So what is the best way to protect or collect? Mine are super close to the floor. Wind is kicking some off early, guess if they have a green tint discard? Save with the paper lantern?

For any folks in the South/Southeast -- how long do ground cherries last for you?

Here in Virginia, the plants tend to fade late August/early September and die off within a few weeks, not sure from what (Septoria?), was talking with a friend about this and she suggested trying a succession planting to see if younger plants will last later in the season here.

[QUOTE=Ken B;434785]For any folks in the South/Southeast -- how long do ground cherries last for you?

Here in Virginia, the plants tend to fade late August/early September and die off within a few weeks, not sure from what (Septoria?), was talking with a friend about this and she suggested trying a succession planting to see if younger plants will last later in the season here.[/QUOTE]

Ken; How many years have you grown your Ground Cherrys In Virginia?

[QUOTE=SEAMSFASTER;255391]If you do a Google search for "golden berries" you'll hit on all kinds of websites trying to sell you dried Inca berries/cape gooseberries. I did not get enough fruits to try drying them last year, but people have told me they are very tasty - like candy.

The flavor of the fresh fruits is very intense and quite different from Aunt Molly's.

With a 176-day growing season, I think I'm about at the lower limit for being able to get much production out of Inca berries. Those with a significantly shorter growing season will likely get nothing without some supplemental heat, greenhouse or high tunnel.

I planted my first round on January 6th this year. Some of those seeds are still germinating. Here are the latest pics of some of the larger seedlings.

Inca Berry seedlings -

[IMG]http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h368/SEAMSFASTER/Ground%20Cherry%20Tomatillo/IncaBerryseedlings2-14-2012A.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h368/SEAMSFASTER/Ground%20Cherry%20Tomatillo/IncaBerryseedlings2-14-2012B.jpg[/IMG]

Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry seedlings -

[IMG]http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h368/SEAMSFASTER/Ground%20Cherry%20Tomatillo/GroundCherryAuntMollysseedlings2-14-2012A.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h368/SEAMSFASTER/Ground%20Cherry%20Tomatillo/GroundCherryAuntMollysseedlings2-14-2012B.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

I Appreciate you showing the picture of the Ground Cherries plants. Maybe people can look around the yards, garden & famers to see if the plants are growing there.

I've been in Virginia since 2005. I don't know that they've *always* done the late Aug/early September fade, but the last 5 years that I've been watching out for it, I've noticed it.

[QUOTE=Ken B;438086]I've been in Virginia since 2005. I don't know that they've *always* done the late Aug/early September fade, but the last 5 years that I've been watching out for it, I've noticed it.[/QUOTE]

Hello Ken

I am just so excited about these small Ground Cherry. These Ground Cherry has been growing on the property for over 100 years and I did not realizes they were the wild tomatoes that were described to me 20 years ago brought to this property by Contraband Slaves.. I am so in shock that they were growing all over everywhere. I notice the squirrels would eat them each years, so I would let the grow far away from my Pecan Tree and Tomatoes. I cannot believe there are little tiny tomatoes in side that small husk.

I thought this was a weed but I wanted to someday Identify along with 3 other strange fruity looking plant. Thank God for Eatable Garden and Botanical Garden around the world giving people the opportunity to see their fruits and vegetables grown from grocery store growing their own environment. I myself might start giving tours again.

They are growing all over the place. I think the name "Aunt Molly's" is a good name for these sweet ground Cherry.

Angel Field Farms Interview with Hawaiian Farmers February 2015
Thank you to our loyal customers for sticking with us throughout our travels to study the Hawaiian Natives. Angel Field’s food history research took place at the University of Hawaii, with the Native Hawaiians and Farmers themselves. I interview many Women’s Farmers like myself and learned so many secret farming skills, and different uses of historical farming tools. I event took pictures of Chickens waking around the Walmart Shopping center with their own Aloha Spirit. Yes the Chickens greeted me and stop to take a picture. This year we here at "Angel Field Farms" will seek to understand the “Cancer Fighting Fruits & Vegetables research by many Universities across the US on many of the Hawaii heirloom fruits and Vegetables, especially the Plant. But the Hawaiian Natives Knows the Secrets of their Natives Food Supply and will keep these farming and food secrets until they are recognized as Natives Americans. The Native Hawaiian Bill failure was a shocking reality to everyone, even me, that the Bill "did not" pass Congress. I researched this Bill footstep through Congress, with the help of a very nice and patience librarian in Honolulu, and we both cried a little because the Bill would have finally made them Natives Americans, but the Bill fall apart in Congress. The Spirit of the people was very different to me as they dealing with financial stresses but they still have the Aloha Spirit and a Smile on their faces. Thanks to the Students and the Hawaiian people with all their help.
I will complete my research and report my finding on our new website.
[url]http://www.angelfieldfarms.com[/url]

By Farmer Joyce Beggs
I suffer from Dyslexia so please try to understand me.

