Physalis: planting and care in the open field, growing and harvesting

Physalis is an ornamental plant - unpretentious, resistant to low temperatures, which allows it to be grown by novice gardeners. The plant attracts attention with unusual, bright fruits resembling lanterns in shape. Depending on the variety, they are an interior decoration or a delicious treat. To get a harvest of unusual physalis berries hidden in "flashlights" in the open field, you should know the features of planting and caring for it.

Description and biological features of physalis

The plant belongs to the most numerous genus of the Solanaceae family, growing in Asia, Europe and America.The name of the culture is translated from Greek as "bubble", it is associated with the unusual shape of the calyx of the plant, which has a bright, reddish-orange color.

Gardeners use more than one name for physalis - earthy cranberry or tomato, "emerald berry", "bubble", "dog cherry", "maroon". Due to the fact that vegetable varieties of the crop belong to the Tomato family, they are often compared with this vegetable.

There is an annual and perennial physalis, this herbaceous plant can have branched, erect or curved, cranked stems, bare or covered with a sparse edge at the top. Their height varies from 20 to 120 cm, and over time the stems become woody at the base.

The plant has opposite leaves, single, axillary flowers that are located along the entire stem. The calyx is bell-shaped, as if swollen, it contains orange or red berries, similar to small balls.The fruits have a very pleasant aroma, and although physalis is an ornamental crop, in some of its varieties they are edible and even very tasty. The ripening period depends on the variety and the conditions in which the physalis grows.

Popular species and varieties of Physalis

There are a large number of varieties of this nightshade plant, but not all of them are the most popular among gardeners. And besides, before choosing, you should consider whether you need a bubbler to decorate the garden and at home, or if you want to taste its delicious fruits.

Vegetable

Physalis of this species is edible, it is highly resistant to low temperatures and gives a bountiful harvest of large (up to 50 g) fruits. They are used in cooking and can be stored for a long time.

Strawberry and berry

These berry crops can be attributed to heat-loving plants, they produce small fruits - weighing no more than 10 g. Physalis berries of this variety can be eaten fresh, and various desserts are prepared from them - marmalades, jellies, jams, preserves.

Gardeners may encounter difficulties in breeding berry physalis - it matures longer than representatives of other varieties. But this disadvantage is fully compensated by the high yield and incredibly pleasant taste and aroma of the fruit.

Raisin

Physalis of this variety has very tasty fruits - sweet, with a slight sourness, they resemble pineapple in taste and smell. Physalis raisin juice is similar to tangerine.

The culture of this variety grows better from seedlings, the fruits are stored for up to 4 months, gradually wither a little, which makes them look like raisins.

Franchet

Most often an ornamental plant is cultivated as an annual, the height of the stem reaches 90 cm. On one shoot, up to one and a half dozen “lanterns” can appear - fruits dressed in a bright cup.

Gold placer

An early ripe variety of physalis, the height of the bushes does not exceed 30-35 cm. The berries are golden, weigh 5-7 g, as a rule, one bush gives a bountiful harvest.

Korolek

Belongs to early-ripening varieties, its berries are used for making desserts and canned vegetable dishes.

Pineapple

This variety, despite its southern origin, can be grown in central Russia. It ripens very quickly - the first harvest is ready by the end of June. Pineapple bubble fruit has a rich sweet taste with notes of pineapple, can be eaten fresh and used for preparations.

Peruvian

Physalis from Peru loves light and warmth, so it is not often found in home gardens. And if summer residents decide to plant it, then only if protected ground is provided.

The yield of the variety is low, the berries weigh 3-9 g, they have a high nutritional value and are a storehouse of useful trace elements and pectin. The flesh is juicy, bright or brownish-orange, with strawberry and pineapple flavors.

Decorative

In the garden, this plant becomes a decoration - bright, festive, but do not forget about its toxicity. Blooming decorative physalis are covered with neat orange lanterns.

Reproduction of Physalis

In addition to seed propagation, dog cherries can be grown from lateral processes and cuttings. In ornamental species, many shoots form from the rhizome, so in spring or autumn, part of the root system with shoots can be dug out from the main root and transplanted.

Another way is cuttings, for which it is necessary in July to cut off the tops of the stems that have several nodes and internodes, and plant them in loose soil, deepening them by half and covering them with a perforated film. When turgor is restored on the leaves of the cuttings, the film can be removed.

Care for cuttings during rooting is simple, they must be watered in a timely manner and protected from direct sunlight.

