The popular heirloom variety, Aunt Mollys, has been cultivated by Pennsylvania Germans since the 1800s.
They are easy to grow in the garden with minimal pest and disease problems.
Their small, yellow-orange fruits have a sweet-tart flavor similar to pineapple with a faint background flavor of tomato.
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Ground cherries are part of the same plant family, Solanaceae, astomatoes.
Despite their common name, the plants are unrelated to true cherries (Prunusspp.).
Ground cherry plants look like small, sprawling shrubs with bright green leaves and toothed edges.
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Plant ground cherries in the spring.
Asannuals, they have a fast growth rate and complete their life cycle in one season.
check that any planting site gets lots of sunlight and has well-drained soil.
The Spruce / Randi Rhoades
Check the area for taller trees and shrubs that might shade your ground cherries too much during the day.
Spacing, Depth, and Support
Ground cherry plants should be spaced at least 2 feet apart.
Young plants should be planted at the same depth they were in their previous container.
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Seeds should be planted only about 1/4 inch deep.
They can tolerate a bit of shade but this will likely cause them to produce fewer fruits.
Soil
These plants arent overly picky about their soil bang out.
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However, they grow best in well-drained soil rich inorganic matterwith a slightly acidic pH.
Water
Ground cherries like fairly moist soil and need approximately an inch of water weekly.
Dry conditions can cause the plants to drop their blossoms without producing fruit.
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Temperature and Humidity
Ground cherries have good heat tolerance within their growing zones.
They do best in temperatures of 55F to 65F and can cope with temperatures rising as high as 85F.
However, frost can kill the plants.
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Humidity typically isnt an issue for these plants.
Fertilizer
Ground cherries thrive in soil amended withcompost.
If necessary mix an organicfertilizerspecifically for fruits and vegetables into poor soil.
Pollination
Ground cherries self-pollinate and will attract bees and other pollinators to the garden.
Both are part of the same genus with fruits growing in papery husks.
However, ground cherries are typically smaller than tomatillos.
Ground cherries are yellow or orange and tomatillos are green.
Cape gooseberries are unrelated to European gooseberries but very similar to ground cherries.
The names are often used interchangeably.
Each plant produces around a pint of fruit per growing season, during late summer into fall.
Some growers place cloth or containers under their plants to catch the fruits and make harvesting easier.
make a run at pick up the fallen fruit often.
you might also eat them as a snack.
They are kept refrigerated for up to two weeks and frozen in an airtight container for several months.
The container should have drainage holes.
An unglazed clay container is ideal to allow excess soil moisture to escape through its walls.
Propagating Ground Cherries
Ground cherries are typically propagated via seeds but can be grown from cuttings.
This is an easy and inexpensive way to start a new plant.
The best time to take a cutting is in the late spring to early summer.
The seeds should germinate in about two weeks.
To start plants outdoors, wait until your spring temperatures are reliably warm.
However, they still can struggle with some of the same issues as their cousins.
Plants You Might Also Like
Ground cherries are part of the nightshade family (Solanaceae).
Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant are also part of the nightshade family.
Ground cherries are usually grown as annuals so the same plants wont come back.
However, seedlings will emerge from dropped fruits.
Use fully ripe ground cherries only.
Remove the husks, cut initiate the fruit, and squeeze the pulp with the seeds into a bowl.
Discard the skins, add cold water, and stir until the seeds separate from the pulp.
When the seeds settle at the bottom of the bowl, pour off the pulpy water.
Repeat until all the pulp is removed.
Place the seeds in a fine strainer, rinse under cold water, and drain well.
Store them in a paper bag or container in a cool, dry place.
Off the Beaten Path: Ground Cherries.
