Most gardeners cultivate Physalis as an annual plant like tomatoes or peppers. Hardly anyone knows that the plant can live up to eight or even ten years - and that it flowers and bears fruit much earlier in the year than annual plants. However, perennial physalis have a strong tendency to overgrow, which is why cutting them back is usually essential.
How do I prune my Physalis plant correctly?
Physalis plants can be cultivated as annuals or perennials. Pruning is usually not necessary for annual plants. For perennial Physalis, you should either cut it back to half in autumn or choose the desired shape in late winter. Rotting shoots should be removed regularly.
Care for annual physalis properly
If, on the other hand, you do not want or cannot overwinter your Physalis, then cutting it back is usually not necessary. However, be careful not to fertilize the plant too much, because then it will put more of its energy into growth instead of producing fruits. However, it becomes problematic if the summer is too short or you have sown the plant too late: In these cases, the fruits may not ripen. With a little luck, the physalis will ripen - as long as they are not too green.
Cut cuttings
If you would like to forego sowing annually, but do not have the space to overwinter an old plant, then you can easily cut cuttings in the fall instead and overwinter them, potted in a small planter. Cuttings don't take up too much space and sprout again very quickly in the spring. For cuttings, it is best to take fresh shoots directly from the leaf axils, which should be around 10 to 15 centimeters long.
Pruning perennial physalis
Older physalis plants can grow up to two meters high and more than one meter wide - making them difficult to overwinter in a pot culture if left unpruned. The plants also grow very densely, so regular ventilation pruning makes sense. You have several options:
1. In autumn you cut the plant back at least half and only leave a strong main shoot a little longer. It doesn't hurt if the plant no longer has any leaves - it will sprout again from its rhizomes in spring.
2. You cut the plant back as desired in late winter.
Tip
Physalis tends to turn yellow, especially when there is a lack of light, which is why you should remove the corresponding very thin shoots regularly (and at any time). These shoots rob the plant of too much strength.
