Cape gooseberry

[jonny the plant pot]

As anyone had any joy with these as bought a couple today and been told to treat them like tomatoes .help needed please.

[muddled]

I do, my daughter adores them.
I've got two that overwintered in the greenhouse from last year as well as those I've sown this season so I'm hoping for a bumper crop!

I suppose they are like toms in terms of when you plant them out...but they crop MUCH later and store better and (rightly or wrongly) I never train them or pinch them out like I would a tomato plant.

[Baldy]

They tend to romp away if you put them in an unheated greenhouse - mine took over like a triffid and had to be moved outside. In general I'd say that they are easier than tomatoes - they are frost sensitive but other than that pretty easy. The fruit tastes a little citrus-like.

Balders

[Scarlet]

I grow a couple at the back of the GH. They take up a lot of space. They are tender like a tomato as Muddled has said. They don't start fruiting till September at the earliest but if it's mild they can fruit for several weeks. They have a. Very untidy growth habit, fall over and are quite unruly. Be prepared to shove a few stakes in and tie bits in as necessary. Last year mine hit the roof (from over wintered plants) I'm starting again with new plants this year, though just growing the one as they do take up a load of room.

[skeggijon]

I've also got a couple of plants that have overwintered. I'm not a massive fan of them myself, but OH loves them.

[Scarlet]

I love them, they are delicious!

[vixylix]

I've got some seeds too... do they need to be in a greenhouse?

[Scarlet]

I know people do grow them outside but they fruit late on in the season so can carry on fruiting when the nights start getting cooler if you've somewhere for them undercover. They really like lots of heat too, mine are in the back of the GH and thrive. They needs lots of water to, a neighbour grew one in a pot that I had spare and did nothing compared to the ones planted in the ground.


...if you've not sown the seeds yet, I wouldn't bother. They need a long growing season. Wait till next year.

[jonny the plant pot]

I've saved half of the large greenhouse for them so hopefully they will be happy and have plenty of room thanks everyone.

[Nicos]

Yep...as above.

But do overwinter them if you can for another crop next year!

[jonny the plant pot]

I've never over wintered anything so look out for how to .... In October.

[KairdiffKid]

As anyone had any joy with these as bought a couple today and been told to treat them like tomatoes .help needed please.

Out of interest where'd you get the plants? Garden centre, DIY store...

Been in two minds about growing some and reckon I've left it too late to grow them from seed.

[jonny the plant pot]

Got them from the garden centre in whitley bridge near Selby on the a19 they had a few left.

[muddled]

It is a bit late to sow for a crop this year but you could sow a couple now to overwinter for an early, bumper crop next year.

[CaraFlower]

I really want to try some of the named varieties I've seen. Particularly like the sound of 'Biscuit' which is supposedly compact.