Physalis: Description, Growing, Care

When autumn comes, the gardens look like a watercolor on which someone has poured sunny red, yellow and orange paints. Sparks and brush strokes decorate everything - trees, bushes and even grass. A full-fledged participant in the orange-yellow extravaganza can be called Physalis - a beautiful plant that seems to glow with bright, Chinese-like lanterns.

By the way, few people know that the stress should fall on the first syllable - Phy'salis, because the Latin, scientific name of the plant is Physalis. But people lovingly call this beauty the earthen cranberry or the emerald berry. And indeed, a round, green “berry”, which after ripening acquires a variety of shades, is enclosed in a bright shell, similar to a faceted bubble. Interestingly, the Latin name Physalis means “bubble”.

Description

Ripening fruits of Physalis ornamentalis

In fact, the genus Physalis is the largest genus of the Solanaceae family, since it includes more than one hundred and fifty species, however, almost all of them grow in Brazil, Mexico and Peru. In the climate of Europe, there are only three types of physalis: common or ornamental physalis, vegetable physalis and strawberry physalis. The fruits of the first are poisonous due to the high concentration of corned beef in them; the remaining two can be used as food, having properties similar to tomatoes.

That is, physalis is actually a small cold-resistant tomato. In many languages of the world it is called “Mexican tomato”.

Physalis vegetable fruits

Due to the characteristic shape of the capsules of ripening fruits, physalis are called “Chinese lanterns” and are very often used not as food, but as ornamental plants. The sight of ripe physalis fruits located in the center of veined capsules always attracts attention.

Ripe physalis fruit without outer integumentary tissue

The branches of Physalis vegetable bushes are capable of rising to a considerable height and completely entwining fairly large areas on which nets or trellises are installed.

Useful properties and contraindications

Composition, nutritional value, calorie content

Any physalis fruit, vegetable or berry, contains a lot of vitamins and microelements. A huge amount of vitamin C, vitamin A (14% of the daily dose required for the body), antioxidants and a unique composition of B vitamins make the plant indispensable in medical nutrition. In addition, physalis fruits are low in calories and can be used in diets for metabolic disorders accompanied by excess weight. Let's take a closer look at the benefits and harms this plant brings.

Beneficial features

To illustrate the beneficial properties of physalis, we can cite as an example the opinion of the famous folk healer Alexei.

for stones in the kidneys and bladder - a decoction of the fruits orally;
for gout and edema - decoction of fruits externally;
for purulent inflammation - juice or infusion. You can use fresh berries;
for pain in the stomach and intestines - fresh fruit puree;
for dermatitis - physalis ointment (fruit ash mixed with vegetable oils).

Contraindications

There are no special contraindications to the use of Physalis. However, we must remember that, like any sour fruit, it can cause aggravation in patients with gastritis. Patients with pancreatic and gallbladder insufficiency also need to be careful. Diabetics should limit very sweet varieties in their menu.

Application area

As stated above, the scope of application is quite wide. You can use decoctions for flu, laryngitis, and lung diseases. Low-calorie desserts are good for dietary nutrition.

Traditional medicine recipes

Decoction

Place 30 g of dried fruits in 0.5 liters of water and cook for five minutes. Use the resulting dose for two days for kidney and bladder diseases.

Ointment

Burn dried fruits (100 g) over an open flame until ash is obtained. Grind and sift the ash. Mix with a small amount of olive oil until you obtain the consistency of an ointment. Use for healing wounds, cracks and dermatitis.

Biological description

Being a representative of the Solanaceae family, physalis has adopted many of the properties characteristic of it. In particular, the plant does not have a very strong stem, which does not allow it to grow straight and support several kilograms of fruits, however, if there are possible supports, the plant is able to grow upward, entwining them. If there are no supports, the length of the stems rarely exceeds 60-70 cm.

