Growing Cape Gooseberry, also Golden Berry, Inca Berry

Physalis peruviana : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                  P P P

(Best months for growing Cape Gooseberry in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 77°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 39 - 59 inches apart
  • Harvest in 14-16 weeks.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Will happily grow in a flower border but tends to sprawl over other plants.

Your comments and tips

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06 Sep 15, 1st time veggie grower (Australia - temperate climate)
Do you cut/trim the cape gooseberry plant after fruiting and when is the best time to do this please? PS: My Dad's gooseberry jam is awesome.
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01 Sep 15, Margaret (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You can buy beautiful organic non GM gooseberry seeds from Eden Seeds, an irreplaceable resource in our country.
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28 Aug 15, Beth Prins (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
What soil will gooseberries best grow in. I have managed to grow some from seed but they seem to wilt when they reach around 20/30 cm tall. I battle to get them to grow to full height and fruit.
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10 Aug 15, Kay Whitley (Australia - temperate climate)
When is the best time to prune your Cape goosberry bush I live 50 k North of Brisbane
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09 Aug 15, Helen Saunders (Australia - temperate climate)
Is facing West with full Summer sun good growing condition for cape gooseberry? Or can you suggest another not too high fruit bush ? Not higher than one metre as it would then block sun from enclosure garden where herbs etc are grown at our Community Garden. Thank you in advance Helen.
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03 Aug 15, Robyn (Australia - temperate climate)
We live in north Western Sydney and wondered where the cape gooseberry plant can be purchased from.
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17 Aug 15, Matt (Australia - temperate climate)
You can buy the seeds from bunnings. I bought mine the other day
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02 Aug 15, Terry (Australia - temperate climate)
In relation to the Cape Gooseberry be sure they are golden with no green when picked for eating. I have read the plant, and green fruit, is poisonous to animals including humans. Even fowl will steer clear of it. I did research when I noticed the sheep would not eat it. It makes a sumptuous jam and are yummy coated in chocolate.
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21 Jul 15, Kalidasan (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I need cape gooseberry seeds. Where its possible?
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10 Aug 15, Pam (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Try Living Seeds and Organic Seeds. Both are online shops
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Showing 351 - 360 of 558 comments
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Hello, I'm researching information on growing this plant and this site has the most, however after reading all the comments I am a little confused. could somebody clarify some bits please? 1) Most comments and tips agree on that the plant doesn't need any fertilizer but some speak about potassium and manure. If I use whatever is suitable for tomatoes will i hurt the plant or just get a lot of vegetable growth but no fruits? 2)Last year I grew 4 plants and managed to destroy two of them by over-watering (I had them all in pots so i guess draining was the issue). I live on a Greek island and the summer here is pretty hot while we get no frost during winter (the entire month of July passed with temperatures in the range of 30-43C). I grew two more from cuttings planted on the ground and they all seem to do well though I'm experimenting on different sun exposure. The plants I have in pots are under direct sun light for the most part of the day (10 hours min.) while the ones on the ground are under partial sun exposure (4-6 hours a day) though the latter are approximately 1m tall while the first are up to 2m. My problem is that I do not get any blossoms at all. There's plenty of them on the plants but they never get to grow into flowers, as soon as they get thick as a needle they seem to burn out. Do I need to water the plants twice a day or add fertilizer? Last year the plants were less than 1m tall and I got only a single flower which of course couldn't turn into fruit (but at least it was a flower :) ) so I thought I was off to a good start but obviously I'm doing something wrong.

- George

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