Berry Physalis: growing and caring for the crop

Humanity has been familiar with physalis for a very long time. But for Russian gardeners, he remains an unusual exotic, although the temperate climate is very suitable for the culture. The plant is extremely unpretentious, extremely rarely suffers from pathogenic fungi and practically does not undergo pest attacks. And its fruits are not only tasty, but also very useful. There are several varieties of physalis, the most popular in the vegetable and berry culture.

Description of berry physalis

Physalis is a group of annual and perennial plants from the same family as tomatoes, eggplant and bell pepper, well known to Russian gardeners for a long time. By the way, he successfully competes with the first in terms of the content of vitamins, minerals and other healthy substances. Like all Solanaceae, this plant is native to South and Central America. Some varieties have taken root in the Baltic states, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.

Physalis in nature is prevalent mainly in America

The name of the plant in Greek means "bubble" - physalis received it because of the unusual shape of the flower. These "bells" as the fruit ripens, do not fade and do not fall, forming an additional shell around it.

In nature, there are several varieties of physalis, but among gardeners the berry is most in demand. The fruits of the “wild” plant are small, about the size of a pea, but even they are very tasty. Breeders managed to increase the size of the berries and, accordingly, the yield, without losing their inherent taste and benefits.

Physalis flowering continues until mid-autumn, respectively, new fruits are constantly formed

The plants are self-pollinating, the weight of the fetus varies from 3 g to 10-12 g. Its height reaches 100-120 cm. The stems are slightly nickel or creeping, intensively branching. Fruits are formed in each fork. The harvesting period is stretched, as the bush does not stop growing almost until the first frost. On average, about a hundred berries or even more are removed from one plant.

The fruits of physalis look very unusual, the flower turns into a kind of shell

Outwardly, the fruit of the “cultivated” berry physalis is very similar to a miniature tomato with a diameter of about 3 cm. The skin color varies from pale yellow and orange-golden to amber and brownish. The pulp contains a lot of seeds. This is perhaps the only relative disadvantage of the plant. The taste of the berries is very interesting - a cross between strawberries, raspberries and pineapple. Due to the high sugar content they are very sweet.

Physalis berries resemble miniature tomatoes, but only externally, the taste has nothing in common

The crop yield is not bad - up to 3 kg of fruits from a bush. At the same time, the plants are quite compact, about 70 cm high, with creeping shoots. Physalis can be consumed not only in fresh form - the berries are dried, jam is cooked, compotes. But in any case, they must first be blanched in boiling water to get rid of a layer of sticky coating on the surface of the fetus.

Physalis jam looks very attractive and has an unusual taste

The berries of physalis are covered with a shell resembling a flashlight. In fact, this is a flower, which in most plants after the formation of the fruit ovary withers and falls. Many people are familiar with this culture precisely by them; they do not even suspect the existence of edible fruits. In berry physalis, unlike decorative varieties, this "flashlight" is rather faded, fawn-beige.

The shell of the physalis fruits, as the fruit ripens, becomes thinner, it becomes translucent

The following varieties of culture:

• Physalis Florida. The fruits are very sweet, even sugary-sweet, generally without sourness. The aroma is completely absent. Fruit flavor is almost not pronounced. Outwardly, the fruits are very similar to yellow fruit cherries. There is something in common with the taste. It is recommended to add citruses or their zest to homemade preserves, compotes and so on to give them a spicy sourness and aroma.
• Physalis pubescent (raisin). A very pleasant balanced taste, sweet, with a light refreshing acidity, most reminiscent of pineapple. The aroma is pronounced, strawberry. The juice is bright orange, it can be confused with tangerine. During heat treatment, the flesh acquires a beautiful golden amber color. It is well stored, in optimal conditions it will lie 3-4 months. Often the fruits are dried, the resulting "dried fruit" is a worthy alternative to raisins. Plant height - no more than 40-50 cm.
• Physalis is pineapple. The fruits are the smallest of all (weighing no more than 3-5 g), but they are very sweet and fragrant. The skin is bright orange. Matures earlier than other varieties.
• Physalis Peruvian. It has a pronounced mandarin aroma and taste. The similarity is complemented by a bright orange skin. This shade is preserved even during heat treatment, and the aroma is not lost. The plant is perennial, thermophilic. In Russia, it can be cultivated only in the southern regions. Height varies from 70-80 cm to 170-200 cm. The plant branches slightly, shoots are densely pubescent. Berries with a diameter of about 1.5 cm, weigh 6-12 g. For long-term storage unsuitable.

