Has anyone else grew these, I have been growing mine in a mini polytunnel (the wavy plastic job Wardy). Today I have pulled it all apart and composted about 20 plants as they were leggy and very small fruits, not very well at all. Should they of been grown in the greenhouse? not outside tho at these altitudes and latitudes.

Dunno, never grown them G2 Might try it next year though, looked them up in Thomsons and it says 'best grown under glass' . Twas probably the wrong weather this year

Cape Gooseberries

Cape Gooseberries, also known as Physalis and Chinese Lantern, are not widely grown in this country, although they are comparatively easy to grow and are in most seed catalogues.

They are an exotic fruit but can be grown outdoors in a mild climate or in a greenhouse. They are a half –hardy plant that is grown exactly the same as Tomatoes; so if you can manage to grow outdoor Tomatoes where you live, you will be able to grow Cape Gooseberries. One word of warning though, especially if you intend to grow them in a greenhouse, they take up a lot of room.

Soil Conditions and Siting

Cape Gooseberries need a fertile soil that is well drained and plenty of organic matter. The pH of the soil should be between 6.0 and 7.0. The site should be sheltered and sunny.

Sowing/Planting

Cape Gooseberries are usually grown from seed. Sow the seed in March in trays of compost, in gentle heat. Pot on into 3" pots when two leaves have formed and then, when large enough, plant out in May under cloches for further protection. When frost danger is past, the cloches can be removed. Allow 30" between the plants.

Staking

When the plants get larger, insert 4ft stakes next to the plants to help support them when they are fully-grown.

Maintenance

Pruning

Nip out the growing tip of the shoots when they reach 1ft high to encourage fruiting branches.

Feeding

When the first fruits start to form, begin feeding with a high Potash fertiliser. Liquid Tomato feed is ideal for this.

Harvesting

Cape Gooseberries can be picked as the fruit ripens in late autumn or can be left on the plant and gathered all at once. Ensure that they are all gathered before the first frost though, as once they have been touched by frost they go mushy and are unusable. Any unripe fruits can be picked and put on a windowsill indoors to finish ripening.

wish I had known that start of the year.

Ohhhhhhh I know!

where does he get all this stuff from?

yeah has me wondering..I have access to Kew and ERBG etc but would never find stuff like that.

try Google. The truth is out there Even chapter and verse on cutting wavy plastic

Was without googling watson .....but will say I can find things
sharpish (this guy knows where things are kept ) will let you ponder next time if you like ....Now that you
bring it up watson..............juuuuuuuuuuuust when are you going to
cut said wavy plastic

She said, her saw's blunt

B&Q................FOCUS................and 101 other diy shops sell em by
the thousands

Update ... 3'6" tall and wide ... still flowering ... masses of little 'lanterns'

... hope it stays dry enough for them to turn into 'paper lanterns'

... ate one that was ripe ... oooo the taste ... delicious

We grew them on our group plot Flo and the chap on the next lotty kept calling em syphilis

found my Cape Gooseberry seeds .....................so whee did you keep em Flo............outdoors .................and what have you decided to do with em over winter

I thought they were annuals?

I've bought some seeds too, mine say start off in February so I'll start mine in January and treat 'em like pepper plants

I've also got tomatilloes which grow in the paper lanterns but which are green and purple. I'm hoping the site fruit thief will bimble along, pick a gooseberry and think yum! then try a tomatillo and drop dead with the shock

good plan Tara

I grew mine in my little tunnel and I think it was just too hot for them this summer, so next year going to try make more space in greenhouse.

haven't either of those I'm afraid

all my plants either make it in the great outdoors ....or they don't

but me peppers did soooooo well that this season I'm doing these, melons, chillis and all sorts of indoor type things

Mine are still outside ... will take a photo tomorrow

Need to get them through the winter ... Del - if I cut them down and put them under a tunnel and pack round with straw do you think they would over-winter ???

Yes but remember I am 300 miles north and we get a little cooler weather up here. Will take some pics for you all this year, and dont you all dare say 'Aww isint it pretty' cos its not. I had to work in it for far too many years and thats why I am running a BnB now.

Still waiting for the pics G2
Got my Cape gooseberry seeds this morning Soooooo.. What did you do with them over the winter?
Instructions on packet are very confusing