AllotMe
GROWING GUIDES
Cape Gooseberry
Fruit
Moderate
Planting Schedule
Month by month
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Harvest
Sow Seeds Indoors
Sow seeds indoors from February to March on the surface of moist compost at 20°C. Grow as you would tomatoes.
Outdoors
Plant out from late May to June once all frost risk has passed. Choose the warmest, most sheltered spot available.
Harvest
Pick when the papery husk turns straw-coloured and the fruit inside is golden orange. Fruits ripen from August to October.
Month by month
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Harvest
How to Sow
- Sow seeds on the surface of moist compost — press in lightly but don't cover
- Keep at 20°C until germination (2-3 weeks)
- Pot on as they grow, treating exactly like tomato seedlings
- Harden off for a week before planting outside
- Space 60-75cm apart in a sunny, sheltered spot or grow in large pots
Plant Care
- Water regularly, especially in hot weather and when fruiting
- Feed weekly with a high-potash liquid fertiliser (tomato feed) once flowers appear
- Support with canes — plants can reach 1-1.5m
- Pinch out growing tips to encourage bushier growth and earlier fruiting
- Bring pots under cover before the first frosts to extend the season
AllotMe’s Tips
- Cape gooseberries are treat-like and unusual — kids love the surprise of unwrapping the papery lantern to find the golden fruit inside
- They're closely related to tomatoes and grown in exactly the same way
- Fruits store for weeks in their husks at room temperature — one of the few fruits that actually keeps well after picking
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