The genus Physalis has more than a hundred species. Only three of them are common in our country: strawberry physalis (Physalis pubescens), vegetable physalis, or sticky-fruited physalis (Physalis philadelphica), and ordinary, ornamental, or garden physalis (Physalis alkekengi). Although the latter is inedible, its enlarged calyx looks spectacular in autumn in vases, when the cap turns red. The fruit is poisonous because it is saturated with solanine.
Brief information:
Growing physalis seedlings
Physalis is grown through seedlings. Its seeds are small. They are sown in March, first in cassettes, later diving in the phase of 3-5 leaves into peat pots. Thus, those that have not sprouted are rejected and weak plants, which often happens in crops with small seeds. To prevent the seedlings from stretching, the room should not be too hot. Optimal temperature+ 18-20°C. After picking, the seedlings are fed complex fertilizer For vegetable plants.
Planting in open ground
Water the plants 2-3 times a week, so that the soil is thoroughly wet. In April, when it settles warm weather, growing seedlings can be taken out for hardening Fresh air(in the afternoon). In early - mid-May it can be planted under film covers. The age of seedlings for planting in the ground is from 40-55 days. Elongated plants are planted at an angle. Because they don't like nightshades high humidity, then they try to upper layer The soil under the film was not very waterlogged.
Physalis - care
Grown plants are fed with complex fertilizer for vegetable plants. To improve fruiting you can do foliar feeding. To increase the number of fruits, the growing point of the plants is pinched at the end of June. Unlike tomatoes, physalis does not need to be planted. If the plants have a lot of fruits, the stems are tied up.
The fruits are collected as they ripen, before the first frost. They may fall off, but this does not affect the quality - fallen fruits can also be collected from the ground. Those that have not had time to ripen must be collected before frost. They will ripen in a warm room. You can dig up the plants before the onset of cold weather and hang them by the roots in the barn so that the remaining fruits gradually ripen.
Physalis fruits are hidden in yellow-green or orange color. The surface of the fruit, especially young ones, is sticky and oily. The most delicious ones are those that ripen on the plant in the summer, in sunny weather. Late fruits are average in taste; it is better to make jam or pickle them.
Before use, physalis is freed from the dry cover and washed warm water to remove the sticky substance. If it is not washed off, the taste will be bitter. Fresh fruits are stored in a dry room at a temperature of +2-4 °C. without losing quality, 3-4 months, but they do not wash them before using them for food.
The aromatic fruits of strawberry physalis can be dried in the oven at a temperature of +40-50 °C. ventilate the oven periodically. They will not dry in the air - they will quickly deteriorate. The dried fruits resemble dried apricots. IN folk medicine Physalis fruits are used as a diuretic for kidney stones and bladder. Decoction and infusions of fresh and dry fruits - for inflammation respiratory tract, stomach, intestines.
New varieties of physalis - Likhtarik, Zharinka(Ukrainian selection)
Biochemical composition of physalis fruits (in % of fruit weight) |
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Variety | Index |
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Solids | Sugar (total amount) | Acidity (based on citric acid) | Pectic substances (according to Melitz) | Tannins | Vitamin C |
|
Moscow early | 8-9,4 | 3,2-3,7 | 0,65-0,73 | 0,25-0,4 | 0,14-0,32 | 24-28 mg% |
Ground Gribovsky | 7,2-9,48 | 2,91-3,1 | 0,92-1,32 | 0,24-0,31 | 0,15-0,41 | 17.5-23 mg% |
Confectionery | 7,66-8,2 | 2,12-2,65 | 0,7-1,37 | 0,3-0,39 | 0,15-0,44 | 20.0-26 mg% |
Details:
Origin of the vegetable.
Physalis - annual plant of the nightshade family, which got its name because of the round shape of the flower calyx (physa - in Greek means bubble), inside which there is a fruit with numerous seeds.
Physalis genus represented by 110 botanical species, most of which are classified as weeds wild plants. Several types of physalis have decorative and nutritional value.
Useful properties and use. Decorative types Physalis (common and garden) have small orange-red fruits that can be used as a diuretic, analgesic and hemostatic agent. The fruits of physalis are used as a harmless organic coloring for food products. Winter bouquets are made from branches with orange “lanterns”.
Vegetable Physalis
This species is more cold-resistant than the berry variety. It tolerates light frosts, so it can be planted in the ground 10-12 days earlier than tomatoes. In addition, it is more resistant to common nightshade diseases, including the most dangerous - late blight. Vegetable physalis is cross-pollinated. Like the decorative one, the caps bloom in the fall, turning bright red. There are varieties that are short (30-40 cm) and tall (up to 90-100 cm) with intermediate forms.
These plants are more heat-loving and self-pollinating. Strawberry physalis, which is popularly called strawberry tomato and dwarf gooseberry, is shorter growing, with small berries. Fork is less productive and is much less widespread than vegetable, but its taste is more pleasant.
Physalis with edible fruits are divided into two groups. The first is of South American origin, Peruvian and strawberry, which have been known in culture for more than 200 years. The fruits of these varieties of physalis are very small and therefore are not widespread.
Second group edible physalis includes vegetable species of Mexican origin. They are grown everywhere, including in Russia. They are more productive, less demanding on heat, and are distinguished by a variety of economically valuable traits. For this reason, we will dwell in more detail on physalis of Mexican origin.
In its homeland, vegetable physalis has long been cultivated under the names “tomatil” and “mil-tomato”, i.e. Mexican tomato. The local population uses unripe fruits to prepare hot sauces with pepper, puree, boiled and baked, and also for pickling. The fruits of zoned varieties of physalis contain sugar, a significant amount of vitamin C, organic acids, microelements, pectin substances. Physalis is the only vegetable that has a gelling property, and therefore is widely used in the confectionery industry. In addition, its fruits are eaten in fresh, used to make preserves, jam, marmalade, compote, caviar, they are salted and pickled.
Biological features.
Mexican physalis is an annual cross-pollinating plant. Insects willingly swarm on its large and fragrant flowers, which bloom before the onset of autumn frosts. Among the forms vegetable physalis There are semi-creeping ones (30-40 cm high) with a branching angle of up to 140 °, as well as tall ones (over 1 m), with branches extending from the stem at an angle of 35-45 degrees.
Within the group there can be both early-ripening and very late-ripening plants with fruits weighing 30-90 g, green, white, yellow, yellow-lilac, dark purple in color; in shape - flat, oval, round, from highly ribbed to smooth; to taste - from sickly sweet to spicy and sour with an unpleasant aftertaste. The cups (caps) of the fruit are very diverse in shape, color and size - they are either too large, or, conversely, are torn by a large fruit.
Created on the basis of Mexican physalis domestic varieties Moscow early, Ground Gribovsky and Confectionery, which can be successfully grown on personal plots. The yield of these varieties with good agricultural technology is 3-5 kg of fruit per bush.
Varieties:
Moscow early.
Plants are semi-recumbent, medium-branching. The leaves are light green, elongated-ovate, smooth. The flowers are large, yellow, with brown spots in the throat. The calyx is large, usually covering the fruit. The fruits are flat-round to round in shape, with a diameter of 40-55 mm, weighing 40-80 g. The color of unripe fruits is light green, of mature ones - yellow to amber. Ripe fruits are sweet, without a sharp sour taste. Early ripening, high-yielding (2-5 kg/m2) variety.
Ground Gribovsky.
Plants are semi-erect, well branched, 80 cm or more in height. The leaves are dark green, smooth, ovoid. The flowers are large, greenish-yellow, with brown spots in the throat; stamens are purple. The calyx (case) is large, multifaceted, completely filled with fruit, sometimes open at the top; There are brown veins along the edges of the calyx. The fruits are smooth, from flat-rounded to rounded, light green in color, weighing 50-60 g. The taste of ripe fruits is sour-sweet, without aftertaste. The variety is mid-early, cold-resistant, high-yielding (2.5-4 kg/m2).
Amateur vegetable growers will like the promising Confectionery variety, specially created at VNIISSOK for the confectionery industry. Plants medium power, highly branched, spreading. The leaves are ovate, smooth, dark green. The flowers are greenish-yellow, with brown spots in the throat, the stamens are purple. The calyx is round, with dark brown veins, almost always covering the fruit. The fruits are round, green, weighing 30-60 g, with high acidity. The variety is mid-season, productive, and has a long shelf life.