The leaves of the plant are quite large, up to 12 cm long and 6 cm wide, the flowers are mostly white, consisting of 5 petals. A characteristic feature of the physalis flower is the transformation of the calyx of the flower into the outer shell of the fruit , the same one that looks like a Chinese lantern. Its size can significantly exceed the size of the fruit itself and even be larger than a chicken egg.

Physalis blooms

One short stem can contain up to two dozen fruits, and even more fruits can be found on stems artificially tied or attached to supports. The size of the fruit depends on the variety and ranges from 5 to 7 cm. The yield of physalis can reach up to 5 kg per plant.

Let's consider the types of physalis presented in our climate:

Sowing seeds into a snail: step-by-step instructions

To sow seeds into a snail you will need: a laminate base, soil, seeds, rubber bands, a cylindrical container.

You need to pour a 1 cm layer of soil onto the laminate base, the width of the tape should be 10 cm, and the length depends on the number of seeds you want to plant;
The soil must be moistened, and the seeds must be laid along the upper edge;
The substrate together with the ground must be twisted and secured with rubber bands;
Next, you need to place the substrate in a cylindrical container, this can be a cut bottle or container.

The seeds should be located closer to the top of the snail.

Physalis vulgaris

Other names for this species: garden or wild. The original form of the plant, brought from South America. Traditionally considered a wild form due to the inedible fruits and their small size. However, it is believed that in fact, in our climate, it simply does not have time to fully form its fruits, since it lacks light and heat.

On the other hand, of all the physalis species growing in our latitudes, this one is the most cold-resistant, and in the southern regions it is actually a perennial. In many places, the plant is not even cultivated, but grows like a weed, multiplying and spreading by self-seeding.

Physalis wild with a large number of fruits, grown in natural conditions

This species is mainly used to compose various floral compositions, since its fruits have the most attractive and extravagant appearance compared to other varieties.

Growing physalis from seeds

Sowing seedlings step by step with video

You can sow physalis seeds for seedlings immediately in disposable cups or general containers (container, box), followed by picking:

Fill the container with moist, all-purpose seedling or tomato soil. Don't forget to make drainage holes at the bottom of the container. Before sowing, water the garden soil with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, or better yet, Fitosporin diluted according to the instructions.
The seeds of physalis are smaller than those of tomatoes, so they are placed at a depth of 0.5 cm.
Sprinkle the seeds with soil and moisten the crops with settled water using a spray bottle.
Cover the containers with film and put them in a warm place until the seeds germinate.

Ventilate the crops every day and check the soil moisture. If necessary, spray the soil with settled water.

WATCH THE VIDEO - HOW TO SOW PHYSALIS SEEDS FOR SEEDLINGS

How to care for seedlings

Caring for seedlings of vegetable and berry physalis consists of providing the plants with good lighting, timely watering and fertilizing:

Southern culture needs a lot of light, otherwise the seedlings will begin to stretch. Place the entrances that appear on the brightest windowsill or loggia. Make sure that they are not exposed to direct sunlight.
Water the physalis as the top layer of soil dries, but so that the soil is not too wet.
When 2-3 true leaves appear, plant the seedlings growing in one container in separate pots. Physalis should be picked carefully so as not to damage the roots. Suitable soil for seedlings.
If physalis seedlings grow at home for more than a month, after two weeks, apply fertilizer for the seedlings. This can be a special fertilizer for nightshade crops or a universal fertilizer for seedlings. Fertilize should be done every two weeks.
10 days before planting in the ground, begin to harden the physalis seedlings. On the first day, take the plants out onto the balcony or area for an hour, increasing the hardening time little by little every day. Place the seedlings first in partial shade during the day, and then in a well-lit place.

VIDEO ABOUT PICKING PHYSALIS SEEDLINGS

Strawberry physalis

Another name for the plant is strawberry tomato or dwarf gooseberry. A low-growing plant with small-sized fruits. Belongs to the Peruvian group of varieties that appeared relatively recently.

Strawberry physalis

It is the most heat-loving species of all present in our climate, but, despite the fact that its fruits are more tasty than those of the vegetable physalis , it is not particularly widespread.

