Who is growing or has grown Ground Cherry

[Wellspring]

I finally got a hold of one at a local nursery.  I'm excited as the online reading suggests it's an amazingly delicious fruit.
I saw The Future mention growing four types.  Which did you grow?  How did they do?  Did you have a favorite and why?

[Atash Hagmahani]

Physalis pruinosa?

I grow it from time to time. I have a batch of them this year.

They are easier to grow than tomatoes, but not so easy as "Wonderberries" which naturalize extremely easily. They are a little cooler-growing than tomatoes, and not as disease-prone. If happy, they are capable of naturalizing, but oddly they don't seem to naturalize as easily as their close relations tomatillos do. They are sweeter and, dare I say, better tasting that tomatillos, having more flavor.

The fruit is pleasant but not what I would call "amazing". They taste intermediate between a tomato and a plum (hence "pruinosa" I suspect), and make a refreshing dessert. They are sweeter than tomatoes, but not intensely sweet. They taste like Cape Gooseberries if you know what those are, and are closely-related to those. But they are hardy annuals instead of tender perennials, and easier to grow.

They are ripe when they fall off the plant. Just scoop up the little paper "lanterns".

I have 2 varieties that I can't keep straight. They are similar aside from the size of the fruit.

[Wellspring]

That's the same variety that I have Atash.  Thanks for share your experience with them.
Wonderberries sound interesting.  Have you grown them?  I'll do a little research . . .

[silverseeds]

I love ground cherries and tomatillos. I tried one of each last year. this year, I have one plant of every type I could find commercially. so I wont have pure seed. I am pretty sure they are outbreeders though. but there seems to be disagreement on that topic. Im going to test it this year......

Wonderberries are interesting. They are a decent taste, but prolific and easy to grow. My take on these types of things.... grow a plant or two of all the types. tomatoes, groundcherries, tomatillos, woderberries, etc....... then of ocurse grow many of whichever you use often. Im kind of obsessed with diversity. you never know if a new disease or pest will come along and wipe out your tomatoes lets say. sure a few plants of these other things, might not replace it, but youll have seed, and something to grow the next year...... I have some wonderberries if youd like them. (atash, your rye and corn will be going out soon)

[darwinslair]

I do love them and grow them.  I have one daughter that will not touch them, but the other two will eat large bowls of them.  Wife likes them as well.  They benefit from a low cage for support and I grow them over landscaping fabric to keep the fruits from getting muddy when it rains.

Tom

[hippiechick]

I grew them last year with success. They are delicious.

[Wellspring]

I love ground cherries and tomatillos. I tried one of each last year. this year, I have one plant of every type I could find commercially. so I wont have pure seed. I am pretty sure they are outbreeders though. but there seems to be disagreement on that topic. Im going to test it this year......

Wonderberries are interesting. They are a decent taste, but prolific and easy to grow. My take on these types of things.... grow a plant or two of all the types. tomatoes, groundcherries, tomatillos, woderberries, etc....... then of ocurse grow many of whichever you use often. Im kind of obsessed with diversity. you never know if a new disease or pest will come along and wipe out your tomatoes lets say. sure a few plants of these other things, might not replace it, but youll have seed, and something to grow the next year...... I have some wonderberries if youd like them. (atash, your rye and corn will be going out soon)

SS:  I sympathetically resonate with your commitment to diversity.  I feel compelled to grow out certain plants (like Tom's true seed potatoes) in order to preserve genetic diversity and assure greater survivability. 

Yes, yes, I'd love some wonderberries.

And if you are interested, I have some Ulloco to share. 

[The Future]

I have one plant growing I think it was 'aunt ruby's' version.  I bought seeds from SOC that are reputedly 1inch version.  Mine actually went in in september and has fruited continuosly for months now.  I was the only one who enjoyed them for quite some time.  Everyoen else hated them.  Then I travelled, left a few in the fruit bowl, came back and asked what happened to them.  My wife said, 'oh, I thought they were baby tomatoes and put them in a salad.  I loved them'.  So now they eat them....go figure.

So be creative with them.  I do not think they are the tastiest fruit ever but I eat them with eagerness.  It is rare to find a fruit that produces so quickly and for so long.  And Atash, I will test the theory as to whether this is in fact an annual or not.  I am stumbling across so much evidence that many things we have been told are annuals are not.  I have a 2 year old pumpkin vine.  Bell peppers several years old.  A friend says his tomatoes have lasted over a year.  Another friend says his pumpking vine is 5 years old.  I've read about people pruning eggplants back and getting them to live for several years....the list goes on...while I don't expect them to last more than a year, my okra from September last year are still producing now....

[Beeherder]

GrandpaEarthHouse with his 300 square foot indoor year round garden has tomato plants that are many years old, he just cuts them back in the summer when the sun angle is high and he wants more light in the house. He has parley trees that are many years old too.

This year i have 4 tomatillo plants. They will naturalize in good soil here and take over your garden too. Ground cherry sounds very interesting for future years. Any guess on shelf life for a packet of seeds?

[darwinslair]

GrandpaEarthHouse with his 300 square foot indoor year round garden has tomato plants that are many years old, he just cuts them back in the summer when the sun angle is high and he wants more light in the house. He has parley trees that are many years old too.

This year i have 4 tomatillo plants. They will naturalize in good soil here and take over your garden too. Ground cherry sounds very interesting for future years. Any guess on shelf life for a packet of seeds?

NO idea on how long the seeds last, but they are easy to collect, and have never had them cross with anything.  I seed them thickly in flats and transplant at the second true leaves.

Tom