I just want to thank everyone for helping me Almost 20 years collecting and understanding the Secret Food History of Contrabands Slaves taught to them by Native Americans. It took many years to locate the Muscadine Grape Vine that a Contraband Slave by the Name of James Kirkpatrick Give for this Historical Property. We locate and Identified it in 1998, but was growing on another property. My Husband brought that property for me which gave us the land for a pure historical Farm involving the farming life of Two Contraband Families. I have been to busy too reply to many farms I received my Knowledge from. Its' been very hard founding all the Historical Native Americans Vegetables grown on our historical farmland. But with your help: especially trying very hard to understand my Mission for the Unforgotten Contraband Slaves who helped rebuild our Country after the Civil War, was very hard for many to understand. I have always called myself "Mrsjustice" because I was born a "Justice Fighter". All My Missions in life was to better society in a positive way. I take on many Missions in life without someone paying me to do so. It come from my Heart. While collecting Food History across the United States for many years with my Husband. Many Native Americans, Amish, Hawaiians Farmers and small historical Heirloom Farmers like myself have real concerns that needs to be addressed. Maybe we can have a United States Farmers Summit, once a year using our historical Seeds to Feed underdeveloped Counties. Why do you think?

I haven't grown ground cherries before, but I'm thinking about trying Aunt Molly's and Goldie ground cherries next year in 25" diameter concrete remesh cages.

Has anyone grown them in cages with good results?


Thanks

I don't think they need cages myself. they are pretty sturdy plants.

[QUOTE=clkeiper;669618]I don't think they need cages myself. they are pretty sturdy plants.[/QUOTE]

Thanks.

1) I was hoping to go vertical to save space. One post on this thread described a extreme plant taking up a 8' diameter of space.
2) I was hoping it would be easier to find the ripe ones that drop with out knocking off green ones by accident.

well, I have never had mine take up 8 ft of space. maybe 3 or 4 tops but that may be your climate that dictates how big they get but mine have never been terribly tall maybe 3'. you have to bend over to get them. nor will you knock off the green ones. You have to pull them off.

I tried to cage mine a few years ago and discovered they are not suited to cages - their growth habit just doesn't work that way - they like to spread (3 to 4 feet in my experience) and won't grow up into a cage. Try putting them on an edge where they can overhang into a non planted area to save space within the garden.

Western US native ground cherry
 

I've had a few plants show up years ago and I have managed to spread them into a few different patches so far. Super drought tolerant, poor soil, no maintenance. Here is a pic of one patch a week ago. They are just getting ready to pick as they really need to be frozen hard a few times to be super sweet.

Hard to tell the scale there so here's a shot of some berries.
I do not plant these things, they just show up in the spring. At dinner parties I have dipped each berry with the husk pulled back in a loose ganache and they are super elegant and tasty.

[QUOTE=berryman;670561]At dinner parties I have dipped each berry with the husk pulled back in a loose ganache and they are super elegant and tasty.[/QUOTE]

That's a [U]great[/U] idea! I'm gong to have to try that. These little jewels are so good. A big no-no for anyone suffering from diverticulitis but wonderful for the rest of us!

The first time I grew them was an 'Aunt Mary's' two years ago. Last year I did a 'Pineapple' but didn't see any real difference in plant habit or berry flavor. They do well in buckets or in the ground. Give them lateral elbow room. :yes: I think I used a 7 gallon for this one.

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/eu2rNfU.jpg[/IMG]

This was Pineapple last May and it didn't get a lot taller but it sure got a whole lot wider. Had to put some cardboard under it to keep the cherries from falling through the pallet slats!

In '16 I tried to find ground cherry recipes but they were few and far between. Found a few jam recipes so I made a few half pints of that. Very tasty stuff but as the jam cooled a thick layer of seeds floated to the top. You can scrape them off when the jar is opened.

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/9QA5v6M.jpg[/IMG]

Last summer I wanted to play with the recipe and somehow try filtering out the very tiny seeds to make jelly, not jam but I never got a round to it. Since then I've read that ground cherries are so thick with natural pectin that you don't need to use any Sure-Jel or equivalent. Since I did add some in that first batch, this explains why it was so very, ummm, *thick* bordering on rubbery! No more pectin. :lol:

Great color!

Looks so good! I would gladly eat the seedy portion ;)

I had to look up the word 'ganache'... one learns something new every day.. I have dipped them in melted dark chocolate, so yummy.
Thankfully we can buy them here in a local supermarket..

No ground cherries plants (or any other Physalis) for me this year - no space anywhere... and the aphid /thrips invasion was horrible every time.

Shame on me! I have six plants (3 Aunt Mary and 3 Pineapple) STILL in the six pack and getting leggy. I've gotta get them in the ground.... once I figure out where. It's been perfect transplant weather! ...hanging head in shame....:?

[QUOTE=Tracydr;260397]Mine never came up. Seed was fine last year so I don't know what happened.
The purple tomatillos look great![/QUOTE]

Forgot I’d even tried these back in 2012. I’m just now trying again with pineapple ground cherries. They germinated beautifully and look amazing in a little raised bed. I also have some green tomatillos looking good.
I may start some purple tomatillos. I have plenty of room and probably plenty of time for a later crop of them. I liked them a lot but when I grew them before we were in AZ and it got too hot that year before I got many fruits.