Cape Gooseberry Seeds - Physalis Peruviana - Super Sweet, Tangy, and Abundant
Quantity: 15 Seeds
Cape Gooseberry, aka Physalis Peruviana, is a plant in the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. Its been consumed by Central and South American cultures for centuries. The fruits are highly revered for their extremely sweet, tangy, and delicious flavour. They are typically consumed fresh, but they can also be dried like raisins to enhance their already super sweet flavour; the berries can be made into an excellent tasting jam too. The fruits are similar to ground cherries, but are much larger, and tangier. It's easy to tell when the fruits are mature enough to eat because the husks start to turn yellow and then brown, and the berries become quite fragrant too. This being said, the flavour is greatly enhanced when left to sit on the counter for a few days, or until the husk surrounding the fruit completely dries out.
These amazing plants are perennial down to zone 10, but can be overwintered indoors in order to get a head start and higher yield the following season.
All seeds are organic and open pollinated.
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Growing Instructions
For the highest yields, It’s best to start Cape Gooseberry seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last frost; we start them here on the farm in mid march. It's good to sow them in a sterile growing medium; most available seed starting soils should do the job nicely; we use sunshine mix (peat moss and perlite). The soil should be made moist, but not damp. Sow the seeds 1/4 inch below the soil surface. Store in a warm area until tiny sprouts emerge from the soil. A heat mat greatly aids in this step, but is not necessary. Seeds can take up to 2 weeks to germinate, but may take less time too. Once germinated, and the first true leaf has formed, it's time to pot up to a larger container that contains a good quality potting soil. Transplant to their final location when the nighttime temperatures are consistently 8°C or higher; for us at the farm, this is around early May.