Anyone grow or know anything about Physilis ( Cape Gooseberry)

[ItsEssexRob]

I have a large bush in my garden with plenty of fruit on it. Some of the fruit has been there about 5 months but doesnt appear to have changed in size ( its hard to tell whats going on inside the capes) Anyone know a surefire way to tell when the fruit is ripe as when eaten before full ripeness they are toxic.

Thanks

[veggiechicken]

What colour are the papery husks Rob?

[ItsEssexRob]

Green mostly, some are browner.

[veggiechicken]

Can you put a photo up, Rob? Just want to check whether you have a Cape Gooseberry or a Chinese lantern.
With Cape Gooseberry the husks are thin and papery. the fruit beneath is yellow/orange and has a delicate smell.
Green is definitely not ripe!

[ItsEssexRob]

This is my plant here seeing as I cant take pics that I can upload I found it on google images.

Exact same flowers fruit and leaves so I asusme its the same.

Google Image Result for http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/plants/sola/physalis-peruviana.jpg


Thanks

[veggiechicken]

That links to a whole page of images Rob!

[veggiechicken]

Here is a link that may help you Growing Cape Gooseberries « Ventnor Permaculture
I have to ask how do you know your plant is a Cape Gooseberry? Did you buy it or was it in your garden anyway.

[ItsEssexRob]

Yes it is that one with the yellow and black flowers. I bought it from someone at a car boot who labelled it cape goosbeerry. Then planted it out. Thanks

[redser]

Have one growing in the tunnel. It is huge! Most fruit are still green or turning. Some are brown and I've tried them and they are delicious but some were not fully ripe/perfectly yellow. I was just curious. They only ripen this month onwards and into December I believe. First time so i only know what I've read. They are ripe when they fall or just before it. Try give them a little tug. If they dont come away easily leave them. If they do then it should be good. But if its not fully ripe when you open it then leave them to ripen on a window sill. Trial and error I guess until we you/I learn. I'm feeding mine with tom food, are you? Amazing plant and taste!

[Feral007]

Cool, I'm planning on planting lots of these seeds this year, so interested to read this. And I remember these from my grandfathers when I was a kid - loved them!

[veggiechicken]

This is my first year without one I had the same plant growing in the GH for at least 5 years - in about 4" of soil! Tough old things!! Grew it from a supermarket berry. If a berry fell off and I missed it, a group of babies would appear the next year. I'd pick mine when the husk was papery, sometimes just a skeletal shell. the deeper orange the fruit the better, but leave them too long and they split. I've picked them right through the winter, not a lot but a taste is sometimes all you need

[redser]

5 years! Wow. Did you have to do anything to it during the winter VC? Like pruning it, wrapping it up? Thanks, would love to save it if possible.

[veggiechicken]

The only thing I ever did to it was supporting all the floppy stems (and that means just bundling them all up together and suspending the string from the roof.) Pruning was just cutting out the dead stems in the spring - it seems to shoot again either at the base or from low down on each stem..
Wrap it up! Feed it! No and No!! Treat 'em rough - but maybe that's just my style!!!
The base of the plant grew to about wrist thickness - make that 2 wrists!
I'll start some more plants next year - I really miss my big baby
Good luck with yours

[redser]

Thanks a million, that's great to know, they are monsters. It's like a web in there with strings running up and down supporting the branches.

[ItsEssexRob]

Have one growing in the tunnel. It is huge! Most fruit are still green or turning. Some are brown and I've tried them and they are delicious but some were not fully ripe/perfectly yellow. I was just curious. They only ripen this month onwards and into December I believe. First time so i only know what I've read. They are ripe when they fall or just before it. Try give them a little tug. If they dont come away easily leave them. If they do then it should be good. But if its not fully ripe when you open it then leave them to ripen on a window sill. Trial and error I guess until we you/I learn. I'm feeding mine with tom food, are you? Amazing plant and taste!

I have bene feeding it them with Tomato food about one a fortnight and just normally every other day as they do get floppy quick when dry.

I have about 25-30 fruit on mine coming up, but none that are ripe yet.