Below in the table we present the biochemical composition of physalis fruits according to Alpatiev (1989).
Features of growing physalis.
Mexican physalis is cultivated directly by sowing seeds. Its seeds germinate at a temperature of 10-12°C. With timely implementation of all agrotechnical measures, physalis soil sowing, as a rule, gives more high yields. In addition, such plants do not suffer from picking and transplanting, during which a significant part of the roots is lost, and as a result develop more powerful root system and get sick less. However, the ripening of their fruits lags behind compared to seedling crops.
If an amateur vegetable grower wants to have more early harvest Mexican physalis, it is better to grow it as seedlings. It takes 25-30 days to obtain seedlings with five to seven leaves. Based on this, the sowing time for each type is determined.
Selection and preparation of a site for planting.
Cultivated, well-lit areas that are not subject to flooding by melt and rainwater are allocated for physalis. It can be grown in all types of soil, except acidic (pH<4,5). На почвах с повышенной кислотностью растения плохо развиваются и болеют. Поэтому такие почвы заранее известкуют.
Any culture can be a predecessor for physalis. However, after tomato, potato, pepper, eggplant, it is undesirable to plant it earlier than 3 years later, since these related plants are affected by the same pests and diseases. Do not place physalis on physalis to avoid self-seeding (due to cross-pollination of Mexican physalis, the offspring may be less uniform).
Physalis loves loose, fertile, well-aerated soil that is not clogged with weeds. Therefore, the area intended for growing plants is dug up in the spring to a depth of 20-25 cm, after having previously scattered rotted manure or compost over it (30-40 kg/m2). Applying fresh manure under physalis may cause adverse effects.
Physalis responds well to the application of mineral fertilizers. For soils of average and low fertility, their approximate consumption (in grams per 10 m2) in terms of the active substance is: nitrogen 30-40, phosphorus 10-15, potassium 40-50, calcium 40-45, magnesium 8-10. In the absence of mineral fertilizers in the spring, wood ash, rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and microelements, is used for digging in the spring at the rate of 1 - 1.5 kg per 10 m2, or 2-3 cups per 1 m2.
Preparing seeds for planting
The harvest of physalis largely depends on the quality of the seed material and its ability to provide friendly, viable seedlings. For sowing it is necessary to use only class I seeds. They must be large enough, leveled and of adequate seed quality.
Preparation for sowing begins with the selection of large and full-bodied seeds, which give a higher yield compared to ordinary ones. To do this, they are poured into a vessel with a 5% solution of table salt or mineral fertilizers and mixed thoroughly. After 6-7 minutes, the lightweight seeds and debris that have floated to the surface are removed, the solution is drained, and the remaining seeds are washed several times with water and dried until free-flowing.
When, due to unforeseen circumstances, sowing is delayed, to speed up the emergence of seedlings, the seeds, moist after soaking, are kept for 4-6 days at a temperature of about 20! C. Seeds that germinate in heated soil germinate on the 2nd or 3rd day. Dry seeds sown at a temperature of 20-25°C germinate on the 7th-9th day, while at soil temperatures below 12°C they can lie in the ground for a long time without germinating.
To protect plants from fungal and viral diseases, seeds are pickled in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes, followed by washing with running warm water. Disinfection of seeds with a 20% solution of hydrochloric acid is effective against the tobacco mosaic virus (when preparing the solution, hydrochloric acid is carefully poured into water, and not vice versa).
Growing physalis seedlings.
Physalis seedlings are grown in unheated film greenhouses, greenhouses or in beds covered with translucent film.
The soil mixture for sowing seeds must be loose, without dense inclusions and contain all the necessary nutritional elements.
Physalis seeds are sown to a depth of 1 - 1.5 cm. In this case, the crops should not be thickened, otherwise the plants become very elongated, lie down, and are affected by blackleg in wet weather. For example, to get 50 plants, 0.2 g of Mexican physalis seeds and 0.1 g of Peruvian and strawberry physalis seeds are required.
With the emergence of seedlings, the temperature is maintained within 15-17°C, removing covers in the absence of frost, so that the root system develops better and the seedlings quickly switch to independent soil nutrition.
In the phase of one or two true leaves, the plants are thinned out or planted into pots or boxes, leaving a distance of 5-6 cm between them, and 8-10 cm between the rows. 1.5-2 hours before this operation, the seedlings are watered abundantly. When picking, in order to better preserve the roots on the plants, the seedlings are dug up and selected along with the soil. They are placed in small boxes and sorted, discarding weak, dented, and blacklegged ones. Seedlings are planted with a pointed peg 10-15 cm long and 1.5-2 cm thick. They use it to make a small hole and plant the plant in it. Then the soil is pressed against the root of the seedling with a peg, and the seedling is supported with the fingers of the other hand so as not to cover the top (growth point).
Caring for seedlings is a crucial period when growing them. At this time, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for the growth and development of plants, which includes fertilizing, watering, and ventilation. By the time of planting in open ground, the plants should be strong, not elongated, with a well-developed root system and large buds. Therefore, when the outside air temperature is 10-12°C, the frames or film from the greenhouses and beds are removed. If seedlings are grown in boxes, they can be taken out into the open air. However, plants are gradually accustomed to full light, otherwise they may suffer from sunburn. First, the plants are taken out into the open air towards the end of the day, then in the morning and evening hours. Only after 3-4 days on sunny days (earlier on cloudy days) the seedlings are left open for the whole day, and if there is no threat of frost, then at night.
Water the seedlings in the first half of the day so that by evening the greenhouses or beds are ventilated. Watering is not carried out often, but abundantly. In cold weather, the water is heated to a temperature of 16-20°C. The soil under the seedlings is kept loose and free of weeds.
Seedlings are fed either completely or selectively (plants lagging behind in development) every two weeks. During the first feeding, if the leaves of the plants are pale green and the stems are thin, preference is given to ammonium nitrate (15-20 g of fertilizer per 10 liters of water). Feeding with bird droppings or mullein diluted with water in a ratio of 1:15 and 1:10, respectively, is more effective. In this case, one watering can (10 l) of a solution of mineral or organic fertilizers is consumed per 3 m 2 of area.
In subsequent feeding, it is better to use a mixture of mineral fertilizers (10 g of saltpeter and 10-15 g of potassium salt per 10 liters of water) at the rate of 10 liters of solution per 1-1.5 m2. After 10-12 days, the seedlings are fed with superphosphate (25-30 g of fertilizer per 10 liters of water). The consumption rate is 10 liters of solution per 1 mg of plantings. After fertilizing, the remaining fertilizer is washed off the plants with clean water from a watering can with a mesh to prevent leaf burns.
Before planting, when the seedlings are growing quickly, the amount of watering is reduced, however, preventing the plants from wilting.
Physalis seedlings are planted in open ground in late May - early June (7-10 days earlier than tomatoes). On the morning of planting, it is watered abundantly so that the root system suffers less from mechanical damage. The site is marked in such a way that there are 3-4 Mexican physalis and 5-6 strawberry plants per 1 m2. For better use of the plot area, the ridges are compacted with lettuce and radishes, the harvest of which is harvested even before the fruits form.
physalis. It is best to plant plants in the ground in the afternoon, and in cloudy weather you can do it throughout the day. After planting, the plants are not watered from above so that a crust does not form on the soil, preventing air access to the roots.
In humid areas, it is advisable to grow physalis on ridges up to 30-40 cm high to avoid the accumulation of stagnant water near the plants.
Growing physalis from seeds. The time for sowing physalis seeds in open ground approximately coincides with the period of planting early potatoes, when the soil at a depth of 10 cm warms up to a temperature of 4-6°C. Sow the seeds in loose, well-fertilized soil, free of weeds. The seed sowing rate is 0.1 g/m2. Since physalis seeds are very small, for more uniform sowing, sand or quickly germinating radish or lettuce seeds are added to them in equal proportions as a lighthouse crop. These plants serve as both row markers for early inter-row cultivation and a compaction crop that provides additional yield. Sowing is carried out in rows, the distance between which should be 50-60 cm.
With the appearance of mass shoots, the plants are thinned out to a distance of 50 cm, so that by the beginning of flowering there are no more than 4-5 of them per 1 m2.
Planting care
During the growing season of physalis in open ground, the soil is kept loose and free of weeds. Depending on the development of plants, they are periodically watered and fed. The first feeding is given during the period of mass flowering, the second - during fruit formation, the third - after 2-3 weeks, using solutions of mineral fertilizers, as well as slurry (1 part of the fertilizer is diluted with 5 parts of water in dry weather and 3 parts - in damp weather), mullein (1:10) and bird droppings (1:12-15).