Photo gallery: varieties of physalis

The variety most demanded by gardeners is strawberry physalis. The plant is known by the nicknames "strawberry tomato", "annual frost", "Cape dwarf gooseberry", "Barbados physalis". It is on its basis that the majority of “cultivated” varieties are bred by breeders. This is an annual plant. Harvest ripens on average 100 days after emergence of seedlings. To taste, the fruits are extremely reminiscent of garden strawberries, by smell - pineapple. Most of the varieties bred by breeders do not even need to be blanched before use - the berries are devoid of an unpleasant layer of gluten on the surface. Harvest should be collected regularly, ripe fruits quickly crumble.

Physalis strawberry - the basis for most experiments of breeders

Unlike "relatives", the plant is quite compact. Dimensions allow you to grow certain varieties, even at home, on the windowsill. Creeping shoots, their height reaches 70-80 cm. Strawberry physalis is recommended to grow seedlings. Both seedlings and adult specimens will not tolerate even a short-term decrease in temperature to negative values. Seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 15ºС and higher. This plant is a short daylight, if it lengthens, the period of fruit ripening also increases.

Adult Strawberry Physalis Intensively Branches

Video: what physalis strawberry looks like

Most often, gardeners grow the following varieties of berry physalis:

• A raisin surprise. A short (up to 60 cm) plant with densely pubescent leaves. The purpose of the fruit is universal.
• Confectionery 2047. A medium-ripening variety, valued for productivity and large-fruited. Pulp with pronounced sourness. The peel, unlike most varieties, is painted in different shades of green - from salad to saturated emerald. Due to the high content of pectin, it is well suited for the preparation of marmalade, jelly, sweets.
• Sugar raisins. One of the earliest varieties. The fruits are small (5-6 g), but very tasty and fragrant. Plant height - no more than 45 cm. Among all varieties of strawberry physalis it has the longest shelf life - up to six months.
• Philanthropist. The variety is mid-season. Fruits are almost round, pale yellow. The taste is sweet, with subtle acidity. It is notable for good endurance, it stably brings a crop, regardless of the vagaries of the weather.
• Columbus Late ripe physalis, in a temperate climate in the open ground, the fruits may not have time to ripen. It is distinguished by heat loving. Plant height - more than 1.5 m.
• Wizard. The berries are unusually large (12-15 g), slightly flattened. The skin is amber-orange. The taste has a light bitterness inherent in citrus fruits and most of all - grapefruit. The aroma of pulp is pronounced, strawberry. The juice tastes like a cross between an orange and a raspberry.
• Marmalade. Mid-early variety, berries ripen in 120-130 days. The height of the plant reaches 1.5 m. The fruits are slightly flattened from the sides, in appearance and taste they remind a Hungarian plum. As they mature, the greenish tint of the skin changes to a yellowish cream. The variety is distinguished by shade tolerance.
• Gold placer. Early ripening grade. Dwarf bushes, not more than 35 cm in height. Seedling method of cultivation is recommended. The skin is golden, the mass of the fetus is 7-8 g.
• Strawberry raisins. It takes 90-100 days to ripen the fruit, the variety is considered early. The bush is sprawling, creeping shoots, intensively branching. Fruits are oval, golden yellow. Average weight - 10-15 g. The aroma is saturated, strawberry. The taste is sweet, with a slight acidity.

