Edible decoration of the garden and garden will be physalis, the cultivation of which is not more difficult than the erection of tomatoes. This representative of Solanaceae grows up a large bush, covered with bright red and yellow-orange lanterns, as the fruits mature, they acquire a rich taste and aroma.
What does Physalis look like?
The names of this plant can not be known, but its famous red boxes are familiar to everyone. No wonder the Physalis was nicknamed Chinese lanterns: a thin and almost transparent shell of red color resembles a paper product launched into the sky. As for the description of physalis in book language, it is referred to as Solanaceae, called a distant relative of tomato.
However, one must not forget that among the varieties there are edible and decorative forms:
- decorative is not suitable for food, these are the most dried winter bouquets of bright red color;
- there is a vegetable kind of physalis, of Mexican origin (it is most similar to cherry tomatoes, therefore it is often called a Mexican tomato);
- berry varieties have South American roots, the fruits inside the lantern are much smaller and resemble large currants or gooseberries.
Where does the Physlis grow?
Everything new in our kitchen gardens is a re-experiencing popularity and a long-forgotten old. Physalis fell into our latitudes about the same time as the tomatoes. However, his path was much shorter, for a long time red lanterns were only occasionally used for compositions of dried flowers. As the physalis grows well in our latitudes, berry and vegetable species have gained popularity.
It is difficult to call a common plant physalis, growing it rather exotic. The most courageous brew from berry varieties jam, to taste like caramel. In his homeland, in Central and South America, it's just a weed. In the wild, the plant multiplies without human help successfully. After the appearance of fruit varieties, the fruits began to grow in mountainous areas as berries.
Physalis - varieties
Deciding to plant in his vegetable and berry species of physalis, it's good to learn more about popular varieties. To get seeds in conditions of high competition and a huge supply will not be a problem. However, if you really try to grow something new on your site, then you can take tested varieties for work. It deals with growing both decorative and edible species.
Physalis "Strawberry"
If your goal is to grow physalis berries as an exotic dessert, then this variety will be an ideal choice. It refers to berry or strawberry varieties. His popularity is growing every year, and for that there are weighty reasons:
- the name of the fragrance and the taste of the fruit fully justify, the small berries smell of strawberries and delight caramel flavor;
- to prepare from small berries you can almost everything from jam to various syrups, to recognize the main ingredient of dessert is difficult, because it is very similar to caramel, but it looks like a cherry tomato;
- bushes stretch to 70 cm, they are not demanding, and they can grow a beginner gardener.
Physalis "Bell"
Another sort that will give a fruit physalis with excellent characteristics for the preparation of marmalade or jam. Berries after full ripening will acquire a rich orange color, which adds one more point to the class money box. Among the main advantages of the author's hybrid are the following:
- equally good berries for eating fresh and cooked, suitable for sweet and salty seaming;
- the stalk is powerful, grows up to a meter in height, spreads;
- maturation period is medium, suitable for growing outdoors.
Physalis "Franche"
When the goal is to decorate the room, decorative forms are grown. Physalis at home will complete the composition of dried flowers, it will not change the color of the flashlight, it will not lose its original shade and freshness. It should be understood that for all its similarity with edible varieties, decorative forms are poisonous, and can not be eaten. The decorative berry also differs in color: instead of a warm amber-orange hue, the box after maturation acquires a rich red color. "Franche" has a large red-orange flashlight, fruits inside a dark cherry-red color.
Physalis Korolek
Among the varieties of the physalis are also early ripening. "Korolec" refers to vegetables with short maturation periods. The berries are rarely consumed fresh, the taste is sweet and sour, they are more suitable for billets. However, instead of jams and jams, they are used much more often for pickling and dry wine. Berries before ripening gradually from green to yellow, as ripening yellow becomes saturated. Bushes are yielding and give up to five kilograms. Based on how it looks physalis of this variety, ready-made meals will be a decoration of the table.
Physalis "Iziumchik"
There are among all the variety of berries with super early ripening dates. The fragrant and incredibly sweet physalis of the variety "Iziumchik" is one of the most popular:
- maturity dates beat all the records, while they did not affect the keeping quality and in the cool the harvest is perfectly preserved up to six months;
- its name was not without reason, after drying in the oven, wilted berries compete quite successfully with real raisins and do not yield to it in taste;
- fruits rich amber-yellow color, the jam turns delicious.
Physalis "Pineapple"
This variety is called classic strawberry. The thing is the size of the fruit and the characteristic aroma. Physalis "Pineapple" ripens early, but the aroma of ripe berries is rich, and the taste is sweet almost without sourness. Such characteristics make it suitable for fresh consumption. Delicious candied fruits, a good fruit for drying under raisins. This grade needs warmth, therefore it is suitable for growing in warm regions.