To feed physalis with a mixture of mineral fertilizers, dissolve 10 g of saltpeter, 10-20 g of superphosphate and 10-15 g of potassium salt in 10 liters of water. The solution consumption rate is 10 liters per 1 m2.
It should be borne in mind that ammonium nitrate can be mixed with simple superphosphate only if the superphosphate is previously neutralized. To do this, add 0.1 kg of limestone or chalk per 1 kg of superphosphate.
Unlike tomatoes, physalis plants are not pinched or tied up. On the contrary, it is necessary to strive to obtain more powerful, highly branching plants. Physalis fruits are formed in places where the stem branches, so the more the plants branch, the higher the harvest will be. Amateur vegetable growers can be recommended to pinch the tops of branches in the middle of the growing season in order to enhance branching and increase the number of fruits on plants.
Plants affected by diseases are removed.
In rainy summers, as well as in low, damp areas, hilling of plants is recommended, which helps to strengthen them, reduce disease incidence and better ripening of fruits.
Since physalis is not a widespread crop, compared to tomatoes or peppers, it is less susceptible to massive damage by diseases and pests. However, if control is not carried out in a timely manner, the yields and quality of fruits are reduced. It is possible to prevent the widespread spread of diseases and pests and reduce the harm caused by them by observing preventive measures and applying methods of systematic control of them.
The main and general measures to protect physalis against diseases and pests are:
- procurement of seeds, if possible, on your own site, only from healthy, productive plants after preliminary testing of sowing;
- seed treatment before sowing;
- compliance with crop rotation;
- systematic control of weeds and pests, which, in addition to direct harm, serve as carriers of many diseases;
- removal of plant residues from the site (into the compost heap) and autumn digging of the soil, promoting its biological improvement and increasing crop yields;
- correct agricultural technology ensuring normal growth and development of plants.
Diseases of phyasis
Blackleg develops with excess humidity, thickened crops, and poor ventilation of plants. The stems at the root collar turn black and the plants die.
Control measures.
Thinning seedlings, rare but plentiful watering in the first half of the day, ventilation, loosening row spacing. Disinfection of soil and its components with microgranules (MG) of basamide (50-60 depending on its moisture content) is effective.
Mosaic characterized by the appearance of light green spots on the branches. The causative agents of the disease are viruses of perennial physalis, weeds and the remains of pumpkin crops that have overwintered in the soil. Infection occurs through insects and mechanically.
Control measures.
Compliance with crop rotation, agricultural technology, weed control.
Streak first appears on plants as a mosaic. Later the branches become brittle. The fruits develop poorly, have a lighter color, often with cracks on the surface, tasteless, and suberized. The control measures are the same as with mosaic.
Physalis pests
Medvedka- an insect of a dark brown color, up to 50 mm long, with pronounced digging legs. Most often found in damp places: near rivers, ponds, especially on soils rich in humus. It overwinters in the larval and adult phases of the insect in soil or manure and begins to damage crops in early spring. Making horizontal tunnels near the soil surface, the mole cricket and its larvae gnaw through the roots and stems of plants.
Control measures.
Loosening the rows at the end of May and during June to a depth of 10-15 cm to destroy eggs.
One of the reliable ways to combat mole crickets is to install trapping nests. After harvesting the crop, several holes are dug in the area with a depth of 40 cm and a diameter of 70 cm, where several shovels of manure are placed. Looking for warmer places for wintering, mole crickets climb under the manure, from where they are removed and destroyed.
The smell of kerosene and naphthalene, which are used to treat places where they accumulate, repels pests.
To protect greenhouses from pests, grooves are dug along them, pouring naphthalene or sand moistened with kerosene into them.
Click beetles (wireworms)– ) - beetles 10-15 mm long, of various colors (black, brown and others, with a metallic tint). Distributed almost everywhere. The beetles themselves do not cause significant harm. The most dangerous wireworms for plants are the larvae of click beetles. They got their name from their elongated, hard, yellow-brown body that resembles a piece of wire. They prefer moderately moist soil; as the surface layer dries out, wireworms move into the lower layers. They live in the soil from 2 to 5 years. The pest gnaws the root system of plants and penetrates the stem.
Control measures.
Loosening the rows, deep digging of the soil in the fall, during which the larvae and eggs die.
Catching wireworms using potato or beet baits buried in the ground (on twigs).
Compliance with sanitary and hygienic measures delays the development of caterpillars of various cutworms. It is also advisable to use the egg eater, Trichogramma, against them. This useful predator is released in two or three doses during the mass egg-laying period of the noctuid at the rate of 10 insects per 1 m2. For the purpose of prevention, plants are sprayed with a strained three-day infusion of burdock leaves (1 part of the volume of crushed burdock leaves is poured with 2 parts of water) a week after planting the seedlings.
Harvesting and storage of crops.
Fruit ripening begins from the lower tiers of plants: the higher the fruits are located, the younger and later they ripen. The moment of ripening can be determined by the drying and lightening of the caps, as well as by the aromatic smell and color of the fruit, characteristic of this variety. Ripe fruits usually fall off. If the weather is dry, then they are stored on the ground without spoiling, especially strawberry and Peruvian physalis, whose caps are much larger than the berries. In damp weather, larvae and worms penetrate inside the covers, damaging the fruits. It is not recommended to remove fruits after rain. If there is prolonged rainy weather, then the wet fruits must be dried or removed from their covers, otherwise they will deteriorate during storage. Although the fruits of physalis are quite strong, precautions are nevertheless necessary to prevent their damage, since pectin substances are quickly destroyed by enzymes. Physalis can withstand light autumn frosts. However, frozen fruits are poorly stored, so it is safer to carry out the final harvest before the onset of frost. For long-term storage, the fruits can be picked slightly unripe.
Since unripe fruits can grow somewhat on the plants, if there is a small number of plants being grown, it is advisable to remove the fruits along with the plants before frost. Such plants are hung in a dry room or stacked with the tops of the branches inward and the roots outward. The top of the stack is covered with old film or other materials. After one or two weeks, the plants are examined and the grown healthy fruits are collected from them. When plants freeze in a stack, large fruits from them can be used to make jam or for pickling.
Features of seed production.
In order to get a physalis harvest next year with a higher quality of fruit than this year, you need to use good seeds. It is not always possible to purchase such seeds, so amateur vegetable growers strive to obtain them on their plots. For this purpose, the best physalis plants are selected, i.e. carry out the simplest type of selection.
From strawberry and Peruvian physalis, mainly productive, healthy seed plants with larger and tastier fruits that ripen well in the area are selected. With successful selection, their offspring usually have distinctive characteristics similar to seed plants. This is explained by the fact that in self-pollinating crops, such as strawberry and Peruvian physalis, the genetic characteristics of seed plants are almost completely transmitted to the offspring.
It is somewhat more difficult to select Mexican physalis, since due to cross-pollination, its offspring inherit the characteristics of the mother plant (on which the fruit was formed) and the father plant (from which pollen was brought to form the ovary).
The biological characteristics of the fruits of the Mexican physalis are determined by the offspring. Since offspring plants are again pollinated, the most effective way to obtain plants with valuable qualities is the method of family-by-family selection. He
consists in the fact that the offspring from each fruit of a valuable seed mother plant are grown in a spatially isolated area.
An important requirement when growing Mexican physalis seed is to grow only one variety on a plot in order to avoid its natural cross-pollination with other varieties of unknown genetic properties. Strawberry and Peruvian physalis do not cross with each other, with Mexican physalis, or with ornamental garden physalis, so they do not need to be isolated.
Cross-pollination by insects of different forms and varieties (hybrids) of Mexican physalis is possible at a distance of 1.5-2 km. To avoid cross-pollination, it is advisable for vegetable growers cultivating Mexican physalis to have seeds of the variety whose seed production is carried out within a given radius.
For seed production purposes, Mexican physalis is grown in seedlings to avoid cross-pollination of the variety with plants from self-seeding (seeds from previous years of harvest).
Preservation of the varietal qualities of physalis is achieved by using variety cleaning from the period of growing seedlings to harvesting the fruits, as well as by creating high soil fertility and timely implementation of the necessary agricultural practices.