Photo gallery: common varieties of berry physalis

It is better to plant several varieties of berry physalis on the site at once. The experience of gardeners indicates that as a result of pollination, the palatability of the fruits only improves, as does the yield.

What physalis is good for health

For the natives of Central and South America, physalis has been known for more than four thousand years. They widely use it in traditional medicine. The health benefits of berries have been proven scientifically.

Regular consumption of fruits helps:

• Normalize the work of the cardiovascular system. Physalis is rich in potassium, magnesium and sodium. This has a positive effect on the composition of the blood. The walls of the vessels expand, the load on the heart decreases. "Bad" cholesterol is excreted from the body. The likelihood of a heart attack, stroke, heart attack is reduced. It is also an effective prevention of atherosclerosis.
• Prevent the development of tumors, including malignant. The antioxidants contained in the pulp have anticancer and antibacterial properties. They interfere with mutations and the degeneration of healthy cells.
• Reduce the risk of developing joint diseases. Physalis is the prevention of salt deposits in the body. It is useful for exacerbation of arthritis, arthrosis, gout, and other diseases.
• Regulate blood sugar. Physalis fruits are very sweet, but they can be added to the diet for any type of diabetes. Due to the high content of vitamins, medications prescribed by a doctor are also better absorbed.
• Improve vision. The bright yellow-orange color of the fruit means a high content of beta-carotene in them. It is a source of vitamin A. Physalis also helps prevent the development of cataracts, glaucoma, stop the clouding of the lens and macular degeneration.
• Strengthen the immune system. Physalis is rich in vitamin C (more than 5 mg per 100 g). It is useful to include it in the menu for those who often suffer from colds and viral diseases, as well as during recovery in the postoperative period and in the spring, after winter vitamin deficiency. Vitamin C also stimulates metabolic processes and activates the production of collagen, which is necessary to maintain the elasticity of the skin, muscles and blood vessels. Salad from physalis and carrots must be included in the diet of those affected by the Chernobyl accident - this helped to remove heavy metal salts and decay products of radionuclides from the body.
• Strengthen the bones. Physalis is a champion in the content of vitamin K necessary for the formation of bone tissue. Its regular use is a very effective prevention of osteoporosis. It also helps prevent bone demineralization (“leaching” of calcium salts from them).
• Normalize the digestive system. The easily digestible fiber and pectin contained in the berries helps the body digest heavy foods. The risk of constipation, cramping, and bloating is markedly reduced. All this favorably affects the condition of the mucous membrane, being an effective prevention of ulcers, gastritis, and other diseases. Especially useful is the use of decoctions and infusions of dried fruits.
• Slow down the aging process. Antioxidant substances minimize the damage done to the body by free radicals. Physalis is also rich in copper, its presence in the diet helps to improve the condition of the skin, get rid of small wrinkles and age spots that appear with age.
• Accelerate the healing of wounds, ulcers, burns and so on. The iron contained in the pulp is necessary for the body to produce red blood cells. Their high concentration in the blood means an increase in hemoglobin, therefore, organs and tissues are more actively saturated with oxygen and other substances they need, and cell regeneration processes are accelerated. In addition to ingestion, pulp pulp can be applied to wounds. And alcohol tincture helps get rid of scars and scars.
• Get rid of excess weight. Physalis is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals, while berries are low in calories (30-35 kcal per 100 g). Fiber has a positive effect on digestion and metabolism. A decoction of dried fruit is an effective diuretic.
• Reduce the intensity of the symptoms of PMS and menopause. Unexplained mood swings, muscle cramps, migraines, bouts of unmotivated aggression and depression are associated with manganese deficiency. A decoction of the roots contributes to the normalization of the menstrual cycle.
• Increase efficiency, reduce fatigue. Physalis is rich in B vitamins, which are necessary for the isolation of components from food that positively affect the energy balance of the body. You can cook a decoction of leaves - this is a source of flavonoids and carotenoids.

