Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry are members of the ground cherry family, which includes tomatillos. You can say that they share the same family bond or are cousins.
Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry is an organic, easy-to-grow, prolific, and papery-husked fruit that easily falls to the ground when ripe. They effortlessly break into different parts.
Scientific Name and genre
Its scientific name is Physalis grisea, where grisea is its species name, and its family is Solanaceae. It is a spring transplant crop.
Common Names for Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry:
Ground cherries are known by a vast list of common names, including Poha berry, Cape gooseberry, golden berry, ground tomato, Pichu berry, Inca berry, etc. And the list goes on!
Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry Growing condition for summers:
As summer increases human body temperature, it also increases the temperature of the soil, so this plant needs an optimum soil temperature of 75-85°F. This means it requires full sun exposure at a warm temperature and matures within 65-70 days.
Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry Growing Conditions for Winters:
In winter, generally, we have cooler soil, so if the soil temperature is cooler, then it will increase germination time. It will take 6–8 weeks before the last frost.
Sowing depth of seed
Seed-to-soil contact is very important. If we plant a seed too shallow, it will result in poor germination and the seed absorbs low moisture. So for this plant, the depth of the seed will be ¼.
Outdoor sowing
Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry Plant is not the best option to sow outdoors. The fungus may attack the seeds during their early growth, so outdoor sowing practice is not suggested, particularly in northern areas.
A common way of indoor sowing
Indoor sowing of this Aunt Molly’s plant is of great importance. Indoor sowing of seeds will help in the better growth of plants because the use of perfect food and bright light will facilitate their growth.
Important instructions before sowing seed
- Sow the seed before the last frost.
- Sow in the pots.
- Give appropriate soil temperatures.
- Fertilize it every 7–10 days with a water-soluble fertilizer (diluted to ¼ of the suggested measurement). After the last frost, transplant seedlings every 24”.
An extra but beneficial tip
You will get an excellent result when you grow this on landscape cloth. It will prevent weeds and make it easier for you to collect fruit.
How do you start Aunt Molly’s, Ground Cherry
You should sow Aunt Molly’s ground cherry seeds in spring for a big production of these candy-type ground cherries by late summer. So, for start-ups,
- place the seeds on the top of the soil in early spring with bottom heat,
- And lightly cover with a layer of soil of about ¼ inch. Keep in mind that the layer of soil should be thin. Gently pat the soil. Seed should be sown in individual trays or pots.
- Full sun exposure will keep the plant producing. After planting the seed, give it water, and then give it a gentle spray every day until your seed establishes.
- You will see that your seeds will start germinating in approximately 5 to 8 days.
- This Aunt Molly’s Cherry will become mature in two months or take a few more days.
- Tomatillos and ground cherries are decent nominees for a large pot, and yes, don’t forget to pick the fruit before it drops.
The type of soil used for planting
Plant this in productive soil, and modify it with humus or manure if needed. It enables the use of row wrapping early in the season, providing the plants with extra heat, particularly in the north. Aspect dress when buds begin to form. Place some type of fabric under the plants for easy production or harvest.
Seed info
You should use a good-quality seed because in an optimal situation, 75℅ good-quality seeds will start germinating and give vigorous growth. The usual life of a seed is 3 years.
You need patience while planting
Whatever you call them, these tiny berries are amazing fruits that you can effortlessly accumulate for yourself. Sometimes seeds may be slow to germinate, but you should be patient.
Way of harvesting Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry
And before planting outdoors, you should harden off the transplant, which means first you should place plants in a shaded location outside for 2 to 3 hours, and protect them from strong wind.
Why not plant Aunt Molly’s, Ground Cherry
These Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry plants are not very popular, but they are the easiest plant to grow with the least pests and have fewer chances of disease.
The specialty of this plant
These tiny, yellow-orange fruits have a sweet, pleasant flavor identical to pineapple with a soft setting flavor of tomato. These ground cherries are from the same plant family as tomatoes.
Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherries are the real thing and unique fruit. The plant can be grown in a container, tolerates drought, and is edible!
The appearance of Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherries
Ground cherry plants have small bright leaves and sprawling shrubs. Before bearing fruit in summer, they create yellow flowers to precede fall, draped in a papery rind, just like their relative tomatillos.
Availability of plants or seeds
The seed of this plant is easily available everywhere and you can also purchase them online. The price of seed varies according to quantity for example you can purchase a packet of 50 seeds for approximately $3.7.
Aunt Molly’s ground cherry plant size
This is an amazing plant that grows from 2 feet high to 4 feet wide.
This plant can grow short, nuzzling the ground, or more straight, ensuring variation and maturing conditions.
They grow a papery husk inside each fruit called the calyx. This fruit and plant resemble tomatillos.
Adulthood of this plant
In adulthood, this plant attains the size of 18” and has the characteristics of countless pineapple-yellow fruits covered in skins.
Is Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry perennial?
This amazingly beautiful Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry is grown as an annual and originated in Poland, where it is most profitable in coastal gardens.
Associated with the universal garden tomato, these summer annuals can be included in your veggie garden to give a crop of flavorful, tasty fruit in just one maturing season.
In the summer
Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry is a souvenir, tender, warm-weather annual vegetable that is native to Poland. It has been growing in gardens throughout the United States since the mid-1800s.
They are annual, warm-weather plants that disappear in late summer after they are accomplished, generating some ground cherry fruits.
Moist and smooth ground cherry herbs are perennial herbs, propagated from buds and reproduced by seeds.
In spring
These cherries in the spring have a fast development rate and finish their life process in one season. Before planting, keep it in mind and note that except for it all parts of the ground cherry plants are harmful to people and pets.
Common diseases of Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry
Fungal problems arise if air circulation around the plant is not good, and if a plant is weakened during the drought period, then fleas, beetles, cutworms, and other insects might attack the plant.
Put up with them, out of their shells, and eat them!
STORING: Ground cherries protect nicely and can be stored for up to 3 months if left in the shell or husk.
References
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-organic-ground-cherries-2539577
