[Veggie Virgin]

Now it's winter (where did autumn go?) can anyone tell me just how I can ripen off the dozens of physalis I have growing?  The fruit is large but very, very green.  Or do I just compost the lot because I really don't think the weather is going to hot up any time soon.

My husband suggested making jam out of the green fruit, but I am not sure....  especially as I have no idea whether this fruit contains any pectin.  This is the year I started making jam, although I have to hold myself back as there's only two of us in the house!!

[sclarke624]

Its difficult to find info on these on the web isn't it.

This is the second year I have grown them.  First year same prob as you.  But did you know they are perinneal (however you spell that).  So my second yearers have been much more successful because they had a head start.

Why not give them till October.

Think I remember reading that any green berries are poisonus so research carefully before making jam out of green berries.

If we have a bit of sun they can yellow up in three or four days in my experience.  Some success on the window sill but not the best at ripening for these I found.

http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/cape-gooseberry.html

http://makearainbow.typepad.com/potsoffruit/cape_gooseberries/index.html

Have you got a conservatory or greenhouse you can put them in when it gets frosty out.

[Veggie Virgin]

No greenhouse - just a tiny backyard, which is why I have an allotment.  Have tried some green fruit with the green toms and banana on the window sill.  Toms went red.  Physalis stayed green!   Maybe I'll check this one out with the RHS...

[SnooziSuzi]

Soil: The cape gooseberry will grow in any well drained soil but does best on sandy to gravelly loam. Very good crops are obtained on rather poor sandy ground.

I'm going to try these next year and was pleased to read this!  my soil is atrocious!!

[Robin Redbreast]

excuse my mind but when i first read this thread the obvious sexual disease sprang to mind!!! :o then i read again and to my grateful surprise my spelling is bad, pheeeww! so what exactly is physiliss

[sclarke624]

Get your mind out of the gutter alandkell.Tut Tut.

Well they are nothing to do with gooseberries for a start even though the common name here is cape gooseberry.  Tesco call them physalis, which is their correct name, and sell them for a lorra money.  I grow them in pots with a stick to lash to.  There is the 5 to7 footish one and a dwarf one.  I'll get the packets out later and see which is which.  They are supposed to taste like a cross tween pineapple and grapes, taste like cucumber to me, can't stand them but many many people like them including my OH, I am fussy though.  They look like tomatillo's or something.

People have many different ideas on what they taste like. Sweet and sour at same time.  You could try some from Tesco if they have them in first see if you like them. OH says ours were sweeter.

What I find unusual is most young kids i.e. 4 to 8 love them.  Some dip them in chocolate but can't see point of that.  And a friend of my daughters said she used to have to put them on the puddings when she worked in Pizza hut.  Little yellow orange round fruit.

[Robin Redbreast]

keep see'ing the shop with no name but hey who isit?

[sclarke624]

T E S C O

In the veg section near fresh nuts and unusable fruit oh froidelant slip there unusual fruit.

[Robin Redbreast]

GOTCHA!                  

[sclarke624]

sometimes though unless they are on their second year thereby started early or in a greenhouse they don't all ripen.  As I have said many times I am on the South Coast so have more of a chance with the Sunshine.

[Robin Redbreast]

THANKS for the info. my mind is never in the gutter by the way its usually hanging arond with the pond life amoeba and such like!

[londongardener]

Do I need to worry about them getting water logged ?  Can I ripen off my in the house ?  (My patio is very shady).

Also do they easily survive the winter?

[poppies]

sorry new here what is the shop you dont mention or why

[SnooziSuzi]

Hi Poppies;  it's T esco and the mods have added it to a list of bad words so now when folks say T esco it displays "the shop we don't mention" but I can see it on the screen so I think someone has removed it from the list!

It's because of the bulk buying power that they have and they price the farmers out of business and refuse to stock more than 2 free range chickens per county  :evil:

[sclarke624]

but I can see it on the screen so I think someone has removed it from the list!

Na Just put a space tween each letter. Only a banned word for a bit of a laff by Aunt Sally I think.

Do I need to worry about them getting water logged ? Can I ripen off my in the house ? (My patio is very shady).

Also do they easily survive the winter?

Mine are in pots and never seem to get waterlogged, dry out quick.  They are in 10 or 1 inch pots.  So don't really know.

Mine easily survived the winter and you are all gonna get sick  of me saying this, but I live In Felpham which is near Bognor Regis and am just a road back from the beach therefore I get the sunshine hours being southcoast, its even a couple of degrees warmer than London/Croydon and I have dry salty winds.  I also kept the pots in the garden and near the house wall, which is warmer.

As for ripening off, try a windowsill as I have said I found that hit and miss, by that I mean some went too soft one or two ripened.

This year, any fallen to the ground unripe, I put on a table or something in the garden in the sun and they ripened within about five days.

The only inconvienience I have found is they say they are ready when they fall to the ground, so I have to scrabble around the pots picking them up all that bending and reaching.  I have pulled some off when they look ready though.

Whats to loose...... the cost of a packet of seeds, pot, and compost.