Our TOP 3 varieties of physalis:

Best for preparations: vegetable physalis Korolek
Best for fresh storage: berry physalis Turkish Delight

Best for jam: berry physalis Raisin

Important!

Unfortunately, experience suggests that the germination of physalis seeds (regardless of the variety) often leaves much to be desired (especially for berry seeds). If possible, sow seeds with “reserve” and different varieties. Then you will be insured against the fact that something will not sprout.

Vegetable physalis

A less cold-resistant species than the ordinary one, but capable of withstanding light frosts. In our area it is an annual. It is considered a cultivated species, the fruits of which are used by humans.

Belongs to the Mexican group of physalis, representatives of which were domesticated several thousand years ago. Due to sufficient cold resistance, it is planted in the ground several weeks earlier than tomatoes.

It is more resistant to diseases and pests of nightshades. Shows good resistance even to such a “killer of nightshades” as late blight.

This species is cross-pollinated, which makes it possible to engage in its selection, although there is practically no significant and fundamental work in this direction. Similar to the common one, by autumn the boxes of its fruits become bright orange or red.

The fruits themselves have a slightly different shade - they are mostly pale yellow, although there are exceptions. The main difference between ordinary physalis and vegetable physalis is the much larger size of the latter’s fruits.

Purple form of vegetable physalis

It is the vegetable physalis that can grow on stretch marks and supports up to 2 meters in height. It all depends on how to care for the plant. However, even without any care, the plant can reach a height of 1 meter.

The Mexican tomato, which is most widespread in Europe, has several dozen varieties, the most common of which are:

Early Moscow variety

It is a plant with a higher degree of branching, with predominantly recumbent stems. The foliage has an elongated oval shape, its color is light green. The flowers are distinguished by the presence of brown spots on a white and yellow background. The calyx covers the fruit almost completely.

The fruits are usually round in shape, their diameter is 40-50 mm, and their weight is about 60 g . Unripe fruits are green, turning yellow as they ripen; Sometimes ripe fruits have a yellow-amber hue.

Fruits of the Moscow early variety

The fruits of this variety have a sweet taste . The sour taste characteristic of many other varieties of vegetable physalis is practically absent. Ripens relatively early - in early or mid-summer. Productivity can reach 5 kg per square meter. m.

Variety Gribovsky ground

Despite the name, it is a relatively tall plant, growing up to 80 cm in height without supports . The leaves are dark green in color and oval in shape. The leaves are smooth to the touch. The flowers have an uncharacteristic green color and are covered with light brown spots.

The capsule containing the fruit covers it entirely. The veins are dark green, sometimes brown. The fruits themselves, even when ripe, are green. The weight of the fruit can reach 60 g.

Fruits of the Gribovsky soil variety

The fruits have a sweet and sour taste . It is a cold-resistant variety and can be stored for a long time. Productivity from 3 to 5 kg per square meter. m.

Confectionery grade

Created relatively recently, specifically for the needs of the confectionery industry. It is a plant with branching and spreading stems. The leaves have a dark green color. Flowers, fruits and boxes are light green. Fruit weight 50-60 g.

Confectionery grade

The taste is sweet and sour, the fruits can be stored for a long time. It is characterized by a high content of jelly-like substances.

Types and varieties

Physalis edible is divided into physalis berry and physalis vegetable. The physalis berry is represented by such species as raisin physalis, or pubescent physalis, or strawberry physalis, Peruvian physalis, which has recently begun to be grown in the middle zone, and Florida physalis, as well as their varieties.

Physalis floridana

It has sweet, pleasant-tasting fruits without any fruity aftertaste and almost no acidity. The jam made from this type of berries resembles cherry jam, so when cooking, leaves of fragrant geranium are added to it.

Physalis pubescens

It has a more refined taste - sweet, with barely perceptible sourness and a pronounced taste and smell of pineapple. The juice of the fruit resembles tangerine juice. The fruits of this physalis can be stored for up to 3-4 months, or even up to six months, acquiring a slightly withered appearance over time. Dried fruits really resemble raisins.

