exposure. That's where the Cossack Pineapple came from. We were at a tomato tasting in Decorah for Seed Savers Exchange, and they had several kinds of ground cherries. That one was by far the best in flavor. Really sweet. Of course the tomato varieties were unreal. My husband was in heaven. They had a homemade salsa competition too. That was wonderful! The whole day was incredible. Highly recommend it if you ever come this way.

Starla -- I made it to the SSE Campout a few years ago, had a great time! Haven't made it out for a tomato tasting event there, would love to, but that's usually around the time we're busy putting on our own tomato tasting events...

[NarnianGarden]

I'm growing both Physalis pruinosa (from Baker seeds) and something I suppose is Physalis peruviana, from seed of a dried Inca berry. The Pruinosa one is already bearing fruit (yum!) but Peruviana doesn't even have any flowers - only huge leaves that look different from the Pruinosa variety.
Really curious to compare the taste of a fresh Inca berry with that of the Pruinosa.

[Starla]

Originally Posted by Ken B

Starla -- I made it to the SSE Campout a few years ago, had a great time! Haven't made it out for a tomato tasting event there, would love to, but that's usually around the time we're busy putting on our own tomato tasting events...

I'd love to do a tour of the different seed saving farms like SSE. Now that would be fun. But as you pointed out it would interfere with the garden. I should plan for next year to grow all the different ground cherries I can find. I hear they're beyond prolific when they get going and reseed readily. May need to dig up the front yard.......

[habitat_gardener]

My Aunt Molly's is still close to the ground, but I noticed a dried husk on the ground today and tried my first ground cherry!! My tomatoes are still at least a couple weeks away, so it was a treat.

Isn't this variety supposed to be a small shrub? I've been expecting it to grow upward, but so far it's just a groundcover.

[Starla]

Originally Posted by habitat_gardener

My Aunt Molly's is still close to the ground, but I noticed a dried husk on the ground today and tried my first ground cherry!! My tomatoes are still at least a couple weeks away, so it was a treat.

Isn't this variety supposed to be a small shrub? I've been expecting it to grow upward, but so far it's just a groundcover.

I have not grown ground cherries, yet, but remember my grandmother's were low to the ground. They seemed to spread out in every direction. I was pretty young, but they did not grow like a tomato plant from what I remember. Ground cherries are on my list for next year. Just need to find some room!

[drew51]

Mine is getting taller, but the main growth direction is parallel to the ground. It's getting extremely wide!

[Starla]

Originally Posted by drew51

Mine is getting taller, but the main growth direction is parallel to the ground. It's getting extremely wide!

I read in a few places that you can train them to go up a trellis, but looking at the plant, I'm thinking not. You have them, what's your opinion? I'd like to know so when next year rolls around I can plant in the proper area. Don't mind taking the time to tie them up, but if it's futile, why?

[Ken B]

They're hard to trellis, easier to leave them on the ground. (Tomatillos it makes sense to trellis -- they can get anywhere from 5-10' tall in hot climates!)

[pershing]

I have an aunt molly and a ground (maybe husk) cherry. Both are super close to the ground. I heard you have to wait for them to drop before eating. This is making it hard. Can they be picked and let a few days to ripen like tomatoes?

[Starla]

Originally Posted by pershing

I have an aunt molly and a ground (maybe husk) cherry. Both are super close to the ground. I heard you have to wait for them to drop before eating. This is making it hard. Can they be picked and let a few days to ripen like tomatoes?

No. I got my hands slapped for trying to do that! They must ripen on the plant and drop, from what I was taught. Not like a tomato. If someone knows differently, I'd love to hear. I just remember what Grandma taught me and what I've read.

[drew51]

Originally Posted by Starla

No. I got my hands slapped for trying to do that! They must ripen on the plant and drop, from what I was taught. Not like a tomato. If someone knows differently, I'd love to hear. I just remember what Grandma taught me and what I've read.

I think it best to do this. They are poisonous green. A member of the nightshade family, more toxins than tomatoes. Once ripe are safe. I doubt it would kill you, maybe we can have some volunteers to see how sick you get? I heard they keep on the counter if left intact. The very first berries are dropping for me. the main crop will be some time, but I did get a taste of Aunt Molly's. Much like a very sweet tomato, darn good! I see chocolate coatings on them in the near future!

[Starla]

Originally Posted by drew51

I think it best to do this. They are poisonous green. A member of the nightshade family, more toxins than tomatoes. Once ripe are safe. I doubt it would kill you, maybe we can have some volunteers to see how sick you get? I heard they keep on the counter if left intact. The very first berries are dropping for me. the main crop will be some time, but I did get a taste of Aunt Molly's. Much like a very sweet tomato, darn good! I see chocolate coatings on them in the near future!

That's what I was told, too. Poisonous if you eat enough green ones. And they were good keepers....But we never knew how long they kept on the counter. They never lasted long enough to find out.