Agricultural technology in the seed plot is the same as when cultivating physalis for food purposes. Only strong thickening of crops is unacceptable. For better formation of fruits and seeds in them, fertilizing with superphosphate and potassium salt is recommended.
The fruits are collected first from rejected plants and fallen to the ground, which are used for consumer purposes, and only then from typical plants for seeds.
The collected fruits are sorted, discarding diseased ones, and then ripened.
The best conditions for ripening physalis fruits are created in well-ventilated rooms at an air temperature of 20-25 C and a relative humidity of 80-85%. The fruits are laid out on racks in two or three layers in slatted (lattice) boxes.
Seeds are isolated from fruits that have reached full biological ripeness, i.e. having a color already characteristic of this variety and seeds with a hardened shell (peel).
If there is a sufficiently large number of ripe fruits, then they are kneaded in a glass or plastic container. The fruit mass is kept at room temperature (20-25*C) for 3-5 days. During this time, it will begin to ferment, after which good, full-fledged seeds will sink to the bottom of the dish. The top layer is drained, and the seeds remaining at the bottom are washed several times with water and dried on filter or some other moisture-absorbing paper. In this case, the seeds are scattered in one layer and kept until completely dry.
It is better to store seeds in a dry room, preferably heated, in canvas or paper bags. Under these conditions, the seeds of Mexican physalis do not lose their viability for four years, strawberry and Peruvian physalis seeds for five.
Why is this little nightshade, which grows immediately in the package, not recognized by our summer residents? It is tasty, healing, original, unpretentious, and not afraid of the cold. However, some fans of physalis (there are some!) are confident that fruits in caps may soon supplant capricious tomatoes.
Tomato and physalis are close relatives and fellow countrymen. Both are from the nightshade family, born in Job's Light. They were brought to us almost simultaneously, after the discovery of America. The former has taken root and is in demand, while the latter has remained on the sidelines.
Physalis is useful for a hundred diseases...
The nutritional and medicinal qualities of physalis are excellent. In its homeland - in Peru, Mexico, Brazil and Venezuela - it is in high demand. In recent decades, the same thing has happened in India, China, and South Africa.
In all these countries it has become one of the main vegetables and occupies huge areas. The reasons for such a triumphal procession are the original aroma, reminiscent of pineapple with strawberries, as well as sweetness, high content of vitamins and other biologically active and healing substances that prolong youth and maintain health.
But its main secret is the unprecedented content of pectin, which is three times more than in apples and currants. Therefore, in many countries, physalis is often used instead of gelatin for preparing many dishes and homemade preparations.
The exceptional gelling properties of physalis are reinforced by the fact that it is capable of disinfecting and removing from the body almost any poisons and harmful substances, including mercury, lead and radionuclides. And also kidney stones. Physalis normalizes blood pressure and helps to scar stomach ulcers in combination with the main treatment. It is useful for 100 diseases!
One of the three physalis is good for us
There are 3 main types of physalis, but not all are suitable for us. Thus, tropical, Peruvian, will not be able to live in the open ground of our latitudes due to its demanding heat and late ripening. It would be suitable for greenhouses, but gardeners prefer to grow traditional vegetables in them.
The second type of physalis is berry, less heat-loving, sweet and smells wonderful, but its fruits are small - up to 5-10 g, and the yield is scanty - 300 g per bush.
The third type of physalis deserves wide distribution in our country without reservations. It comes from the cool mountain regions of Mexico and is called Physalis vegetable, Mexicana. The optimal temperature for its growth and development is 18-25°C, and seeds generally germinate at 10-12°C.
Vegetable physalis is shade-tolerant and undemanding to soil fertility. Its round fruits are large, fleshy, comparable to tomatoes (up to 60-90 g). They have a sticky, oily surface that is light yellow, greenish, or purple. The fruit tastes sweet and sour. Like all other types of physalis, from the moment of tying they are enclosed in a tight “case” that protects them from bad weather, pests and diseases. The time from germination to the beginning of ripening, depending on the variety, is 90-115 days.
Powerful bushes of vegetable physalis with deep roots can be low-growing, semi-creeping or tall - more than a meter, erect. They always have a lot of shoots with up to 200 fruits! Until October, they can easily withstand short-term frosts down to minus 2°C.
Seven principles for growing physalis
1. These early ripening plants can be sown immediately in the pound in early May. But to fully guarantee the cold spring, they can be easily grown as seedlings on a window or balcony in individual cups. The seedlings are 35-40 days old.
2. Any type of soil is suitable for physalis, except acidic ones, which need to be limed.
3. Sowing of seedlings is carried out at the end of March - early April, planning to plant them in the garden on May 15-20. Before tomatoes and without shelter. The distance between plants is 50 cm, and between rows - 60 cm.
4. Physalis is especially demanding of moisture at the beginning of growth, flowering and fruiting. Then it is watered often - every 3-4 days, and then - once every 1.5-2 weeks.
5. Plants develop faster when fed once every 10 days with a weak solution of slurry, fermented weeds and organic fertilizers such as “Bucephalus” and “Radogor”.
6. There is no need to pruning the bushes, but it is advisable to remove at least some of the buds in early August, since they appear in abundance - up to 300 pieces per bush.
7. Ripe fruits quickly fall off. That's why they collect them every week. To prevent them from rotting on the ground and getting dirty, the surface of the bed is covered with non-woven material or cardboard. Mulch made from moss, lawn grass, and sawdust is also appropriate.
By the way, in its pure form and without damage, physalis can be stored for 2-3 months or longer, even at room temperature. Often salads from these unusual tasty fruits are prepared for the New Year's table.
It is also convenient that after the first cultivation there are no problems with seeds - now you will have your own and do not need to buy them. Up to 400 full-fledged seeds ripen in one fruit, the offspring of which repeat the characteristics of their “parents”. The seeds are very small, but you can select enough of them with the tip of a table knife. They do not lose germination for 3-5 years.
Physalis vegetable and physalis berry - varieties
A curious summer resident who is not yet familiar with physalis should try to grow both vegetable and berry varieties. They are different, and their benefits are not the same, although any of them can be salted and pickled. But not everyone has a pleasant, tasty taste when fresh.
Vegetable Physalis
These varieties are distinguished by a large amount of gelling substances. And their fruits are relatively large, from 20-30 to 150 g, fleshy, akin to tomatoes. They make excellent caviar and even dry wine. Most often, fruits taste better when processed.
KING– early ripening variety (90-95 days after full germination). The height of the bush is 60-80 cm. The fruit is yellow, dense, sweet and sour, weighing 60-90 g. It contains a lot of pectin substances. The yield can reach several kilograms per plant. The variety is very cold-resistant, it can be sown even before winter.
Berry physalis
These plants produce small, about 3-9 g, but unusually aromatic fruits, from which jam, jam, and candied fruits are made. At the same time they are tasty and fresh.
GOLD PLACER– early ripening (92-99 days) variety. The bush is 30-35 cm high. The fruit is bright, smooth, slightly ribbed, yellow, sweet and sour, with strawberry and pineapple aroma, weighing 3-5 g. Productivity 0.3-0.5 kg per plant. Not only jam, but also raisins are prepared from the fruits.
SURPRISE– early ripening variety. The bush is spreading, up to 70 cm high. The fruit is orange, small, weighing up to 2 g, yellow and sweet. Productivity up to 0.7 kg per 1 m2. The plant easily tolerates extreme conditions.
DESSERT– early ripening variety. The plant is up to 70 cm high. The fruits are yellow, small, sweet. Productivity up to 0.7 kg per 1 m2. Tolerates extreme conditions.
BELL– mid-season variety (120 days). The plant is semi-creeping, up to 100 cm high. The fruit is orange, weighing 7-9 g. Productivity up to 1.5 kg per 1 m 2. Also very hardy.
Berry and vegetable physalis
Today there are also varieties that are good for twisting and other processing, as well as as a delicacy. These are real all-rounders!
PHILANTHROPIST– mid-season variety (150 days). The plant is up to 60 cm high. The fruit is brown-orange, weighing 5-10 g, sweet and sour, refreshing, with a fruity aroma and grapefruit bitterness. The fruits also contain a lot of gelling substances. Productivity 0.5 kg per 1 m 2.
PINEAPPLE– early ripening variety (105-119 days). Medium height plant. The fruit is creamy, weighing 50-80 g, with a pineapple aroma. Productivity is 1.4-1.5 kg per 1 m 2. Shade-tolerant.