How to plant a physalis?
Chinese lanterns not only refer to Solanaceae and are called close relatives of tomatoes, the agrotechnology of their cultivation is close to the erection of a tomato. Practice only planting the physalis with seeds, and the planting material is small and requires some knowledge in the field of horticulture. There are four fundamentally different approaches to sowing:
- The sub-winter method consists in sowing seeds in dry form for the winter. From above lay a layer of mulch with a layer of 3 cm from peat, compost or humus. Shoots and ripe berries will appear much later, but the bush will be an order of magnitude stronger and the harvest is more abundant. Physalis, the cultivation of which was carried out during the winter, is resistant to the appearance of diseases and pests
- The sowing of the seeds with seeds is carried out in special cells. They are sealed about 1.5 cm. The landing time falls on the period of planting the early varieties of potatoes.
- For cold regions and greenhouse owners, a seedling method is suitable.
- In some cases physalis multiplies perfectly by self-seeding.
Physalis of seeds - how to plant?
Decorative varieties are propagated by seeds and rhizomes, it is possible to plant a bush once, then the plant itself will multiply itself by self-seeding. Vegetable or berry fizalis on the site is propagated by growing from seeds. Equally often resorted to seedling and bezrassadnym methods:
- Seeds need to be sorted out. To do this, pour water into a glass of water and add salt to it. Sprinkle seeds, leave only settled on the bottom, and the pop-ups are discarded. To accelerate the cultivation process, it is good to germinate the planting material of physalis, preparation of the solution of potassium permanganate and stimulants of growth is welcomed.
- If it is planned to land in the open ground without a decay method, the site is prepared in two weeks. It is dug and add humus and ash. For the final disembarkation place choose only the sun. Well, if earlier there grew cucumbers or cabbage.
- For planting in the open ground, wait for early spring or plant for the winter. So the bush will be stronger and stronger, although the harvest will ripen much later.
- When the goal is to get an early Physalis, growing only through seedlings. At the end of March, you can start safely. In the boxes or cassettes, the seeds are placed until the first real sheets appear, then dive into individual cups.
- Seedling method is feasible both in greenhouse conditions and in beds under the film. Young bushes are hardened and gradually accustomed to open sunlight. As soon as the night temperature of 13 ° C is established, the seedlings boldly leave without shelter round the clock.
- Once every three weeks, the seedlings are fed with a solution of mullein or bird droppings, watered only at the root, so as not to damage the tender leaves.
- If a seedling method of cultivation was chosen, the transfer of the physalis to the open ground is safe after the appearance of five to six leaves. The landing scheme is a chessboard at a distance of 50 cm. Tall grades need a garter.
When to Plant a Physalis?
Physalis ordinary or decorative rarely needs an annual planting. The bush gets well, then multiplies itself. Berry and vegetable varieties require more attention. The terms of planting depend on the maturity and type:
- Peruvian or berry varieties like warmth, they grow better with the seedling method, then the seeds are planted around the end of February, and the seedling will not fall into its permanent place until May;
- for raisins or strawberry varieties, the planting for seedlings will fall on the middle of March, and in May-mid June, the seedlings can be transferred to the open ground;
- landing for winter is good for all species.
Physalis - care
Chinese lanterns began to appear more often on sections of country houses and summer cottages. Instructions how to grow physalis are not more difficult than for tomatoes. A healthy and strong bush is formed after landing in its place, in order to obtain a quality crop, several basic rules should be adhered to:
- The plant is formed by pinching all the lateral sheets located below the first bud. Strawberry Chinese lantern in the formation does not need. It is not necessary to patronize, increasing the number of branches contributes to an increase in the yield. The middle of July is the time to pinch the tops of the stems, this is another way to increase the yield.
- Recommendations for watering are no different from tips for tomatoes. Until the end of July, weekly in the evening, August, the period of watering-off. Such a technique will not allow the botany to grow too much, and the strength to give for the fruits.
- The fertilizer is applied three times: first during the flowering period, then during the formation of the fetus, after two weeks a third part of the fertilizer goes. Use mineral fertilizing, well the bush will react to the bird droppings.
- To remove the crop you need to competently: for vegetable species, it is allowed to drop berries on the ground, they remove strawberries from branches only. The berries do not ripen at the same time, therefore it is necessary to control this moment daily.
Diseases of the face
Although planting and caring for physalis is not very different from working with tomatoes, the problems are much less. The fact is that the bushes are practically not sick. But Solanaceae have a couple of typical diseases, they appear when violating agricultural technology:
- black leg will kill all the seedlings, if the crops are thickened, it will appear in conditions of excessive moisture and lack of ventilation;
- all Solanaceae are afraid of late blight during the cold rainy summer during mass ripening.