Physalis peruviana

It is not as sweet as raisins, but the fruity taste and aroma of its fruits is stronger, and in terms of the amount of acids and sugar they contain, they are close to garden strawberries. Physalis berries of this species are too tender for long-term storage.

The best varieties of physalis berries include:

Pineapple - early ripening physalis with miniature and sweet-tasting fruits with the aroma of pineapple, consumed both fresh and in the form of jam and candied fruits;
Strawberry - bushes up to 70 cm high, on which amber sweet fruits with a strawberry aroma ripen, consumed fresh and dried, and also used for making desserts, compotes and jam;
Physalis raisin Surprise is a low-growing, early-ripening and unpretentious annual with strong pubescence; Surprise fruits are good for fresh eating and as a raw material for desserts;
Columbus is a tall, heat-loving and late-ripening variety, the berries of which are rich in vitamins, pectin and microelements. They are eaten fresh and made into desserts and drinks;
Kudesnik is a variety with very large, flattened brown-orange, sweet and sour fruits with a slight grapefruit bitterness and a strong strawberry aroma. The berry juice tastes like orange juice, but has a brighter bouquet;

Mexican physalis (Physalis ixocarpa), or glutenous

Physalis vegetable is represented by the species Physalis Mexicana, or glutenous, and its varieties. The fruits of the vegetable physalis resemble tomatoes more than the fruits of other species. Among vegetable physalises, there are tall varieties, and there are also low, spreading ones. The fruits are yellow, green, and purple in color, and they vary in shape and size. Vegetable physalis are less demanding of heat and more productive, but when fresh they are not as tasty as berry ones. But they make excellent marinades, pickles, caviar and salads. The most famous varieties in the culture of the middle zone:

The most beautiful shrubs for a summer cottage

Ground Gribovsky is a cold-resistant, mid-early productive variety with a bush height of up to 80 cm and semi-erect branches. Light green, sweet and sour in taste, the fruits weigh 60 g;
Confectionery - a large-fruited mid-season variety with sour round fruits of light green or dark green color, which can not only be pickled, salted and made into caviar, but also used for making homemade desserts;
Korolek is an early ripening variety that is used, like the Confectionery variety, for processing into desserts and canned vegetables;
Moscow early is an early ripening variety with almost recumbent branches and sweet light yellow fruits weighing up to 80 g.

Physalis decorative

Chinese lanterns - represents species of herbaceous perennials. All its parts are not only inedible, but also poisonous, but it enjoys constant success among landscape designers. This physalis reaches its greatest decorative value in late summer or early autumn, when its boxes acquire a bright orange color.

Popular varieties:

Franche - often this plant is cultivated as an annual. Physalis Franchet bushes reach a height of 90 cm, its leaves are oval, widened towards the base, up to 15 cm long. Up to 15 “lanterns” can form on one shoot, which are the fruits of physalis, dressed in bright cups;
Alkekengi is also a type of decorative physalis with yellow, red or orange “lanterns”.

Growing a plant

In our climate, vegetable physalis is grown using seeds. They have good germination even at temperatures from +10°C. The plant is very unpretentious and requires virtually no care.

It is believed that when planted directly into the ground, the yield is slightly higher than with the seedling growing method . This is explained primarily by the fact that plants planted in this way do not lose parts of the root system when picking and replanting. The only advantage of the seedling method of cultivation is the earlier harvest time.

Physalis in the garden

On the other hand, with proper organization of seedlings and using separate containers (for example, peat pots), such troubles with the root system can be avoided. However, few people will bother with physalis seedlings, planting each plant individually.

Let's consider growing a plant when planting in open ground:

Selecting a site and preparing it for sowing

Physalis prefers sunny areas where there is no stagnant water. The level of soil acidity is, in principle, not important for him. But still, it is not recommended to grow the plant on very acidic soils (pH less than 4.5). Such soils must be limed.

