THE CAPE GOOSEBERRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 114, 15 May 1919, Page 6

THE CAPE GOOSEBERRY

(By W. H. Taylor, Horticulturist, in Journal of Agriculture.) j The Cape gooseberry (Physalis odu- ( lirs) is botanically a perennial plant. \ though it does not always behave as a i perennial in New Zealand, and for practical purposes it is net portitabie to treat the plant as being perennial. The course of cultivation is as follows; Sow the seed in boxes in autumn —-March if in the open air, April if in frames ; prick off the seedlings - into: other boxes and keep them away from frost; plant out in spring when frc,-n are past, in an open situation, fail ox- j posnre to sunlight being necessary to secure best results. The soil should not be overrich with nitrogenous manures, but phosphates and potash are necessary. Liming the soil previous to planting is useful. With regard to planting, various plans arc adopted. I recommend planting in dumps of three, placing a plant at each angle of a triangle the sides of which measure about 9in., the clumps to be sft, apart. Planted i/i this manner the growths lock together and wind will not affect them. A good crop should be- obtained the autumn after planting. The following spring, when frosts are past, the plants should be cut down to within about bin. of the ground. Frost muy have killed most of the branches, but they should not be cut off .till the time indicated, as they protect the base of the plants from frost. When the cut-ting-down is done new shoots will , all have started from the bottom, S and these should be left. Strong ; growth will soon be set up, resulting in large clumps by autumn, when the heaviest crop will be obtained When this (the second season’s) crop is over the giants should be destoryod and a new start made. Many of the plants , die after the second crop. It is a good 1 plan where Cape gooseberries aregrown commercially to ..Hjtart a new lot of plants every year, so that each j year there will be a second-season crop j (which is the. heaviest) as well as a j first-year crop. As regards yield there ■ are many circumstances which will i cause variations in the weight of crop. ■lt depends largely on securing a good j variety, which may be possible only by selection.

The Cape gooseberry is not subject to any special disease. In lint and dry places r ed spider sometimes attacks the foliage, hut such attacks are not general.