Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry Seeds

Ground Cherries Physalis ixocarpa - Physalis peruviana

Tomatillo and ground cherry plants should be grown in warm areas and receive plenty of sunlight, so choose a sunny location in the garden. Tomatillos and ground cherries grow very similarly to tomatoes, but grow more quickly. The fruit grows inside the husk. Relocate your plants to different parts of your garden each year to avoid diseases. Optimum temperatures for growing tomatillos and ground cherries are between 65 F and 85 F. Plant your seeds indoors 3 to 6 weeks before setting them outside. When seedlings are 4" tall, transplant them into larger pots. Plants should be at least 10" tall before transplanting outdoors. Place plants in a shady area outdoors several days before transplanting. Shelter the transplants to prevent sunburn, wilting, and rain damage. Spring planting should occur when the soil is warm, at least 3 weeks after the last frost, and when temperatures remain above 70 F. You can plant early if you use water towers. To protect plant branches from breaking, use 4 to 5 ft tall cages. Plants can grow 2 to 6 ft tall.