Cape Gooseberry/Physalis as a perennial
 

I've been growing a number of Cape Gooseberry (Physalis Peruviana)
plants this year from seed. In the latest edition of "Grow Your Own"
magazine it suggests that the plants can be grown as perennials and
should be pruned to give a much bigger crop in the second year.

Does anybody have any tips on how severely (or otherwise) I should be
pruning these plants and at which time of year it should be carried
out? Also, would an unheated greenhouse give sufficient frost
protection or will they require warmer conditions?

In article .com,
sjstokes wrote:
I've been growing a number of Cape Gooseberry (Physalis Peruviana)
plants this year from seed. In the latest edition of "Grow Your Own"
magazine it suggests that the plants can be grown as perennials and
should be pruned to give a much bigger crop in the second year.

Does anybody have any tips on how severely (or otherwise) I should be
pruning these plants and at which time of year it should be carried
out? Also, would an unheated greenhouse give sufficient frost
protection or will they require warmer conditions?



I was very successful in a ghastly lean-to conservatory that baked
in summer (by my standards!) and froze in winter (well, not quite,
in most years). But I have failed since.

They can take down to freezing, and the tops will flop and go slimy
in the cold and wet, so keep them pretty dry. I don't think that
it matters when you prune them.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Thanks very much for the reply, Nick.

Did you prune them very far down? I've noticed that they get sideshoots
from the leaf junctions, rather like tomatoes. If I cut them back to
the bottom-most leaves would I expect them to sprout again from these
leaf junctions?

In article . com,
sjstokes wrote:
Thanks very much for the reply, Nick.

Did you prune them very far down? I've noticed that they get sideshoots
from the leaf junctions, rather like tomatoes. If I cut them back to
the bottom-most leaves would I expect them to sprout again from these
leaf junctions?

Yes. If pruning in autumn, I would do so more lightly. But treat
them much like tomatoes, as they are related.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.