Date of planting

When to sow seeds can be calculated using simple calculations. It is desirable to plant a plant on a permanent plot at 45-50 days of age. You should choose the best day, based on the weather conditions of the region, and count the time for the sprouts to be ready - 4-4.5 weeks. In the middle lane and in the Urals, this period falls on the beginning of April, a more accurate date can be checked according to the lunar calendar of solanaceous crops.

In Siberia, the climate is more severe, here you can expect spring frosts even at the beginning of summer, and autumn frosts already in August. Therefore, in the absence of a greenhouse, it is better to give preference to physalis, which ripens quickly - variety Moscow early 2045, Confectioner, strawberry.

Seedlings are recommended to be sown in April, and then planted not in open ground, but under agrofiber or film. Transplantation is carried out from mid to late May, depending on weather conditions.

After the first ten days of June, the shelter is removed and returned by the end of the summer period.

Secrets of growing physalis in the open field

Not all varieties of plants can be grown in such conditions, in addition, the success of planting depends on climatic conditions. Some types of "bubbler" are enough to sow seeds in open ground, while others are grown from seedlings.

To grow physalis in the country, garden or garden, it is worth considering some of the needs of this unusual culture:

The heat-loving "bubble" needs plenty of sunlight, so you need to choose areas with good lighting for it.
In the place where it grows, after rain, moisture should not accumulate and stagnate.
Sprouts feel better in pre-cultivated soil in which representatives of other crops grew before them. This will contribute to more active planting growth and increase yields.
Physalis does not grow well in the neighborhood of weeds, so it will need regular weeding.
The emerald berry is not suitable for acidified soil, if the plant is placed in such conditions, it will not take root or will constantly get sick.

You can make the soil more suitable for this crop with the help of liming - additional components are added to it: quicklime, wood ash, Fluffy or dolomite. When using additives, follow the recommendations given in the instructions.

Preparing Physalis for planting seeds

The seed material of the "Chinese lantern" is small, so you should not deal with it piece by piece. To select good seeds, they should be tested in a 5% saline solution. Those that have surfaced are sent to marriage; seeds that have sunk to the bottom are considered suitable.

Before sowing, they must be disinfected - soak for 30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After the material is washed, dried and stored until planting.

If physalis is to be sown immediately in open ground, then these activities can be carried out on a personal plot, before placing the seeds in the soil.

Seed selection

Gardeners often face the problem of acquiring quality seed, so they try to get it on their own plot. The simplest selection is to select seeds from the best plants:

strawberry and Peruvian vesicles are representatives with the highest yield, large fruits and high palatability;
with Mexican physalis, selection is more difficult - plants inherit the characteristics of both pollinated and pollinated vesicles, so it is better to take seeds from the fruits of various bushes, and then plant them in separate plots.

Experienced growers can self-select crops by crossing different varieties in order to get the most productive plant with fruits that meet their requirements. But most often it is done by professional seed growers.

Growing seedlings

In many ways, growing Chinese lantern sprouts is similar to getting tomato planting material. So a basic knowledge of this process is enough to get a positive result.

Soil preparation

As a soil, you can use a finished product intended for other vegetable crops: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. And if you have free time, it is better to make the soil yourself. It will require:

40% peat;
25% humus (rotted compost);
25% land (garden or sod is suitable);
10% river sand (must be washed).

The resulting mixture should be sieved, and in order to exclude the possibility of infection with fungal diseases and reduce the amount of weeds, it is advisable to steam it for an hour.

The vesicle is sown in the area from mid-spring to early May, placing the seeds in a thin strip in the furrows, the distance between them should be 25-35 cm. sprouts can be planted separately - they have a high survival rate.

Planting a plant in the area

Earlier planting of physalis sprouts with 3 leaves in the ground can be planned, but only with mandatory shelter. Plants with 6-8 leaves can be planted in open soil, but only if the weather is warm and frost is excluded.The most favorable air temperature is +20… +22 ^С.

Those who want to get a bountiful harvest and beautiful vegetation should pay attention to the following features of the process:

Seedlings of tall and medium-sized varieties require an intermediate transplant into a larger tank before rooting in open ground.
All "young" physalis are shown hardening - pots with seedlings should be kept in a shady area where direct sunlight does not fall.
Since most dog cherry bushes branch quite well, it is best to transplant plants using a checkerboard pattern, the step size is an average of 50 cm.
Representatives of tall varieties subsequently need to be tied up, it is advisable to provide for this during their planting in the ground.
Dip the sprout into the hole until the first true leaf.
If the seedlings have outgrown, then they are planted as follows: 1.5 liters of water is poured into the recess and the seedling is placed with a slope into the water, this will allow the roots to straighten themselves; then the hole must be sprinkled with soil and compacted.
Sprouts that are planted in due time do not require such manipulations: they are placed in the ground in the traditional way, and after the procedure they are well shed.