With all the undoubted health benefits of physalis, there are contraindications. Berries are recommended to be excluded from the diet for pregnant and breast-feeding women. Do not get involved in them with increased acidity of gastric juice. Extremely rare, but allergic reactions are possible. If you have any chronic diseases, you must first consult with your doctor.

All the aerial parts of the plant, except the fruit, are poisonous due to the high content of alkaloids. Therefore, when using leaves, the dosage must be carefully observed. Especially dangerous to health is the "flashlight" that covers the fetus. It must be removed. Not all varieties are edible. Berries of decorative varieties of physalis are poisonous. Also, do not use those that have grown on uncultivated soils, especially calcareous.

Video: Physalis Health Benefits

Physalis planting and necessary preparatory procedures

Physalis is a real find for lazy gardeners. Minimal care is required. Nevertheless, some efforts must still be made to create optimal or close conditions for the culture. Without this, profuse bearing is impossible.

Physalis does not impose excessive requirements on the quality of the soil. Both heavy clay and light sandy soil will quite suit him. The only thing he does not tolerate categorically is an acidified or saline substrate. And if the first one can still be corrected by introducing dolomite flour into the soil, crushed eggshell or wood ash into a powder, then in the second case you will have to look for another area. It is desirable that the soil is loose. In heavy soil, it is better to first add a little sand.

Dolomite flour - a natural deoxidizer of the soil, subject to the dosage without any side effects

The plant puts up with bright sunlight and shadow, but in the first case, the ripening of the fruits is delayed, because this is a culture of short daylight hours. Therefore, for physalis, you can not even take a separate bed, planting it under fruit trees, between shrubs, at the fence, and so on.

Physalis can be planted on a site that is not suitable for other garden crops, the requirements of the plant are minimal

Practice shows that physalis should be planted in a chosen place only once. The plant is an annual, but it propagates spontaneously. It is only necessary to let several fruits ripen and fall to the ground. Frost resistance of seeds allows them to successfully tolerate even severe Ural and Siberian winters. But nevertheless it is better to play it safe and in the late autumn to throw a bed with foliage, straw, and snow from above.

Physalis berry propagates well by self-sowing, you need to give several fruits to ripen and dry on the bush

It is undesirable to cultivate physalis where other Solanaceae (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant) used to grow. In principle, he is not susceptible to disease, but in this case, the risk increases. Any other garden crops as predecessors are suitable, especially Pumpkin, Legumes and all kinds of cabbage.

Tomatoes, like other Solanaceae, are bad predecessors for physalis

The selected area is dug and cleaned of weeds. This can be done both in autumn and spring. If earlier something was grown here and, accordingly, fertilizers were introduced, now you can do without them. Otherwise, humus or rotted compost is needed (about 5 liters per linear meter). A useful additive is sifted wood ash. Fresh manure is strictly excluded - it will simply burn the roots, the plant will die.

It is enough to dig a bed for berry physalis to a depth of one bayonet shovel

Growing physalis in a non-seedling way in Russia is practiced mainly in the southern regions with a warm subtropical climate. In such conditions, the gardener can be sure that they will have time to mature. In the Urals, Siberia, and other areas, summer can last much less than the required hundred days. Although, of course, no one forbids taking a chance.

Humus - a natural remedy to increase soil fertility

Seeds are planted in the ground from the first half of April to the 20th of May. By this time, the air should warm up to 15ºС, and the soil at a depth of 8-10 cm - at least up to 7ºС. They are sown in grooves with a depth of about 5 cm, keeping an interval of 7-10 cm between them. It is rather difficult, the seeds are small, therefore it is better to mix them with sand beforehand. Spacing between rows is about 30 cm. Do not deeply dig, max. 1.5 cm. Before emergence, the beds are tightened with a film. When the plants form two true leaves, thinning is carried out, leaving at least 25 cm between adjacent copies. No more than ten seedlings should be placed on 1 m². Those that thicken the landing can be moved to any other place. Most likely, they will successfully take root and also give a harvest, but only later for 7-10 days.