JAMY– mid-season variety (120-130 days). The plant is tall. The fruit is creamy, weighing 25-40 g, ideal for jam. Productivity 1.2-1.3 kg per 1 m2. Shade-tolerant.
MARMALADE– mid-season variety (120-130 days). The plant is low growing. The fruit is creamy, sweet, weighing 30-40 g. Productivity 1.3-1.4 kg per 1 m 2. Shade-tolerant.
GOURMMAN– early ripening variety. The plant is 70-75 cm high. The fruit is yellow in a light cap, weighing 65-80 g. Productivity 3.0-3.5 kg per 1 m 2. Drought-resistant, cold-resistant, unpretentious.
There is also decorative, or ordinary, physalis - plants with bright orange and red, paper-like flowers, boxes that do not fade in dry bouquets in winter. The fruits of this physalis are inedible. Varieties Chinese Lanterns, Franchetti Zwerg.
Lanterns for garden and home
Previously, I admired the lanterns of decorative physalis only in winter bouquets. I didn’t intend to get seriously interested in this plant - space in the dacha is reserved mainly for perennials that bloom in spring and summer.
MY SECRETS
Carefully distributed the seeds over the moistened soil surface at some distance, sprinkled a thin layer of sand on top, lightly compacted it with the palm of my hand and covered it with a plastic bag.
I kept the crops on a sunny windowsill at a temperature of +1 8-22 degrees. Shoots appeared in the second week. I removed the film and periodically sprayed the tender sprouts with a spray bottle.
When the seedlings grew 3 leaves, I planted them in individual cups with fresh soil. After replanting, I watered it a little and dusted it with ash to prevent fungal diseases.
A week later, I fed it with mineral fertilizer with a higher proportion of nitrogen (according to the instructions).
But in March of this year, one of my friends, running into my house for an hour or two, handed me a pinch of unknown seeds and made me promise to sow them for seedlings. I had to stock up on another bowl with fertile, loose soil (suitable soil for growing tomato or pepper seedlings).
Irina PUZANOVA, St. Petersburg
TRIPLE BENEFITS OF PHYSALIS
Physalis is a vegetable, medicinal and ornamental crop. So, by growing it, any family receives triple benefits.
Physalis, which can be seen on window sills and in front gardens, is decorative; the shape of its fruits in cases resembles yellow, bright orange and red Chinese lanterns. They retain their attractive appearance throughout the year. Gardeners are offered three types of physalis with edible fruits: Mexican, strawberry and Peruvian.
Child of Mexico
The Mexican physalis, in turn, also has many varieties: branched, prostrate, branched and others. It grows well among vegetable crops, is shade-tolerant, frost-resistant and drought-resistant, so it can be grown in open ground in our latitudes. However, it must be borne in mind that the plant does not do well in highly moist soil.
The fruits of this type of physalis are large, but covered with a sticky substance, which is inconvenient for cooking, since to get rid of the sticky layer they need to be blanched in boiling water for 5-6 minutes. In appearance and taste, the fruits of this physalis are close to tomatoes, and this is understandable: physalis and tomatoes belong to the same nightshade family. The fruits of the Mexican species are low in sugars (3%) and vitamin C (up to 30 mg), so they are low-sweet and have no aroma.
Peruvian and strawberry
But the Peruvian physalis has berries with a pineapple and even orange aroma. They are small and sweet and sour in taste. This type of physalis is late-ripening, very moisture- and heat-loving, therefore it is grown in the southern regions of Russia.
Strawberry physalis is a creeping, early-ripening plant, highly branched and pubescent. It is also called berry and raisin for its pleasant strawberry smell and sweet taste. The fruits contain 10-15% sugars. There is one more feature that distinguishes it from other types of physalis and gives it an advantage - the absence of a sticky substance on the fruit. Therefore, they do not need to be blanched before use, but can be eaten fresh immediately.
Although this type of physalis is also demanding of heat, unlike the Peruvian one, it can easily ripen in the conditions of central Russia. And if you grow strawberry physalis in a greenhouse, where it will thrive, you can get a good harvest in Siberia.
On a note
Physalis, like tomatoes, requires the cultivation of seedlings, which are planted in open ground or greenhouses at the same time as eggplants and peppers. Only physalis, unlike tomatoes, is not planted.
Healing properties of physalis
Physalis fruits contain sugars, organic acids (malic, succinic, citric, tartaric), bitter substance physalin, vitamins, pectin, tannins and dyes. The berries have a diuretic, choleretic, hemostatic, hypotensive, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and analgesic effect. They are used for hypertension, anemia, urolithiasis, gout and articular rheumatism, help the body during increased physical and mental stress, and during recovery from illnesses.
- An unusual plant from the nightshade family, some edible species sometimes taste like berries, so the name of the species often corresponds to the taste sensation. This useful plant has many names, such as emerald berry, strawberry cranberry, Peruvian gooseberry, ground cherry and strawberry tomato. How many species and varieties of physalis are there?
Physalis has a large number of species, it can be decorative and edible. Ornamental physalis is an inedible plant; it is used to decorate gardens, parks and personal plots. Its flowering does not cause delight, but the appearance of fruits in the form of berries, covered with bright orange boxes, is very pleasing to the eye.
They resemble Chinese lanterns, which is why physalis is often called “Chinese lanterns.” Such beauty appears at the end of summer, and many designers try to preserve it for decorative decoration of rooms, ikebana, flower pots and bouquets of dried plants.
Decorative physalises come in the following varieties:
- alkekengs - they have yellow, orange or red caps
- Longifolia is a two-meter plant, its fruits have a ribbed cream-colored cup
- Franche - a bush with bright cherry fruits and an orange calyx
All these plant varieties are attractive in their own way and are often used in landscape designs of gardens, parks, public gardens and holiday homes.
Edible physalis is divided into two types: vegetable and strawberry (berry). Its edible fruits are yellow, light green or orange, fleshy and resemble a small tomato:
- Vegetable physalis is of Mexican origin; in its homeland it is called “milomat” and “tomatil”. This is a kind of Mexican tomato product; inside it is meaty and juicy. Mexicans use it for food and prepare their favorite spicy stew with it.
- Peruvian physalis and strawberry physalis are berry species and are of South American origin. Their taste and aftertaste are reminiscent of familiar berries.
Edible varieties of Physalis:
- Pineapple early ripening. Its fruits are small but sweet. Their aroma is reminiscent of pineapple. Consumed fresh and used to make jam, jellies and candied fruits.
- Gribovsky (2046). Mid-early cold-resistant variety. It bears fruit abundantly with round yellow and light green fruits, sometimes they are flattened.
- Strawberry. Low (up to 70 cm) small-fruited plant. Its amber-colored fruits have the taste and aroma of strawberries, hence the name. Used fresh, dried and canned.
- Raisin surprise. An early-ripening annual low-growing plant with strong pubescence, popularly called “pubescent”. Absolutely unpretentious appearance. Used for making compotes, jams and other preserves.
- Columbus. A late-ripening, heat-loving, tall plant, rich in many useful substances.
- Confectionery variety (2047). Mid-season large-fruited variety. Fruits abundantly with round greenish fruits with sourness. They are used to make marmalade and marshmallow candies, as the variety is rich in pectins.
- Kinglet. Vegetable early ripening physalis. It is salted, pickled, caviar is prepared from it, and dry wine is made.
- Tomatillo. A productive variety, widely used in cooking.
Each variety has its own bush height, fruit size and differs in its taste. Only vegetable varieties of physalis are much larger than berry varieties.
Physalis, as a rule, has a branching stem, the height of which depends on the plant variety and ranges from 60 to 120 cm. It has beautiful leaves with serrated edges. Its solitary yellowish flowers are bell-shaped, and the fruit is a round berry that is enveloped in a bright parchment cup. When planting physalis seedlings, its maturity will occur in three months. The bush bears fruit for a month and a half with an average of 100-150 fruits.
In berry physalis, the fruit weighs about 10 grams, in vegetable varieties it weighs two to three times more. Productivity also depends on the variety: the larger the bush and the more branches it has, the more ovaries and, accordingly, berries. Vegetable varieties also bear fruit well, and if you consider that their fruits are larger, the harvest is also quite impressive.
Physalis is suitable for any soil, except saline, waterlogged and acidic.