To facilitate further care of the crop, it is recommended to mulch the soil using peat.

Physalis Care Features

Having planted the sprouts of an exotic plant in the ground, you must continue to take care of them. Care is reminiscent of growing tomatoes, only the physalis does not need pinching - the fruits are also formed on the side branches.

Loosening

It is important to avoid crusting and cracking of the soil. To do this, take the time to loosen it.

Irrigation Rules

It is recommended to water the seedlings regularly until August 15-17, later it is better to reduce the frequency of watering - this will speed up the ripening process of the berries. Physalis is not afraid of heat and drought, it is highly resistant to such conditions.

In the heat, you can water the bushes a couple of times a week, and when the air temperature is moderate, one watering every 7-8 days is enough.

Weeding

It is necessary to hold this event, but it is enough to do it once every 3-4 weeks, not more often.

Feeding

Half a month after transplanting the seedlings into the ground, you can start feeding them. Experienced gardeners recommend fertilizing after watering. You can use both organic and mineral compounds, but the best result can be achieved if you alternate them every one and a half to two weeks.

For physalis, the following fertilizers are allowed:

Ammonium nitrate - a solution is prepared at the rate of 10 g of the substance per 5 liters of water. It is better to apply after picking, when the leaves become pale greenish in color.
Organic (bird droppings, cattle manure) - mullein is bred at the rate of 1:10, litter - 1:15, about 5 liters of the composition are injected for every 1.5 square meters. m. Such top dressing is very useful for weakened vegetation, effective after picking, during flowering and fruit formation.
Superphosphate - complex fertilizer for vegetable crops. The composition is prepared from 15 g of the substance per 5 liters of water.
Wood ash - recommended to be applied throughout the growing season; dilute at the rate of 15 g of the substance per 5 liters of water.

During the introduction of fertilizers, it is worth being careful and making sure that the compounds do not fall on the leaves and stems of physalis, as they can cause a burn.

Pest control

There are several particularly "stubborn" and dangerous pests that are not indifferent to earthen tomatoes and can ruin them and deprive the owner of the crop:

Medvedka is a large orthopteran insect that harms the root system of physalis, gnawing the roots. You can protect the culture from it by spring and autumn digging of the soil - this event will lead to the destruction of the pest's nests. In summer, it is recommended to loosen the soil by at least 20 cm. You can scare away the bear by watering the plant with a solution of bird droppings, as well as by planting marigolds next to the bladder.
Aphids - this dangerous parasite is a carrier of late blight. Insecticides serve as protection against it, which should be treated with bushes 3-4 times per season.
Wireworm - the larvae of all click beetles are a thunderstorm of roots and tubers that cause serious damage to the underground part of the plant. It is recommended to add ash to it while digging the soil - beetle larvae “do not like” alkaline soil.

Protection against diseases

In general, physalis is a he althy and disease resistant crop. However, under negative conditions, the risks of developing diseases are present.

Seedlings growing in conditions of high humidity can be affected by a fungal pathology, which is called the "black leg". It is not difficult to notice the disease - the base of the stem turns black, and the sprout dies.

As a rule, with proper care of seedlings and seedlings - loosening, watering, thinning, it is possible to avoid the disease.

Another disease that does not spare all nightshades, late blight, poses the greatest threat to crops during fruit ripening. The fungus infects the berries, and they become covered with brownish subcutaneous spots, such fruits are inedible.

In the fight against late blight, spraying the ground part of the plant with Bordeaux liquid is most effective, from which the solution is prepared. The event is held in advance, before the bushes are covered with ovaries.

Physalis: harvesting and storage of crops

It is necessary to collect the fruits of the bubbler together with the “lanterns” surrounding them, which are drying up by this time. It is better to do this in dry weather, 45-60 days after planting the seedlings in the ground.

The ripening of berries is uneven: the fruits from the lower part of the stems ripen first and crumble. If they are collected immediately, they can be eaten or processed. They are also suitable for harvesting seed material.

In order for physalis to be well stored in winter, it should be properly prepared. Dry bouquets of amazing beauty are obtained from decorative perennial varieties. To do this, you need to cut the plant, remove the leaves, and hang the stems with "bubbles" filled with berries to dry.

A plot with perennial bushes for the winter period, it is desirable to mulch with peat.

Physalis annual after harvesting the fruit is to be disposed of, the soil is dug up.