Physalis seeds are small, so seedlings need diving, and seedlings in the garden need thinning

Growing physalis in seedlings allows you to get berries faster. Practice also shows that in this case the yield increases due to the stretching period of fruiting.

Seeds can be purchased or collected independently. Several ripened large fruits are peeled, ground the pulp into pulp and allowed to dry. It softens harder if you first hold the fruit, cut in half, for several hours in water. When the pulp turns into dust, it is sieved, removing planting material.

Each physalis fruit has many seeds, so problems with planting material, as a rule, do not arise

There is another way. The physalis bush is dug up from the garden until the first frost, transferred to a warm room and suspended, laying a soft cloth under it. As they mature, the seeds will fall to the floor themselves. But in this case, the process will drag on for several months.

Before planting, the seeds are immersed in a salt solution for several minutes. This allows you to reject those that definitely will not germinate - they float to the surface. Those remaining at the bottom are washed and dried. For disinfection and disinfection, they are etched for a quarter of an hour in a solution of biofungicide or kept in water for 6-8 hours with the addition of several crystals of potassium permanganate (until bright pink). After that, they will also need to be washed in running water and dried.

Potassium permanganate solution - one of the most famous disinfectants

For seedlings, the seeds of berry physalis are sown in mid-April. Seedlings will be ready for transplanting to a permanent place in the second decade of May. By this time they should reach a height of 10-12 cm. The interval between the bushes is 40-45 cm, the row spacing is 70-80 cm. The procedure is carried out about 1.5 weeks earlier than the planting of tomatoes.

Physalis seedlings develop quickly enough, so there is no need for seedling too early

It is best to purchase special soil for the cultivation of Solanaceae, although a universal substrate for seedlings, and just garden soil, is suitable. Any soil must be sterilized. To do this, it is roasted in the oven, frozen in the freezer or just put in the winter for several days on the balcony. It is easiest to spill the soil with boiling water or a dark purple solution of potassium permanganate.

Soil for Solanaceae is suitable for berry physalis, but any other substrate can be used

The procedure for growing seedlings is not particularly difficult:

1. Prepared substrate is poured into plastic cups, peat pots, and other small containers. It needs to be moderately watered and leveled. 2-3 seeds are sown in each container. Then they are covered with a film or glass. The optimum temperature is now about 25ºС. Light at this stage is not needed yet. The "hotbed" is aired daily, preventing condensation from accumulating. You can plant physalis in general containers, but then you have to mess around with a pick. Also, the experience of growing crops indicates that in this case the percentage of weak and deformed seedlings increases.
2. The emergence of seedlings will have to wait 6-10 days. After that, the shelter is removed. The temperature is slightly lowered to 20-22ºС. Mandatory daylight hours, lasting 8-10 hours. Otherwise, the seedlings ugly stretch, lag behind in development. If natural light is not enough, use phytolamps. Ordinary fluorescent, LED ones are no worse.
3. Further care for the seedlings of berry physalis is reduced to periodic watering as the soil dries. Enough 2-3 times a week. After about 15-20 days, the plants will need to be fed. Use either a weak solution of nitrogen-containing fertilizers (2-3 g per liter of water) or purchased complex top dressings designed specifically for seedlings. When more than one seed germinates in a pot, in the phase of the second true leaf, the “extra” specimens will need to be transplanted into another container or simply discarded if planting material is not in short supply.
4. About a week and a half before planting, soil hardening begins. It should be warmer outside 8-10ºС. Pots with seedlings are taken out for several hours daily, gradually extending the time spent outdoors. In the last 2-3 days they can even be left to spend the night outside the house.

