Physalis, the orange-red fruits of the Andean berry, about the size of a cherry, are becoming increasingly popular with many hobby gardeners thanks to their fairly simple cultivation. Usually, the approximately one meter high shrubs, which are annual in our latitudes due to the frost, are grown from seeds. Little is known, however, that the Andean berry can also be propagated by cuttings.
Advantages of propagation by cuttings
The propagation of cuttings can score with some great advantages compared to the cultivation from seeds. The warmth-loving physalis must be grown in this country from February or March at the latest so that the hard-working gardener can enjoy the short harvest time in September. The German summer is simply too short for the exotic plant to develop and ripen fruit in good time. By propagating with cuttings, you already save yourself an important step (that of growing from seeds) and can thus proceed to the harvest more quickly.
Obtain and pot Physalis cuttings
To obtain cuttings, proceed as follows:
- Select suitable shoots from an old shrub in autumn.
- These should grow from a leaf axil and be about 10 centimeters long.
- Cut off the shoot(s), the cut surface should be held at a slight angle for better water absorption
- Stick about a third of the offshoot into a pot with potting soil.
- Commercial potting soil is also suitable.
- The pot should be in a bright place and watered regularly.
- In the following year you can plant the physalis plant after the ice saints.
Overwinter Physalis cuttings
It is often stated that physalis (in this case Andean berries) are annual plants. This information, while not entirely incorrect, is not correct. In their homeland, physalis are perennial shrubs up to two meters high. We only keep them as annuals because they are not hardy and therefore freeze to death outdoors. However, you can keep the robust plants in a sufficiently large bucket and overwinter them in a bright and frost-free place. However, the wintering place should not be too warm, about 10 to 12 °C is optimal. Physalis that has overwintered too dark will wilt, i. H. they develop so-called light shoots. However, these are not fruit-bearing, which is why you should take suitable cuttings from these plants again in the spring and plant them.
tips and tricks
Andean berries harvested green do not ripen. However, you can simply leave unripe fruits on the bush and put them in the winter quarters. They will still ripen even in winter at lower temperatures.
IJA