Any crop except nightshade can be a predecessor of physalis. It is not advisable to grow physalis in a place where potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants or peppers were grown. It is also not recommended to grow physalis in the same place where it grew last year. Re-sowing after all of the above crops is possible only in the 4th year.

Growing physalis in greenhouse conditions

The soil should be sufficiently fertile and well ventilated. Therefore, in the fall, the site must be dug up to a depth of about 30 cm, having previously fertilized it with rotted manure or compost. The application rates of these organic fertilizers should be approximately 30-40 kg per 1 square meter. m.

In the spring, before digging up the site again, mineral fertilizers are applied to it. It is necessary to apply fertilizers containing phosphorus and calcium in an amount of 15 m 40 g per 1 sq. m. m respectively. The area is dug up again to the same depth as in the fall 2-3 weeks before planting seeds or transplanting seedlings.

Preparing seeds for planting

Large and full-bodied seeds are selected for planting , since they can produce a higher yield. To select seeds suitable for planting, they are immersed in a 5% salt solution and stirred thoroughly.

After about 5 minutes, seeds that do not have the required mass float to the surface. They are thrown away, and the remaining ones are washed with running water and used for planting.

Physalis seeds

Seeds are planted in open ground by mid-April. By this time, you need to prepare the seeds so that they germinate faster. To do this, they are soaked in warm water and kept at a temperature not lower than +20°C for a week. After this treatment, the seeds germinate approximately three days after planting.

Immediately before planting, the seeds are treated in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate in order to disinfect them from fungal diseases and viral infections. Physalis is vulnerable to the tobacco mosaic virus, so after washing it in potassium permanganate, it must also be washed in a 20% solution of hydrochloric acid.

Planting is carried out in the ground to a depth of about 1-2 cm. The seeds are planted in small holes at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other. Several seeds are placed in each hole. You should not thicken the plantings excessively, as the plants will begin to stretch out greatly. Sometimes sand or seeds of other plants, such as radishes, are added to the holes for more uniform sowing.

The latter also act as a beacon crop - since in the cold season, physalis may not germinate quickly, the hatching radish sprouts will indicate exactly the planting location and will act as an indicator of the first work to loosen the soil.

When the physalis sprouts emerge from the ground and grow sufficiently, they are thinned out so that the number of plants per 1 sq. m did not exceed 4 pieces . Usually, the strongest and largest plants, or those with the maximum number of leaves, are left.

Growing physalis seedlings

Seedlings can be grown both indoors and in special greenhouses; Sometimes they practice growing them in greenhouses on beds, covering them with film. When planting, the soil mixture can be of any composition; it is best to choose the one that is used when planting tomato seedlings.

Physalis seeds are sown to a depth of about 1 cm. The distance between seedlings should be 5-6 cm. After planting, watering is carried out. The required temperature for normal germination of seedlings is about +15-17°C.

Seedlings a week after planting

As soon as the plant has two leaves, the seedlings are picked and transferred to individual pots. 1 or 2 plants are transplanted into each pot. It is necessary to water the seedlings abundantly before this operation.

The picking itself is done using pointed stakes about 10 cm long and 1-2 cm in diameter. They need to make a hole in the substrate in the pot and carefully transfer the seedlings there with a small lump of earth, without damaging or filling the growth cone.

Seedlings after picking

After which the plants are placed in the same greenhouse. Caring for seedlings at this stage is the most difficult operation , as it requires concentration and regularity of action. The plant itself is unpretentious, but its seedlings will have to be carefully looked after.

By the time of planting in open ground, the seedlings should already have the first buds , and they themselves should have at least 5-6 leaves. This corresponds to approximately 40-45 days after planting.

Seedlings can grow at temperatures of about 10-12°C, however , it will be better if they are accustomed to this temperature gradually, using the hardening method. Maintaining a temperature of about 15-17°C in the greenhouse, every day during watering it is necessary to open the greenhouse for ventilation, accustoming the plant to the ambient temperature. After about a month, the seedlings can be safely left outdoors, however, in case of cold weather, they must be covered again.