On fertile soil, the yield of physalis is much higher than on sandy or infertile soil. When the frosts end, the plant seedlings can be planted in the ground. Seedlings should be 50-60 days from the date of sowing. The planting scheme for vegetable crops is 70x70 (for greenhouses 70x50x60), berries - 60x60 (in greenhouses 70x30x40).
Seedlings are planted in holes soaked in moisture and compost (300 g in each hole). The root is lowered into the hole, sprinkled with soil, pressed tightly with your hands and not watered (to avoid a dense earthen crust). The powerful bush makes it drought-resistant. The plant's cold resistance and preference for shaded areas makes it possible to grow it even in northern regions.
Physalis can be propagated using seeds. They are sown in open ground, but in the middle and northern regions it is better to propagate the crop using seedlings:
- Seeds for seedlings are planted in February or March, depending on the variety.
- After 90-120 days they are planted in a greenhouse or garden bed (this is April-May).
- The beds with seedlings are watered, loosened and weeds are removed from them.
Physalis is watered once a week, and from August watering is generally reduced to a minimum, so the bush stops growing and fruits begin to set on it. A sign of ripening of physalis is a yellowed fruit and a dried out lantern. Physalis sown in winter will not be damaged by pests, and it will become more resistant to diseases.
Physalis does not shoot or pinch; good branching forms more ovaries, and subsequently fruits. You can harvest the fruits in late autumn, when the calyx noticeably dries out, because physalis can withstand even sub-zero temperatures (-2C) and bear fruit at an air temperature of 0 C.
For long-term storage, the fruits must be picked slightly unripe, since fallen fruits are not stored for a long time; they are most often used for processing.
Physalis is stored in bulk in a well-ventilated area for about 3 months. Vegetable physalis is blanched before harvesting, so it gets rid of its sticky substance. But berry varieties are not blanched, they do not need it.
Physalis is a medicinal plant. Its fruits contain dry matter (10%), sugar (4.5%), organic acids (malic, citric, tartaric), ascorbic acid, carotene, pectin, physalin, lycopene, as well as proteins, phytoncides, fatty oils and minerals.
The plant has the following effects on the human body:
- relieves inflammation
- relieves pain
- is an excellent diuretic
- works as a natural antiseptic
- is a choleretic agent
- has hemostatic properties
Not only the fruits, but also the roots of physalis are considered medicinal. They contain tropin, tegloidin, cushygrin, pseudotropin. The leaves of the plant are also useful, they contain carotenoids: physoxanthin, lutein, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and others, as well as steroids: campesterol, stigmasterol, systosterol and phenolcarboxylic acids.
Physalis fruits are successfully used in cooking. They are added to canned vegetables, jam and juices are made from them, soups and salads are prepared with them, as well as seasonings and sauces for them. Physalis is successfully used for the presentation of many restaurant dishes and confectionery products.
For medicinal purposes, fresh fruits are used, having first doused them with boiling water to get rid of the sticky coating. Decoctions and tinctures from the roots and leaves of physalis are also used as medicines. The procurement of raw materials occurs in the fall. Roots, leaves and berries are dried, dried and canned.
Physalis is a well-known crop, but it is little cultivated by our gardeners and sometimes looks like an exotic plant in the beds.
Few people know that the physalis bush will be productive even in the coldest or, conversely, the driest year, it is not affected by diseases, pests, even the Colorado potato beetle, bypass it.
Don’t be afraid to grow decorative or edible physalis in your garden. By choosing good seeds and the right variety for your region, you can grow excellent physalis bushes on your site.
More information can be found in the video:
Candidate of Pharmaceutical Sciences I. SOKOLSKY. Photo by the author and I. Konstantinov.
Science and life // Illustrations
Science and life // Illustrations
The fruit of physalis is located in a shell-case made of fused sepals. During the first time after flowering, the calyx grows faster than the fruit. When fully ripe, it dries out and changes color.
Ornamental physalis is a perennial plant with bright orange “lanterns”. It is good to place a vase with dried plants in the darkest corner of the apartment.
Physalis is unusually productive: every flower of it always bears fruit.
The fruits of strawberry physalis are amber in color, sourish-sweet, weighing 5 - 10 g. They are tasty fresh and smell like strawberries.
Physalis variety Confectioner.
Physalis is not one of those plants that can be said to grow in abundance in our gardens, but those few enthusiasts who grow this vegetable curiosity fully enjoy the unique beauty, taste and benefits of its fruits.
It was the funny appearance of the fruit that gave rise to many names in Russia, among them there are such as dog cherries, bladder grass, sleepy dope. Physalis received its scientific name because of the shape of the flower’s calyx (from the Greek physao - to inflate, physalis - bubble).
And indeed, the calyx of the flower grows greatly and takes the shape of a bubble, inside of which there is a round, multi-seeded, shiny orange berry, the size of a cherry. By the time the fruit ripens, the color of the calyx changes from green to bright orange.
Physalis originates from Central and South America, where it grows wild and reproduces by self-sowing, like a weed. This culture is very popular in Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Venezuela, and Colombia. In these countries, a large number of productive varieties have been developed, adapted for cultivation on the plains and in the mountains.
In Russia, physalis became known almost simultaneously with tomatoes - at the beginning of the 19th century, but the culture did not become widespread. In those days, physalis dishes were only occasionally served at ceremonial Russian dinners as dessert.
A large collection of plants of the nightshade family, including physalis, was collected and brought in 1925-1926 during the expedition of N.I. Vavilov. The seeds were sown on experimental plantations of the All-Union Institute of Plant Growing, located in different climatic zones of the country. And it turned out that physalis can be grown almost everywhere, although it grew best in the south of Russia and the Far East. They tried to use the collected fruits in the confectionery industry, but it all ended with them becoming raw materials for the production of natural citric acid. Gradually, interest in this vegetable crop dried up.
Physalis was once again remembered during the Great Patriotic War, when the Soviet Union received several tons of seeds of this plant under Lend-Lease. But, unfortunately, this did not help it become a widespread crop, and for the time being, physalis firmly established itself only on the plots of amateur gardeners.
FRUITS FOR EVERY TASTE
There are vegetable, strawberry and ornamental physalis.
Vegetable physalis originates from shade-tolerant and cold-resistant Mexican plants. These are highly branched plants with elongated-ovate leaves. Depending on the variety, the tops are yellowish, green, dark green and purple.
The plants are cross-pollinating, the flowers are relatively large, yellow, with dark purple petal bases. Ripe fruits are large, of various colors: yellowish, green, yellow-green, bright yellow, yellow-violet and violet, weighing 30-80 g. Their surface is covered with a sticky waxy coating, with a bitter taste.
Strawberry, or berry, physalis comes from South American self-pollinating plants; it has densely pubescent stems and oval, slightly corrugated, dark green with yellowish leaves. The flowers are smaller than those of the vegetable physalis, pale yellow, with brown specks at the base of the petals. The berries are medium-sized, yellow or bright orange, sweet and sour-sweet, with a strawberry flavor, weighing 5-10 g. They do not have a sticky, waxy coating. Gardeners sometimes call strawberry physalis raisin berries or earth cranberries.
Decorative, or garden, physalis is very popular among gardeners and florists. It is represented by several species of tall and short plants with green and crimson shoots, large and small bell-shaped drooping flowers with a red, white, blue corolla and “lanterns” of various sizes, yellow, orange, red or nut color. Ornamental physalis is grown as a border plant; it not only looks good in the garden, but can also be an absolute decoration of any winter bouquet. To do this, the stems with “lanterns” are cut off before the color of the boxes begins to change, and without any pre-treatment they are hung to dry in a warm room.
DIETARY PRODUCT
Unripe physalis fruits contain toxic substances (glycoalkaloids) that disappear by the time they reach full maturity.
In ripe fruits, 3-6% sugars, 1-2.5% proteins, tannins, pectin substances, flavonoids, organic acids (citric, malic, succinic, tartaric), steroid and wax-like compounds, bitterness, essential oils and a complex of vitamins were found: provitamin A (the sum of carotenoids), vitamins B 1, B 2, B 12, C, P, PP with all the necessary macro- and microelements.
Physalis fruits are considered a valuable dietary product with a balanced composition of biologically active substances that have a diuretic, choleretic, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anthelmintic effect. They can be used for diseases of the urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory system, and due to the high content of pectin substances, as a component that binds and removes microbial toxins, heavy metals, radionuclides and excess cholesterol from the human body.
