Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry

SKU: TM809
Sow Aunt Molly's ground cherry seeds in the spring for a big harvest of sweet ground cherries by late summer. The plants and fruits resemble tomatillos, with each fruit growing inside a papery husk called a calyx. Read More

Exposure Full-sun

Matures in 65-70 days

Season Warm season

Seed type OP ?

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Heirloom
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Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry

Product Details

Physalis pruinosa. Sow Aunt Molly's ground cherry seeds in the spring for a big harvest of sweet ground cherries by late summer. The plants and fruits resemble tomatillos, with each fruit growing inside a papery husk called a calyx. But fruits mature to a golden orange colour, and drop to the ground when ripe. The sweet little fruits will store for up to three months if kept in their husks, but you’ll want to use them faster than that in jams, fruit salads, and sauces. Aunt Molly’s originated in Poland and are productive in coastal gardens.

Matures in 65-70 days. (Open pollinated seeds)

Quick Facts:

    • Sweet berries for preserves
    • Productive plants
    • Fruits keep for months
    • Open Pollinated seeds

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Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry

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All About Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry

Latin

Latin
Tomatillo: Physallis philadelphica
Ground Cherry: Physallis peruviana
Family: Solanaceae

Difficulty

Difficulty
Easy

Season & Zone

Season & Zone
Season: Warm season
Exposure: Full-sun

Timing
Start indoors in early spring with bottom heat, and transplant out in warm weather, once night time temperatures are consistently above 10°C (50°F).

Starting

Starting
Sow seeds 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep in individual pots or trays. Space transplants 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 90-120cm (36-48″) apart.

Growing

Growing
Ideal pH: 6.5-7.0. Full sun and regular watering will keep the plants producing. Plants need support to keep drooping branches off the ground. Tomato cages work well. Tomatillos and ground cherries are good candidates for large containers. Be sure to pick the fruit before it drops.

Harvest

Harvest
For salsa verde, harvest tomatillos when they’re just starting to lighten up on the blossom end. But for fresh eating, the fruit is sweetest when it turns yellow and splits its husks, sometimes falling to the ground. For ground cherries, the fruit ripen from green to yellow-gold, and drop to the ground in their husks.

Seed Info

Seed Info
In optimal conditions at least 75% of seeds should germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years.

How to Grow Tomatillo

Step 1

Timing

Start indoors in early spring with bottom heat, and transplant out in warm weather, once night time temperatures are consistently above 10°C (50°F).

Step 2

Starting

Sow seeds 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep in individual pots or trays. Space transplants 45-60cm (18-24″) apart in rows 90-120cm (36-48″) apart.

Step 3

Growing

Ideal pH: 6.5-7.0.

Full sun and regular watering will keep the plants producing. Plants need support to keep drooping branches off the ground. Tomato cages work well. Tomatillos and ground cherries are good candidates for large containers. Be sure to pick the fruit before it drops.

Step 4

Germination

In optimal conditions at least 75% of seeds should germinate. Usual seed life: 3 years.

Step 5

Harvest

For salsa verde, harvest tomatillos when they’re just starting to lighten up on the blossom end. But for fresh eating, the fruit is sweetest when it turns yellow and splits its husks, sometimes falling to the ground. For ground cherries, the fruit ripen from green to yellow-gold, and drop to the ground in their husks.

Customer Reviews & Questions