The Andean berries, mostly known by their genus Physalis, are real vitamin bombs. The bushes, up to one meter high, with small, cherry-sized fruits belong to the nightshade family and are related to tomatoes. The Andean berries are grown in almost the same way - only pruning is not necessary.
How to grow Physalis from seeds?
Grow Physalis yourself from seeds: Sow seeds in February or March in small pots with standard potting soil, cover with cling film and place in a bright, warm location. Repot young plants into larger pots, put them outdoors after the ice saints and fertilize regularly.
Grow Physalis yourself from the seeds
Physalis are usually grown from seeds, although the late-ripening plants should be grown on the windowsill in February or March at the latest. To do this, fill a little substrate (commercially available potting soil is sufficient, Physalis is not particularly demanding) into small pots or cultivation bowls and make a small depression, only a few millimeters deep, in the middle with a finger. Drop a few grains in there and cover them loosely with just a little soil. Cover the pots with cling film or place them in a small greenhouse. They should always be kept moist using a spray bottle (do not water with a watering can!). The location should be bright and warm.
Repotting young plants
The young plants that grow from the seeds need a larger pot as soon as they have around two to three leaves. A pot with a diameter of approx. 10 to 12 centimeters should be sufficient. Fill the plant pot with fresh substrate (potting soil again) and carefully prick out the young plants. Press them lightly and spray them again with water. From a height of approx. 10 centimeters you can fertilize them every two weeks with a liquid fertilizer; rhododendron fertilizer is best (€8.00 on Amazon). Adult plants, like tomatoes, require support (e.g. plant stick).
Container or outdoor?
Physalis is quite sensitive to frost, which is why you should only put the young plants outdoors after the Ice Saints. It is advisable to keep it in a container because this way the plant remains transportable and you can also move it quickly and undamaged to its winter quarters in the fall. Potted plants should always be fertilized, but Physalis planted in the garden generally do not require additional fertilization.
Growing Physalis from cuttings
It is little known that Physalis can also be grown from cuttings. To do this, take fresh, young shoots from old plants either in autumn or spring. These should be around 10 centimeters long and grow from the leaf axils. Up to a third of the shoots are placed in fresh substrate and always kept moist.
Tips & Tricks
You can easily get the (quite expensive) seeds from a purchased fruit: Cut the physalis open and remove the pulp with a knife. Now you can let it dry like butter on a piece of kitchen paper and then you just need to collect the seeds. Alternatively, the fine grains can also be removed individually using a toothpick.
