Ground Cherries

I’m taking Jennifer’s advice and getting my seeds in order. In going through the large box of seeds I purchased a couple of years ago, I noticed a pack marked ground cherries. I must admit, I didn’t know what they were! Obviously some research was in order. After spending a little time online, it is appears that I knew what I was doing when I added them to my shopping cart.

Their taste has been described as being between a tomato and a pineapple. Wow, that’s quite a combination! All the sites seem to agree that the taste is sweet and delicious. One plant will put on as many as 300 berries in a single growing season and our climate is good for growing them. Want to hear one of the best parts? One web site I read actually claimed that they would grow in poor soil. We all mulch and fertilize and try to do what we can to make our plants happy, but let’s face it, a plant that will grow in poor soil is just right for the Texoma area.

It has been cautioned to wait until the paper like husk on the outside has turned dark yellow/brown and gotten brittle before eating the berries. This will add to their sweet taste and reduce the risk of ingesting solanine. That’s the chemical that can make green potatoes bitter and toxic. The berries will stay good in their husks for several months. They are said to make wonderful jellies and pies, as well as being welcome additions to salads.

They are generally an annual plant, but our climate is warm enough to make it likely that some new ground cherry plants will spring up the next year if some berries are left on the ground after the harvest. My plan is to give them a try. They may be a perfect addition to the fledgling food forest in the front yard!