Physalis seeds emerge quickly and massively

Video: planting physalis seeds for seedlings

It is advisable to transfer the seedlings of berry physalis to the open ground in the evening and immediately stretch a canopy of any covering material of white color over the garden. This will protect the delicate leaves from sunburn, plants will take root faster. Shelter can be removed after about a week.

To make plants easier to extract from containers, about half an hour before planting, physalis should be abundantly watered

Unlike most garden crops, the newly planted physalis does not need watering. It is enough to moisten the soil in the hole before planting and to spill the seedlings in the pot well, so that it is easier to extract from the tank. At the bottom of the hole put a handful of humus. Plants are buried to the first true leaf.

Physalis planted in the ground should be protected for the first time from direct sunlight, otherwise plants may get burned

The nuances of caring for the crop

Caring for berry physalis is much easier than for other Solanaceae. For example, unlike tomatoes, a culture does not need to remove stepsons. On the contrary, for her this procedure is even harmful, because the fruits are formed precisely in the forks of the shoots. Therefore, all crop care is reduced to weeding the beds, loosening them, watering and applying fertilizers.

The plant is fairly tolerant of heat and drought, but it is advisable to water the physalis often and plentifully before the beginning of August. If the street is not too warm - twice a week. In the heat, the intervals between procedures are reduced to 1-2 days. The best time for watering is the evening after sunset. Water is poured directly under the roots or into circular grooves around the base of the stem. If technically possible, drip irrigation will be organized. Sprinkling and irrigation from a watering can, a hose are contraindicated to the culture.

It is necessary to water physalis so that drops of water do not fall on leaves, flowers and fruits

Then the plant gets by with natural rainfall. It is necessary that the fruits gain their inherent juiciness, acquire a characteristic taste and not crack.

The yield for such a compact plant in physalis is quite large, therefore, during the growing season, the plant needs top dressing. Nutrients must be applied at the beginning of flowering, and then twice more with an interval of 20-25 days. The preferred method is root top dressing. The consumption rate is at least 0.5 l of nutrient solution per plant.

Fertilizer for Solanaceae is also suitable for physalis, but the plant responds positively to organics

Physalis berry positively reacts both to complex store preparations (universal or designed specifically for Solanaceae), and to natural organics. The most common feeding - infusions of nettle leaves, dandelion, wood ash. In the first half of the season, you can use fresh bird droppings or cow dung that provides the plants with nitrogen, also in the form of infusion. It is useful to periodically sprinkle ash in the bed and in the process of loosening. It provides the ripening fruits with the potassium and phosphorus they need.

Nettle infusion - a completely natural and absolutely free fertilizer

Video: physalis care tips

Physalis is extremely rarely affected by diseases. The same can be said about pest attacks. If infection does occur, treating the plant is irrational. You just need to pull it out of the garden and burn it, and disinfect the soil by spilling it with a 5% solution of copper sulfate or dark raspberry - potassium permanganate.

Bears, wireworms and slugs can cause the most harm to berry physalis. The first two pests gnaw the roots of the plant, the latter feeds on greenery, eating large holes in the leaves. Their massive invasions are an anomaly that is extremely rare, therefore, in order to protect the plantings, preventive measures are quite enough.

Photo gallery: what pests dangerous to physalis look like

When planting, put a little onion husk in the holes. Several deep containers are dug into the soil, filling them with beer, kvass, slices of cabbage (for slugs), chopped potatoes or carrots (for wireworms) or millet porridge mixed with any vegetable oil (for the bear). Pounded chalk, wood ash, sand are added to the base of the stems, they are also embedded in the soil in the process of loosening. Nearby, onions, garlic, herbs, flowers with a sharp aroma are planted.

The growth of the physalis bush continues until the first frost. Accordingly, fruiting is also stretched. It is possible to determine that the berries have ripened by the skin tone characteristic of this variety, the enhanced aroma, and also by the fact that the fruits begin to crumble. To increase productivity, it is recommended to pinch the tops of shoots in the first ten days of September. Then more nutrients will be sent to the fruits.