Seedlings need fertilizing every 15 days . The first fertilizing is done on the 10th day after planting and consists of adding ammonium nitrate (watering the plants with a solution of nitrate 20 g per 10 liters of water). It can be replaced by fertilizing with organic fertilizer, which is mullein or bird droppings. Fertilizers are diluted in water at a concentration of 1 to 10 or 1 to 15, respectively. A volume of 10 liters of such fertilizer is enough to water seedlings with an area of about 2.5-3 square meters. m.

The second feeding is carried out using potassium mineral fertilizers . In this case, 10 g of ammonium nitrate and 15 g of potassium chloride must be diluted in 10 liters of water. Seedlings should be watered with this solution at the rate of 10 liters per 2 square meters. m.

The third feeding of seedlings is carried out using superphosphate . For 10 liters of water, 30-40 g of superphosphate is taken, and the consumption rates in this case are already 10 liters per 1 sq. m. That is, in each subsequent feeding, the concentration of fertilizers increases approximately twice as compared to the previous one.

Physalis seedlings a week before planting

After the third feeding, the amount of liquid during watering is reduced by approximately half and remains so until the seedlings are planted in open ground.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Typically, seedlings are planted at the end of May, about 1-2 weeks earlier than tomato seedlings. Immediately in the morning before planting, the seedlings are watered abundantly. It is necessary to mark in advance the area where the planting will take place.

The distances between plants should not be less than 30 cm , in addition, it is advisable to place them on 1 square meter. m no more than four plants of Physalis vegetable. For strawberry physalis, this figure is 6 plants.

Too dense planting

Between the physalis plants, you can plant some other early-ripening crops, for example, lettuce or radishes . This will help to use the sown area more efficiently, and the plants will not interfere with each other, since the harvest of auxiliary crops occurs much earlier than for physalis.

The landing itself takes place in the afternoon, but if the weather is cloudy, the start of the landing does not depend on the time of day. The first watering after planting is carried out not directly under the root of the plant , but at some distance from it, so that an earthen crust does not form around the bushes.

If the soils are poorly drained or there is a high groundwater level, it is necessary to use beds 30-40 cm high for growing physalis, since the plant has a very negative attitude towards excess moisture at its roots.

Planting physalis in open ground

When to plant

Physalis is planted in open ground on a cloudy day or in the afternoon at the stage of development of seedlings with 5-6 leaves. For physalis, a sunny area with neutral or slightly alkaline soil is suitable, on which cucumbers or cabbage grew before it, but after crops such as physalis itself, peppers, potatoes, eggplants and tomatoes, physalis is not planted for four years, since all these plants suffer from the same diseases, the pathogens of which often remain in the soil for a long time.

Planting a physalis flower is preceded by digging up the area with the addition of humus and ash no later than two weeks before the scheduled date. Do not fertilize the soil with fresh manure.

How to plant

Since most of the species and varieties of physalis are highly branched, seedlings are planted in a checkerboard pattern in increments of approximately half a meter. Tall varieties need staking - provide this when planting. The hole for physalis should be so deep that the seedlings are immersed in it until the first true leaf. When planting overgrown seedlings, pour one and a half liters of water into the hole and plant the seedling at an angle directly into the water so that the roots in it straighten out on their own, after which the hole is covered with earth and compacted.

Seedlings planted in a timely manner do not need such tricks: they are planted in the usual way, but after planting they are watered abundantly. To make caring for physalis easier, the area can be mulched with peat.

Plant care

As such, physalis does not require active care. Basically, when growing it, they take preventive measures, which include maintaining the plant and the area in normal shape, removing weeds, loosening the soil, applying fertilizing and watering.

The frequency of watering under normal conditions is once every 3-4 days. Depending on the degree of soil moisture and precipitation, this period may be adjusted. There is no need to keep the soil wet all the time. Repeated watering is carried out provided that the top layer of soil is completely dry.

Physalis on the terrace

Nightshades generally do not like excessive humidity, so it is better to even “dry” the physalis a little.