The balanced complex of nutrients, vitamins and microelements contained in physalis allows it to be considered a means of restoring the body’s ability to heal itself. That is why it is especially useful for people who have suffered long-term serious illnesses.
Before eating, the fruits of vegetable physalis, freed from their caps, are washed with hot water or blanched for 2-3 minutes to remove sticky waxy substances that have an unpleasant odor and bitter taste. Physalis is added to salads, vegetable soups and canned vegetables. The fruits are used to make delicious sauces, caviar, candied fruits, jams and sweets; they are pickled and salted to create an excellent snack. Strawberry physalis is used to make preserves, jams, jams, candied fruits, compotes, jelly, and sweets. Since the fruits of this species are devoid of a waxy coating, they are simply washed, but not blanched. You can also dry them, using them like raisins, which are somewhat less sweet than real ones.
Due to the high content of pectin substances, any physalis has gelling properties.
Note to the gardener
PHYSALIS IN THE GARDEN
Modern varieties of physalis are well adapted to the climatic conditions of Russia; they can be grown in open ground wherever tomatoes grow. The best temperature for growth is 18-25°C. Plants can withstand autumn frosts down to -2°C.
Strawberry physalis, unlike vegetable physalis, is more demanding of heat. Its seeds begin to germinate at temperatures not lower than 15°C, and the plant itself develops well only with short southern days. In conditions of long northern days, the growing season is extended and ripe fruits can only be obtained by growing this species through seedlings.
Physalis succeeds in all soils, with the exception of acidic and excessively moist ones. It grows better when humus or compost with the addition of superphosphate is added. It should not be planted on soils that are heavily manured, otherwise the plants will grow strong tops, and the formation and ripening of fruits will be delayed.
You should not plant it where eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, or potatoes were grown - it will develop poorly due to one-sided depletion of the soil. In addition, these are all related crops and they suffer from the same diseases and pests. The best predecessors of physalis: pumpkin, cabbage, legumes and root plants.
Caring for physalis is the same as caring for tomatoes. But physalis is not planted, because its main crop is formed on the side branches.
Signs of fruit ripening are the drying of the caps and the acquisition of a color characteristic of this variety. Ripe fruits fall off; in dry weather they can lie for 7-10 days without spoiling. Physalis can be collected once a week, starting with fallen and ripened fruits, and then picking well-developed green ones. The harvested fruits are stored in a dry place in small lattice boxes. At a temperature of 12-14°C, mature physalis lasts 1-2 months. At a higher temperature, it ripens faster and spoils: at a temperature of 25-30°C, ripening takes 1-2 weeks.
Note to the hostess
NOT ONLY DELICIOUS JAM
Sauce
1 kg of ripe physalis fruits, 4 finely chopped onions, 1.5 cups of granulated sugar, 1.5 cups of vinegar, 1 tsp. chopped ginger, 2 tsp. salt, cayenne pepper to taste.
Wash the fruits and pierce them with a thick needle in several places. Mix all ingredients, bring to a boil, add fruits and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour hot into steam-sterilized bottles and cap after cooling.
PHYSALIS MARINATED
500 g of physalis fruits, 2-3 buds of cloves, bay leaf, a piece of hot pepper, marinade (50 g of salt per 1 liter of water, 50 g of granulated sugar, 1 tsp of vinegar essence).
Peel the fruits from the shell, remove plaque with hot water, wipe, chop and place tightly in jars. Add cloves, hot pepper and bay leaf. Pour in the marinade, sterilize for 20 minutes and roll up the lids.
PHYSALIS SALT
1 kg of physalis, 50 g of spices (dill, horseradish, garlic, red capsicum, black currant leaf, tarragon, basil, mint, parsley, celery).
Brine: 60 g of salt per 1 liter of water.
Peel the physalis fruits from the shell, remove plaque and place in jars with spices. Pour in brine, cover with a clean cloth and leave for 7-10 days at room temperature to ferment. It is recommended to remove mold that appears during fermentation. After a sour taste appears, drain the brine, filter, boil, pour it back into jars and roll up. Store in the refrigerator or cellar.
CAVIAR
500 g physalis, 200 g onions, 200 g carrots, 100 g parsley or celery roots, salt, sugar, ground black pepper, bay leaf, finely chopped garlic, dill and parsley to taste.
Peel the physalis fruits, onions and roots, chop and fry in vegetable oil. Add salt, sugar, ground black pepper, bay leaf, finely chopped garlic, dill and parsley to taste. Mix the well-heated mixture thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
Caviar is served chilled.
JAM
1 kg of physalis fruits, 1 kg of sugar.
Peel the physalis fruits from the shell and remove plaque. The smallest ones - pierce in several places, the medium ones - cut in half, the large ones - into 4 parts, put in an enamel bowl and pour hot syrup. After the syrup has cooled, cook in several stages. To add flavor, add a few cloves or pieces of ginger before the last stage of cooking.
CANDIED FRUIT
Heat the finished jam and pour it onto a sieve, allowing the syrup to drain. Place the fruits on a baking sheet and dry in the oven at a temperature of 35-40 o C. You can dry them without heating in a well-ventilated kitchen.
Sprinkle the dried fruits with granulated sugar and store in jars with lids.
CANDIES
Carefully cut the caps of the physalis fruits with thin scissors so that when you bend the film you get a star. Dip each fruit into melted chocolate and leave on a piece of paper until hardened.
The taste and appearance of such original sweets can surprise any guest.
CAKE
Frozen puff pastry, 5 tbsp. l. raspberry jam, 100 g sugar, 200 g physal sa, fruit jelly.
Roll out the puff pastry on a greased baking sheet. Brush the dough with raspberry jam and sprinkle with sugar. Place the physalis and bake for 30 minutes at 180°C.
Just before you are ready, apply fruit jelly to the surface of the cake.
Bright orange, yellow, emerald physalis lanterns in flower beds always attract attention. And although this culture was brought to Russia back in the 19th century, it remained exotic. Currently, it is most often planted as a decoration for a personal plot. It is unpretentious to climatic conditions and stands out among other garden plants. To appreciate the attractive properties of physalis, you need to get to know this culture better.
Types of physalis
Even experienced gardeners and gardeners experience slight confusion when looking at counters with physalis seeds. Indeed, today there are a large number of varieties of this plant on the market. To find your way in a gardening center or store, it is important to know which of the three types of physalis is needed for the site:
- Decorative. It is intended to decorate the landscape and stands out brightly against the background of greenery. Please note that it is poisonous. During flowering, physalis forms a neat orange lantern. It is also called the “Chinese lantern”. The Franche variety also belongs to the decorative variety. Its fruits have a rich cherry color. Franche is less popular in our country than the Chinese lantern. Decorative physalis is perfectly preserved in the form of dried flowers. Often housewives, flower shop owners and designers use it to create ikebana, wreaths and bouquets in the winter. The fruits of decorative physalis are the smallest. Their mass is only 2 grams.
One of the varieties received the nickname “Chinese lantern” for its rich orange color.
- Vegetable. It is used for marinades and added to salads and snacks. The weight of one vegetable physalis fruit can reach 90 grams. In our country, the most popular gluten-fruited vegetable physalis. The second name is Mexican tomato.
Vegetable physalis - a “relative” of tomatoes
- Strawberry. Actively used in canning. Jams and preserves, as well as delicious desserts, are made from it. The fruits of this species are not large, the weight of one of them reaches 10 grams. Berry physalis is divided into three subspecies: Peruvian, Florida and raisin. Peruvian has a rich citrus aroma and flavor, it is dried and made into jam. Florida physalis is good for jam, which tastes like cherries. Raisins are great for drying. The bright tangerine aroma of physalis persists even in jam.
Berry varieties of physalis resemble strawberries, pineapple and grapes in taste.
When choosing physalis for planting in a vegetable garden or garden, you should focus on the early maturity of the variety. For regions with a cold and short summer period, it is worth choosing physalis with early ripening periods.
Popular varieties
No matter how decorative physalis decorates the landscape, most gardeners try to combine the aesthetic appearance of plants and practicality. Therefore, preference when planting is given to vegetable or berry species. After all, they look no less bright in the flowerbed, but at the same time they are used as food. The most popular edible varieties are physalis:
- Gribovsky 2046. This is a mid-early variety. Physalis is resistant to cold weather. High-yielding. The fruits are yellow-green, round in shape. Slightly flattened.
