It's already September and the physalis are still not ripe. You can lose patience then. Unfortunately, there is no point in harvesting the fruits of the nightshade plant when they are unripe. Find out why this is the case below.
Can I harvest Physalis unripe?
It isnot sensible to harvest Physalis unripe. Once you separate the fruits from the plant, they no longer ripen. That's why you should leave the berries on the bush for as long as possible and hope for them to fully ripen.
Do unripe physalis still ripen?
Physalis harvested immatureno longer ripen The fruits go through the entire ripening process on the plant and should therefore remain attached to it until they have reached full maturity. However, it also happens that the berries do not ripen.
Note: Here and there on the Internet there are recommendations to harvest the unripe Physalis, put them in a box and cover them with paper. However, such attempts are doomed to failure.
What characteristics characterize mature Physalis?
Mature Physalis are characterized by two main characteristics:
- the brownish parchment-like dry lantern wrappers
- therich orange tone of the fruits
By the way: As soon as they are fully ripe, the berries usually fall off the plant on their own. This is the clearest sign of maturity - but only if the characteristics mentioned above also apply. Because sometimes the fruits fall off if they are damaged.
Tip
Attention: DO NOT eat unripe Physalis
Impatience coupled with a large appetite can of course lead to the fruits of the Physalis being harvested and eaten unripe. However, this is strongly discouraged because the unripe berries are slightly poisonous and can cause an unpleasant stomach upset, for example. So it's better to stay away from immature Physalis and instead practice patience.