During the active growth of the green part of the plant, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil, ridding it of weeds . Depending on the growth rate of the plant, it is necessary to fertilize it. Usually, the first fertilizing after digging up the soil in spring is done during the first flowering. The second is during fruit set. The third feeding is carried out 15-20 days after the second.

In these cases, solutions of complex mineral fertilizers are used in quantities of 10 to 20 g per 1 square meter. m.

You can make the mixture yourself using the following composition of mineral fertilizers:

ammonium nitrate – 10 g
superphosphate – 10 g
potassium salt – 15 g

All these components are dissolved in 10 liters of water and applied to the soil at the rate of 10 liters per 1 sq. m. Just in case, to neutralize superphosphate when mixing it with ammonium nitrate, you can add about 1-2 g of chalk to the solution.

It is believed that physalis does not require garters or pinching , since this, they say, does not allow the formation of strong and persistent stems. However, this is not an immutable rule or dogma, since in growing any crop in the garden, what is important is not its appearance, but its yield.

When is the best time based on the lunar calendar?

For successful growth and development, physalis needs a sufficient amount of heat and light; not all climatic zones in Russia can provide such conditions at the beginning of the spring period. The best and most favorable time for sowing is the period from the first days of March to the middle of the next month.

To get the exact date, you need to count 40-50 days and add to it a few days for sunrises from the time the frosts leave your region.

There is no need to plant physalis too early, for example at the end of February. Since it grows very quickly, and young shoots are very fragile and can break due to frost.

If you nevertheless planted physalis in February, then you will have to protect the plant from the cold. For example, it can be grown in a greenhouse

For areas with short summers, it is recommended to choose mid-early and early varieties of physalis so that they have time to ripen.

There is a lunar calendar by which you can determine favorable days for sowing physalis. This year these days are:

In February: 6-8, 14-20, 28;
In March: 4-8, 12-14, 26-29;
In April: 1-7, 9-11, 24, 25, 27-30;
In May: 2-4, 6, 9-12, 15-20, 25-29;
In June: 2-4, 7-9.

Unfortunately, not every gardener has the opportunity to produce seedlings on days that are favorable for this. Therefore, when planning to sow seedlings, you need to take into account not only favorable days, but also days when sowing is strictly prohibited.

In February: 9, 21-22, 23;
In March: 9, 19-21, 24;
In April: 8, 15-17, 23;
In May: 7, 13-14, 22;
In June: 5, 9-11, 21.

It is better to sow late and mid-early varieties in March-early April, and early ones in mid- or late April.

Recommendations for protecting physalis from diseases and pests

Physalis, compared to tomatoes or peppers, is much less susceptible to any negative factors in the form of diseases or pests. However, the ease of caring for it may form the wrong opinion that even preventive measures to protect it should not be taken.

Hanging pot with physalis

Naturally, this is not so. To prevent the spread of diseases and prevent the plant from being attacked by pests, it is necessary to follow a number of measures and apply specialized methods to prevent these factors.

The following measures will help you get rid of possible troubles when growing physalis:

Procurement of seed material should be carried out exclusively from your own plot, only from healthy plants that have been tested for productivity; It is better to avoid cross-pollination with other areas;
seeds must be treated before sowing;
it is imperative to adhere to crop rotation , correctly observe the alternation of successors and predecessors, and in no case allow nightshades to grow in the same place without a break of at least three years;
it is necessary to constantly combat weeds and any pests;
it is necessary to regularly remove plant debris from the growing area, since they can become a place for the same mold or other fungi to appear;

Using these simple tips will greatly protect physalis from possible problems in the form of diseases.

How to grow seedlings

With the first sprouts, you need to move the container closer to the sun, for example, on a windowsill. It is best when the temperature is within 20 degrees. In addition, during the day, turn the container over with different sides facing the light.

Moisture is the main need of plants, physalis is no exception; you need to pay sufficient attention to its watering. Since the roots of young physalis are on the surface, you need to ensure that the soil is constantly moist. To do this, you need to water throughout the day, but not with plain water, but with warm and infused water.