- Pineapple. The variety is early ripening. The fruits are small, have a sweet taste and rich pineapple aroma. Physalis is used fresh, as well as in the preparation of preserves, jams and candied fruits.
- Marmalade. Mid-season variety. The plant grows up to 1.5 m. The fruits are flat-round, with a pronounced plum taste. Unripe fruits are green in color. Ripe berries acquire a cream color. The yield of the variety is 1.3–1.4 kg per 1 m2. Used in making preserves, candied fruits and jam.
- Strawberry. Plant height is 70 cm. The fruits are small, amber in color, and have a strawberry flavor and aroma. Used dried, fresh and canned.
- King. Vegetable physalis, early ripening. The plant grows up to 80 cm. Cold-resistant. Grown through seedlings. In the southern regions, planting seeds in open ground is possible. Large-fruited. The weight of one fruit varies from 60 to 90 g. Sweet and sour taste. It is characterized by high productivity: from one Korolka bush you can collect up to 5 kg of fruit. Almost universal in cooking. Dry wine, jams, preserves, caviar, and marinades are prepared from Korolka.
- Confectioner. Mid-early variety. The period from the emergence of seedlings to the beginning of fruiting is 110–115 days. Cold resistant. Bush 60–80 cm high. Fruits are flat-round, yellowish in color, weighing 30–40 g. Resistant to diseases. It is planted as seedlings; in the southern regions it is possible to plant Confectioner in open ground. After harvest, the fruits can be stored for up to 3 months in a cool place. Caviar, candied fruits, dry wines and preserves are made from this variety.
- Magician. Mid-season variety. Heat-loving. The fruits are rich in pectin and microelements. Suitable for making jam, making jelly and marinades.
- Raisin. Early ripening variety. Heat-loving. The raisin prefers well-lit areas. Not picky about soil. Low growing plant. The height of the bush reaches only 45 cm. The fruits are considered small. The weight of one fruit is 6–10 g. The color of ripe fruits is yellow.
- Gold placer. The variety is early ripening. The plant is considered low-growing, since the height of the bush is 35 cm. It is planted as seedlings. The fruits are golden in color. The weight of one berry is 5–7 g. The yield is high.
- Bell. The variety is mid-season. The plant is highly branched. Reaches a height of 1 m. The fruits are flat-round, orange in color. The weight of one fruit varies from 7 to 10 g. The peculiarity of the Bell variety is that it is tolerant of adverse weather conditions and is undemanding to the soil. Used fresh, in marinades and jams.
Video: Marmaladny, Korolek and Confectioner and other varieties of physalis
Planting physalis
In order for physalis to please you with a good harvest in summer and autumn, you need to familiarize yourself with some of the preferences of this crop:
If there is no suitable place in the garden for planting physalis, you can do it yourself. In areas where water often accumulates, earthen ridges should be placed. Or create raised beds.
Raised beds are an excellent solution for frequently flooded areas.
Physalis grows well in a flower bed after any cultural predecessors, except nightshades. After growing tomatoes, peppers or potatoes on a plot, you need to plant other crops in these places for 2–3 years. Only under this condition will it be possible to plant physalis after nightshades.
At the same time, tomatoes, peppers, green onions, and lettuce will be good neighbors for physalis. But you should not plant peas, beans, cucumbers, fragrant and spicy herbs nearby.
Features of propagation by seeds
Physalis is most often propagated by seeds. They are planted as seedlings or directly in open ground - depending on climatic conditions. Physalis can be grown in a greenhouse, garden or at home.
To plant physalis seeds, you will have to equip a home greenhouse. You can cover the box with the sown seeds with light-proof film and place it in a warm place. Seeds are planted at a depth of 10–15 mm. Despite the fact that physalis is not picky about the soil, it must be planted in loose soil. If there are no problems with this at home, then in a greenhouse or garden the soil will need to be pre-prepared.
The earth needs to be dug up to fill it with oxygen. If you plan to plant physalis in the spring, then in the fall the garden can be fertilized with manure, humus or compost. For good seed germination, a temperature of 17–18 degrees above zero is required. Physalis seedlings are sown at the end of March. And planting in open ground occurs no earlier than mid-May. By this time the soil should warm up to at least +10 degrees.
Transplantation of seedlings into open ground is carried out at the end of May. Plants are planted in the afternoon, when the sun becomes less scorching. This will allow the seedlings to quickly adapt to the new environment. Before transplanting, physalis should be watered abundantly to make it easier to separate the bushes. Strongly elongated seedlings can be lowered into the hole by laying the stem in a spiral. In this case, the lower leaves are removed. After which the plants are covered with soil.
The distance between rows must be at least 0.5 meters. In order not to overdo it with the number of seeds when planting, gardeners advise mixing the seeds with fine sand. This will help to evenly sow the area with physalis. No more than 5 bushes should grow per 1 m2.
Video: planting physalis seedlings in a greenhouse
Physalis pick
Physalis is picked after the plant has 2-3 leaves. Before you start picking, you need to prepare pots or plastic cups with loose soil. Only after this do they begin to plant the plants:
- Physalis is watered abundantly before picking. This makes it easier to separate the plant roots from each other.
- Using a pointer, pen or any other convenient object, make a funnel-shaped depression in a cup of soil.
- If the seedlings are tall, then the hole can be made to the full depth of the glass. Subsequently, physalis will develop a powerful root system.
- Warm water is poured into the hole, to which the growth stimulator HB 101 has been added. This is an organic product that promotes the active growth and development of plants. For 1 liter of water, 1 ml of the drug is needed.
- Plants are separated from each other. And they drop into cups. You can plant 1–2 seedlings in one hole.
- The soil is slightly compacted. If the volume of the glass allows, you can add soil on top.
- After picking, physalis is placed in a warm, but not hot place.
Video: how to dive physalis
Growing Physalis
After transplanting into open ground, a pot or greenhouse, physalis does not require special care. This is a rather unpretentious plant.
Basic conditions for caring for physalis:
- The main requirements are still an abundance of sunlight and warmth.
- Unlike other nightshades, it does not need to be pinched.
- Only vigorous varieties reaching 70–100 cm in height are tied up.
- Physalis only needs timely watering and weeding.
- The earth is periodically loosened so that a crust does not form and the soil does not crack.
- The plant must be periodically inspected to prevent the occurrence of diseases.
- When diseased bushes are discovered, the plants are removed and burned to prevent the disease from spreading.
Video: growing physalis in a pot
Agricultural technology plants
Any plant, including physalis, needs to be fertilized with fertilizers. This increases the endurance and productivity of the crop. The roots of physalis grow deep, so fertilizers that are on the surface of the soil are not fully used. Physalis should be fed every 14 days, starting in mid-June. You can feed plants with the following fertilizers:
As for regular watering of physalis, it is necessary for young plants. Adult physalis needs systematic watering only during periods of drought.
Diseases and pests
Of all the nightshades, physalis is less susceptible to disease. The most common diseases for this plant are:
- Late blight. Physalis suffers from it extremely rarely. This happens when it rains for a long time. The culprits of late blight can be fogs, high air and soil humidity. It appears as brown spots that form under the skin of the fruit. Such berries must be removed from the bushes immediately.
- Blackleg. It affects physalis seedlings. The main cause of the disease is too frequent planting. Secondary conditions for the development of blackleg are high humidity and poor ventilation of the flower bed. Dealing with this disease is quite simple. It is necessary to thin out the physalis, destroy weeds and reduce the frequency of watering.
- Mosaic. To avoid this virus, basic crop rotation requirements must be followed. You can transplant the physalis to a new place, but you can return the plant to its original flowerbed only after 4 years.
- Of the pests, only mole crickets and wireworms pose a danger to physalis. You can fight them using folk methods. For example, planting lupins, alfalfa, mustard or lettuce nearby. You can decompose superphosphate granules by spraying them with a preparation of your choice: Decis, Karate, Provotox or Actellik. These insecticides are the least toxic to humans.
Growing physalis in the regions
There are no zoned varieties of physalis for the Urals, Siberia, Ukraine or the Volga region. Gardeners and gardeners focus on the duration of the warm season when choosing one or another variety for planting. But based on many years of observations and experiences of specialists, it is possible to draw conclusions about which varieties develop better in different regions.
Table: physalis varieties for growing in different climates
| Region | Variety name |
| Siberia |
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| Ural |
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| Moscow region |
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| Ukraine |
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| Volga region |
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