Harvesting physalis.......

[CuppaTeaJanice]

This year is the first time I've grown physalis, and I'm not sure about harvesting the fruits. The pods have formed but they are still green. I haven't looked to see if the fruits are developed inside yet.

Do I wait for the pods to go cream coloured and papery on the plant, or do I pick them green and dry them out indoors?

Hoping some green-fingered mumsnetter can advise.....

Are they the sweet type (cape gooseberry/poha/groundcherry) or savoury (tomatillo)?

If the sweet ones, the pods need to go cream & papery & the fruits inside orange. I don't think they'll ripen well off the plant, though to be fair I haven't tried as I've mostly grown them in a tunnel.

For tomatillos, you can pick them as soon as they're a decent size, green is fine.

Thanks Takver. They are the sweet ones. Do you know roughly when they will be ready to pick?

They do take a while to ripen after the fruits have formed - we tend to start them quite early so its a bit hard to say at this time of year, but maybe end Sept?

They tend to need more sun, I've had them before at this time & found them difficult to ripen.I think I did get a couple ripened off the plant but not 100% so test one or 2.

Mine are in a polytunnel and we have been eating them for weeks.They haven't got as big as the ones in the shops,but have ripened.I have found that they fall off the plant naturally when ripe,and the husks are papery cream colour.

Try putting the pots (are they in pots?) on a shelf at the very top of the polytunnel/greenhouse, where they'll be warmer and maybe ripen quicker.

As soon as the outer husks go papery they are sweet enough to eat. Try one!