For harvesting choose a dry sunny day. Cut fruits intended for food are immediately peeled off. It contains an alkaloid glycoside and can transmit unpleasant bitterness to mature berries.

Physalis, intended for food, must be immediately cleaned from the shell

If the physalis did not have time to ripen before the first frost, the bushes are dug up and transferred to heat. Its fruits have the ability to ripen, just like tomatoes. But it takes much more time, 3-4 months. Ripe fruits will fall to the floor themselves.

Most varieties of berry physalis are not stored for long, a maximum of a month or two. They are kept in a dry, dark room at a temperature of 4-6 ° C, without removing the “flashlight” shell. Only slightly unripe fruits that were collected before the first frosts are suitable for storage.

Video: harvesting and storage of physalis

Gardeners reviews

Last year, physalis Zolotaya placer and Dessert were grown. Dessert sprouted well, was quite large, almost not sticky, even ate raw a little, pickled a little in mixed vegetables. It seems not bad, but did not fall in love with him. More seeds remained. Gold placer - germination was disgusting. But the seeds from the eaten store physalis sprouted perfectly. Last year, I didn’t grow in a particularly honorable place, I wasn’t very capricious. It’s sunny near the fence, and there’s probably a place for him.

Esme

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We have ripened physalis stored in boxes for about a month (if in the refrigerator, then longer). And the unripe is first ripened, like tomatoes, so it lies down longer.

Galuk

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Last year I planted strawberry and pineapple physalis with seedlings in open ground. It would be better under the film, but there was not enough space. Pineapple did not have time to ripen, and strawberry children with pleasure gathered and ate. Only small it is very, but sweet. In the autumn I collected the leftovers in cases and in the refrigerator they lay in a bag all winter (I forgot about them), but how nice it is to find a yummy spring!

Valucha

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The physalis has ripened. Sowed Pineapple, Strawberry and Raisins. Grows in a greenhouse. The taste of each other is not much different, but Raisin is the sweetest. Even, I would say, very sweet, like real raisins.

Sweet

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I am happy with physalis! And all my relatives "got hooked" on him. Planted for the first time in 2013: vegetable (Plum jam) and berry (Strawberry). Vegetable - utter muck, and Strawberry - our love. The first year planted seedlings (in May, sown, in June - transferred to open ground). Now I just cover the garden bed with a film, then thin out the seedlings and wait for the harvest! All is eaten fresh, does not survive to the blanks.

Lenok

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The very first time I planted it was stunted, but the seeds, I remember, were called "strawberry physalis." Since then, I have never come across such people, all high. And I really liked these malipuses, planted them in a shaded corner, under an apple tree. In my opinion, I did seedlings in the greenhouse, and not at home, well, definitely not at home, then I did not grow anything at all. They themselves bloomed and fructified themselves, I only collected fallen ripe berries from the ground, I made jam, and now I would raisin. You don’t have to do anything with him, especially stepson, he has a little fruit in every fork, tear off stepsons - loss of crop.

ERA33

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Last season planted physalis Sugar Raisin. Sowed it in the last days of March, earlier it was not necessary. The bushes are low, strewn with small berries. I really liked the taste - sweet with a fruity aroma. Compared to the taste of the store, the daughter said: "Mom, don’t buy anymore, what a junk compared to Raisins." The only negative is a lot of seeds in the fruit. Probably, jam would be tasty, but it didn’t come to jam, everything was eaten instantly. They also planted Plum and Pineapple, but for some reason we did not make friends with them, we will not plant them for the second time, and Raisin is waiting for its landing days.

Valentine

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Growing physalis is even by a gardener who has no experience. It cannot be argued that this exotic culture is capable of completely crowding out well-known tomatoes from household plots for a long time, but a small garden can well be allocated to a plant. Contrary to popular belief, minimal care is required; it does not suffer from diseases and pests. The fruits are not only healthy, but also very tasty.