The Physalis, which originally comes from the South American Andes (also known as the Andean berry or Cape gooseberry), loves warmth, does not tolerate frost, needs a lot of water and is otherwise quite undemanding. The herbaceous shrub tends to grow even in rather nutrient-poor soils and hardly needs any fertilizer.
How should you fertilize Physalis?
Physalis requires little fertilizer; For garden plants, compost or manure is sufficient before planting. Potted plants occasionally need fertilizer, e.g. B. Rhododendron or tomato fertilizer in the irrigation water. No fertilizer for seedlings, young plants or newly repotted specimens.
Which soil does the Physalis need?
The Andean berry generally feels comfortable on almost any soil. Even loamy and slightly acidic garden soils have little or no effect on the plant's immense growth. This means you can grow Physalis in almost any garden - provided it is warm and sunny enough. However, since the plant also needs a lot of moisture, you should cover the ground around it with bark mulch. This counteracts evaporation and keeps moisture in the soil.
Too much fertilizer causes plants to overgrow
Although a physalis needs a lot of water, it also has difficulty withstanding too generous amounts of fertilizer. If you fertilize too often, the plant will put far too much energy into growth at the expense of the fruit. For planted specimens, it is basically sufficient to incorporate compost or manure into the soil before planting. Also forget to use the root barrier (e.g. in the form of stones), otherwise you will have to use the scissors more often in the summer.
Care for Physalis in the pot
In contrast to the physalis in the garden, a potted plant needs occasional fertilizer. Rhododendron or tomato fertilizer is best suited for this, but you can also choose other vegetable fertilizer. Take liquid fertilizer and add it to the irrigation water. Fertilize the plant about six to eight weeks after planting. Neither seedlings nor young plants need fertilizer because they get their low nutrient requirements from the seeds.
Tips & Tricks
A nutrient-poor growing substrate is best for growing Physalis from seeds. By the way, you shouldn't fertilize freshly repotted Physalis either, as this will only encourage them to rot.
