Stubborn Cape Gooseberry

[Mumbles]

I have three cape gooseberry plants with loads of fruit on, all of which are still stubbornly green! Any ideas how to hurry them up? Thanks


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[WendyC]

Would any of the tomato ripening tips discussed on here recently help? For example putting a ripe banana near them. Are they inside or out? Without knowing where you are ( perhaps you could add location to your profile) I would think that there will be few good days for ripening anything outside now. Even my greenhouse is chilly now! So perhaps picking them and bringing them indoors might be the way forward.
I have to confess, I've never grown them before so perhaps you'd better wait until someone who has comes along to share a few pearls of wisdom.

[Paulieb]

I'd leave them on the plant as long as possible. If they're in a GH you'll get a bit longer, but I guess the first frosts will damage them.

I've always found it best to just collect them off the floor once they've fallen from the plant. and in a greenhouse the floor should be dry and a frost will be less likely to affect the fruit.

[Mumbles]

I'm in Hull. It's very windy and wet here at the moment but not too cold. They are in a greenhouse and they are quite large plants, not sure where I'd put them if they came inside. Do the fruits fall when ripe? I thought you picked them when the husks went brown and papery


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[veggiechicken]

I leave mine in the GH year round - they grow as perennials. The husks do turn papery and you'll see the orange fruit through the husk. I wouldn't pick them green but let them ripen naturally, mine are ready through the winter.
If you add Hull to your profile it really does help us with advice - if you don't we'll keep on asking you

[Mumbles]

I will have to have a look at the profile thing later. I usually just use my iPhone app


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[Mumbles]

I leave mine in the GH year round - they grow as perennials.

Do you need to cut them back at all or do you just leave them be?


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[ancee]

Mine are outside, still with green husks. Although I did find two browns on Monday! The others are just green, green, green..... I'm still waiting. I'm going to save seeds though and put some in my poly tunnel next year. They've done amazing outside though, they've grown to about 4 feet high and wide!

[veggiechicken]

Do you need to cut them back at all or do you just leave them be?

Bit of both - I only cut back the long straggly bits. They send out new shoots from the stems and the tops die back. If yours are young plants they probably should be left alone for the first winter and see how they look next year (if they survive).

[VirginVegGrower]

Same here - still green and it is November

[kathycam]

Mine ripened fine on my windowsill. Since I moved recently they've gotten a bit straggly, but will see if they make it through the winter in the greenhouse.

[binley100]

I've had some ripen on the plants but they now seem to be a standsill.......luckily once they go brown they will store in there husks for ages

[Tripmeup]

Mine have been ripening for a while now... Beautiful...
Some still ripening..