Fruit 'Aunt Mollys Ground Cherry'

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. This old-fashioned tomato family member bears 1/2– 3/4" sweet golden berries inside papery husks, resembling small, straw-colored Japanese lanterns. The flavour is quite sweet and a bit wild. Plants are profusely branching, prolific, and drop ripe fruits. Fruits can be eaten raw, dried like raisins, frozen, canned, or made into preserves, cooked pies, and desserts

DETAILS:

QTY: 50

SITE: Full Sun

TYPE: Annual

DEPTH: 1/4 - 1/2"

GERMINATION: 7-14 days at  20 - 22°C 

MATURITY: 65 - 75 days

SPACING: 18 -24”

PINCH: No

HOW TO GROW:
Sow indoors in trays 6–7 weeks before transplanting outside after last frost. Can also sow tightly in flats and pot-up. Keep moist until emergence. Transplant outdoors after danger of frost, about 1–2 weeks later than your earliest tomatoes. Plants need support to keep drooping branches off the ground. Tomato cages work well. Tomatillos and ground cherries are good candidates for large containers.