Ground Cherry - Wow!

[BigDaveK]

I planted mine inside around April 24. No sign of growth yet. Might have to try them again next year.

There's time, try again!
Noticed something with the last ones I started - the adventurous seeds that spilled out of the envelope and remained on the surface of the starter mix were the first to germinate! I'm going to surface sow a couple more just to test.

 

[Kross]

I planted mine inside around April 24. No sign of growth yet. Might have to try them again next year.

I planted about 2 dozen ground cherries and it took them 3 to 4 weeks before they germinated.

 

[ChuckD]

I planted 8 of them six weeks ago with all the other starts. The tomato plants are 6”’tall and the ground cherries are half that size.

About how many do you need to plant for a three gallon ferment?

 

[BigDaveK]

I planted 8 of them six weeks ago with all the other starts. The tomato plants are 6”’tall and the ground cherries are half that size.

About how many do you need to plant for a three gallon ferment?

You should be OK if Mother Nature cooperates. They produce until frost so harvest, freeze, harvest, freeze, etc.

I had 4 plants last year. Jam, snacking, smoothies. The 3 1/2 lbs in the freezer was leftover and waiting for a new use.

 

[Khristyjeff]

I planted some New Hanover Ground Cherries, and wondered if anyone can tell me if this small plant is one of them. It's got purplish tint on the back side of the leaf. Thanks. Tagging @BigDaveK @ChuckD @Kross since this thread has been quiet for awhile.

 

[BigDaveK]

I planted some New Hanover Ground Cherries, and wondered if anyone can tell me if this small plant is one of them. It's got purplish tint on the back side of the leaf. Thanks. Tagging @BigDaveK @ChuckD @Kross since this thread has been quiet for awhile.

Looks like it to me. Good for you!
They grow so frustratingly slow. They're shamed for being slackers by the other plants and will eventually catch up.
I start mine indoors because I have TERRIBLE luck direct seeding.

 

[vinny]

Looks like it to me. Good for you!
They grow so frustratingly slow. They're shamed for being slackers by the other plants and will eventually catch up.
I start mine indoors because I have TERRIBLE luck direct seeding.

View attachment 89613

Looks like you have flea beetles. They are picky little critters. They will decimate my kale and they are hard on cabbages. If there is nothing to suit their fancy they will even jump on the potatoes. I tried radishes one year and they swarmed them. Ate them to the stems.

Now I plant a sacrificial crop of radishes just to keep them distracted. They will focus on the radishes and leave most everything else alone.

Your picture doesn't show enough that I would worry about them... But it's something to keep in mind if they get unruly!

 

[Khristyjeff]

Looks like it to me. Good for you!
They grow so frustratingly slow. They're shamed for being slackers by the other plants and will eventually catch up.
I start mine indoors because I have TERRIBLE luck direct seeding.

View attachment 89613

Slow is right. My tallest ones are about 5" tall and were planted 1st of May. The other thing is that they are showing up in the oddest places--only a handful are where they were originally planted. I've got some that just germinated in the last week, so these plants are definitely not for the impatient! Thanks for the ID and picture as well.

 

[Jovimaple]

I planted a couple that I bought at a nursery, and they already dropped some fruit on a super windy day. They are tiny, though. I am scared to try the fruit because I read it's poisonous until ripe.

You can see one berry that I removed the paper covering from, next to the soaker hose. I planted them about 3 weeks ago. Any thoughts as to whether it's okay to eat the fruit yet? Or chalk the early dropping up to the wind gods?

 

[BigDaveK]

Looks like you have flea beetles. They are picky little critters. They will decimate my kale and they are hard on cabbages. If there is nothing to suit their fancy they will even jump on the potatoes. I tried radishes one year and they swarmed them. Ate them to the stems.

Now I plant a sacrificial crop of radishes just to keep them distracted. They will focus on the radishes and leave most everything else alone.

Your picture doesn't show enough that I would worry about them... But it's something to keep in mind if they get unruly!

Yes, I think you're right.
I'm behind on my insect control, unfortunately. NEEM oil and diatomaceous earth (no, not together) are my usual weapons.

Cucumber beetles have always been my biggest problem and the DE works great but it needs to be applied regularly. I think the yellow sticky traps only catch the stupid ones.

 

[BigDaveK]

I planted a couple that I bought at a nursery, and they already dropped some fruit on a super windy day. They are tiny, though. I am scared to try the fruit because I read it's poisonous until ripe.

You can see one berry that I removed the paper covering from, next to the soaker hose. I planted them about 3 weeks ago. Any thoughts as to whether it's okay to eat the fruit yet? Or chalk the early dropping up to the wind gods?

When the outer cover becomes "paper-y" they're ripe.
Taste it! You may be disappointed - I honestly think they get better as the plant matures.

 

[Raptor99]

I was inspired by this thread, so on 5/12 I started some Aunt Molly's ground cherries indoors. Now they are ready to plant in the garden. It's a bit of a late start, so if we like them, next year I'll start some indoors two months earlier.

 

[Huba Huba]

khristyjeff, not sure about your plant. My ground cherry plants shave a dull green leaf with a velvet like texture. That looks shiny, reminds me of pigweed, of course I could be wrong

 

[Khristyjeff]

khristyjeff, not sure about your plant. My ground cherry plants shave a dull green leaf with a velvet like texture. That looks shiny, reminds me of pigweed, of course I could be wrong

Thanks for that info. I'm beginning to think you're right. I do have plenty of pigweed but it looks slightly different. I'm leaning now toward it being black nightshade. I'll know soon enough, a few small flowers are forming. Just in case, I've ordered more seed which I'll start indoors so I know what they are!

 

[raspberry]

mine self seed in iowa come up every year have to poll them out like weedsj

 

[alecia68]

I am getting several ground cherries daily. Adding them to freezer stock.

 

[BigDaveK]

I am getting several ground cherries daily. Adding them to freezer stock.

Great!
Me too. About 5 lbs so far from 6 plants

Hey, I did a test with some that weren't quite ripe. After collecting I put them aside for a day or two till paper shell is crinkly dry. Seems the almost ripe will ripen more, nice deep yellow. Green pretty much stay green

 

[ChuckD]

I seemed to remember them being large and prolific plants in my grandma’s garden so I only put in three. One died and the other two are tiny. I’m getting about a dozen berries a week. I do like the taste though.

ETA. I looked back and I put in 8! I don’t know how I lost so many

 

[Huba Huba]

I collected 5 lbs of ground cherries last summer and they have been in the freezer. I think it's time to start my wine. I plan on basically following BigDaveK recipe but would like advise about how much tannin if any to add. Would adding a banana with peel be enough tannin?
5 lbs ground cherries, sugar/honey to 1.090, water to 1.25 gallons, peptic enzyme, nutrients, etc.

 

[BigDaveK]

I collected 5 lbs of ground cherries last summer and they have been in the freezer. I think it's time to start my wine. I plan on basically following BigDaveK recipe but would like advise about how much tannin if any to add. Would adding a banana with peel be enough tannin?
5 lbs ground cherries, sugar/honey to 1.090, water to 1.25 gallons, peptic enzyme, nutrients, etc.

That might be enough tannin. To be honest, I'm still experimenting with tannin to find the good amount.

I recently started a 3 gallon batch, 2 gallons of ground cherries and 1 gallon of water. It was just moved to secondary so we'll see where it goes.

You may find this interesting: I did a deep dive on ground cherries and discovered they don't have any sugar! They have sugar alcohols which the yeast don't ferment from what I've read. Another reason I'm very curious about my current batch with an overabundance of ground cherries. Live and learn!