It is best if watering is done from a watering can and in a thin stream

When the first leaves appear, you can begin replanting; its technology depends on the sowing method.

Seedlings from pots in which you sowed 2-3 seeds can be planted one at a time. There will be enough space for the remaining one; if it stretches out, then you can plant it deeper.

Seed selection and preparation

When you choose seeds, you need to pay attention to the color and shape, they should be without any damage.

Seeds must be processed; they can be processed in two ways:

Soak them in a cloth that has been soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. In this case, the processing time should not exceed 20 minutes;
You can also keep the seeds in Epin's solution, here the exposure time will be about 12 hours. Afterwards they need to be dried.

Soil selection and preparation

Peppers and tomatoes are relatives of physalis, if you are going to buy ready-made soil, then you can take soil that is intended for tomatoes and peppers, or you can try to make it yourself.

To make our own soil we will need:

2 tablespoons of peat;
1 spoon of humus;
1 spoon of turf or garden soil;
0.5 spoons of washed sand.

All these components must be mixed in one container. After you have thoroughly mixed all the ingredients, you need to sift the resulting mixture. After sifting, you can steam it in a double boiler for 1 hour.

Properties of Physalis

The plant has many beneficial properties that people have noticed for quite a long time.

It all started, naturally, with the nutritional and culinary benefits of physalis. However, it later turned out that this plant also has other beneficial properties, mainly medicinal.

Culinary properties

Physalis is a low-calorie product, it contains only 30 kilocalories per 100 g of weight. Despite its relatively watery composition, physalis is rich in fiber and carbohydrates. The taste of physalis fruits is practically indistinguishable from tomatoes, but they have some features, for which they are valued by gourmets.

Physalis can be consumed both dry and processed . Its fruits are used in many different dishes, and not only analogues of those that include its closest brother, the tomato. These include soups, side dishes, and sauces. Physalis is also used as a filling for pies. And dried physalis is a very significant export item for countries such as Colombia and Mexico.

Dessert with physalis

In addition to the standard procedures of frying, stewing, baking and other things characteristic of tomatoes, various confectionery products are also made from physalis in cooking : preserves, jams, candied fruits. This is explained by the fact that of all the nightshades, only physalis has gelling properties.

Making physalis jam

That is, in fact, the decorative Chinese lantern in cooking is even more common than the long-known tomato . We are not talking about our cuisine, however, this plant is very popular in South and Central America.

In addition, dried and specially processed physalis tastes and looks very much like raisins . This dried physalis is often used as a weight loss remedy. Red and orange food dyes are also made from physalis.

Medical properties

The plant also contains vitamins A and C, as well as many organic compounds necessary for humans.

These include malic and citric acids, carotenoids and tannins. Physalis also contains the following microelements: potassium (one of the highest concentrations), magnesium, phosphorus, iron.

All this leads to many ways to use physalis in medicine, both folk and traditional. In particular, thanks to the lycopene it contains, which is a powerful antioxidant, the use of physalis in food is recommended for the prevention of cancer.

Physaline, contained in the fruits of the Mexican tomato, is an excellent sleeping pill; in Mexico there is a known recipe for obtaining a sleepy drug from physalis, which has virtually no negative consequences.

Dried physalis used in folk medicine

In addition, the medicinal uses of the plant include its use as a hemostatic, analgesic and antiseptic. , where physalis naturally arrived relatively recently, its decoction is used as a remedy to help with stomatitis and various injuries inside the oral cavity. And the pectin contained in fruits is able to bind cholesterol, facilitating the release of the latter from the body.

Physalis edible and inedible - how to distinguish?

Decorative physalis has beautiful large lanterns and small berries inside. These berries have a bitter taste and are not suitable for cooking. These Chinese lanterns are very suitable for garden or apartment design.

Edible Physalis

Edible physalis looks much more modest than decorative. But they have a large fruit resembling a small tomato.