When to collect and how to store physalis. About its properties and application. How to care for and grow vegetable physalis: tips, varieties with photos and descriptions How to determine if physalis is ripe

Physalis is known for its healing properties. It is most useful and edible when fully ripe. When should you harvest physalis to get the most benefit from it? How to properly store and consume fruits? Let's figure it out.

The time when you need to collect physalis can be determined by its shell

It is sometimes difficult to determine their ripeness by the color of the fruit. The color directly depends on the variety and varies from green to violet-red. Therefore, you need to navigate by more reliable signs.

How to determine when to collect physalis fruits

You can accurately determine the degree of ripeness of fruits by their “wrapper”. As the fruit ripens, it dries out; in a fully ripe physalis, the cover is completely dry, the leaves open up and may even fall off. The pronounced aroma of the fruit also indicates biological ripeness.

If the fruits begin to fall off the bush, this is a sure sign of their maturity; on dry soil they can lie for several days and not spoil.

It is best to harvest fruits in dry weather. If the “wrapper” of the berries is raw, it will quickly deteriorate, so it must be torn off immediately after picking.

Dry leaves can not be torn off, but stored with them.

If you focus on timing, then on average fruit maturity occurs two months after seedlings are planted in the ground. If physalis is grown without seedlings, then you can start harvesting the fruits 12 weeks after germination.

With the onset of frost, you need to remove all the berries, even if they are not yet completely ripe. They will arrive in a warm room in 1-2 weeks. Or you can completely dig up the bushes and hang them in the barn, top down: this way all the fruits will ripen evenly and quickly.

How to properly store physalis

Physalis is stored in boxes or cardboard boxes with ventilation holes, no more than 3 kg in each.

Rules for storing physalis:

When picking, you should try to keep the berries intact;
You need to send well-dried fruits for storage;
during storage, physalis needs to be sorted several times, removing spoiled berries;
Fully ripened fruits are best eaten immediately or stored in the refrigerator.

In a cool room (no more than 15°C), physalis will be stored for up to 2 months if the fruits are ripe, up to 4 months if not fully ripe.

Ecology of life. Usadba: Due to the content of pectin substances and a balanced ratio of acid and sugars, ripe physalis fruits are considered a valuable dietary product. We will tell you how to collect, preserve and prepare the harvest of this vegetable, which is currently less widespread than it deserves.

Due to the content of pectin substances and a balanced ratio of acid and sugars, ripe physalis fruits are considered a valuable dietary product. We will tell you how to collect, preserve and prepare the harvest of this vegetable, which is currently less widespread than it deserves.

There are vegetable (Mexican) physalis, strawberry (berry) and ornamental physalis. The fruits of Physalis vegetable and berry are eaten. The species also ripen 80-100 days after sowing. The lower ones ripen first. They can be collected as soon as the berries acquire a characteristic color for the variety, and the covers begin to lighten and dry out. Ripe physalis fruits fall to the ground and in dry weather can lie there for 7-10 days without spoiling.

How to clean and store physalis

Physalis fruits are collected gradually, about once a week: first, fallen and ripe ones, and then well-developed green ones. The main thing is to have time to collect the fruits before frost, since frozen fruits are poorly stored. Do not pick fruits after rain or until the dew has dried. Before storing physalis, the berries need to be dried. Physalis, harvested in dry sunny weather, is stored better. To ensure that physalis spoils less during storage, try not to damage the berries when harvesting. Undamaged fruits better retain the substances that determine the taste and aroma of each variety.

It is best to store physalis in a cool, dry place, in small boxes with ventilation holes or lattice boxes that can hold no more than 3 kg of berries. At a temperature of +12-14°C, ripe fruits last 1-2 months. Unripe but healthy physalis fruits can be stored longer, sometimes until spring. At higher temperatures, fruits ripen faster and spoil faster: at a temperature of +25-30°C, ripening takes 1-2 weeks. Throughout the storage period, physalis should be regularly reviewed, selecting ripe fruits and discarding spoiled ones.

What to cook from physalis fruits

Physalis fruits are consumed both fresh and canned. They can be used in the preparation of various dishes in combination with paprika, tomatoes and coriander; , sweets, candied fruits, as well as for decorating cakes and pastries.

For “sweet” purposes, physalis is mainly used. It is suitable for making jam, marmalade, candied fruits, compotes, etc. It can be dried and used instead of raisins. Unlike vegetable physalis, berry fruits do not require blanching before consumption, since they do not have a sticky substance on the berries.

The fruits of vegetable physalis (it may appear under other names: Mexican physalis, Mexican physalis tomato, physalis philadelphica, tomatillos fruits) are added to first courses and are widely used for canning. They can be salted and pickled, and also added to cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage when canning. For better salting, the fruits must be pricked. However, you can also make jam or make candied fruits from vegetable physalis. But, no matter what recipe you choose, before cooking, you will have to blanch the vegetable physalis berries in boiling water for 2-3 minutes to remove sticky and waxy substances from them. In addition, this treatment will remove the unpleasant odor and bitter taste from the berries.

Physalis salted

Physalis - 1 kg
Dill - 30 g
Horseradish root - 4 g
Garlic - 3 g
Red capsicum - 1 g
Salt - 60 g
Water - 1 liter

You can add black currant leaves, tarragon, basil, mint, parsley, celery at the rate of no more than 50 grams of aromatic spices per 1 kg of physalis

How to cook:

Place prepared ripe fruits along with spices in jars. Pour in brine (60 g of salt per 1 liter of water). Cover the jars with a clean cloth and leave to ferment for 7-10 days at room temperature. Remove any mold that appears during fermentation. When the brine tastes sour, drain, boil, pour back into the jars and roll up. Store rolled jars in the basement or refrigerator.

Physalis pickled

Physalis vegetable - 1 kg
For the marinade: for 1 liter of water - 50 g sugar, 40 g salt, 10 g 80% acetic acid, a pinch of cinnamon, 5-8 clove buds, 4 allspice peas, bay leaf.

How to cook:

Place ripe physalis fruits in boiling water for 1 minute, then cool and place tightly in sterilized 0.5 liter jars. Pour in hot marinade mixture. Cover with a boiled lid and sterilize for 10 minutes from the moment the water boils in the pan. Then roll up, turn upside down, cover with a towel and leave until completely cool. The product is ready for use in a month. Can be stored at room temperature.

Physalis caviar

Physalis vegetable - 500 g
Onions - 200 g
Carrots - 200 g
White roots (parsley, parsnip) - 100 g
Salt, sugar, ground black pepper, bay leaf, chopped garlic, dill and parsley - to taste.

How to cook:

Peel and chop the vegetables. Fry each separately in vegetable oil and then mix. Add salt, sugar, ground black pepper, bay leaf, finely chopped garlic, dill and parsley to taste. Heat again, stirring thoroughly. Serve cooled.

Physalis and zucchini jam

Physalis vegetable - 500 g
Zucchini - 1 kg
Sugar - 900 g
A few cloves or pieces of ginger for flavor

If you replace the zucchini with pumpkin in this recipe, the jam will be even sweeter.

How to cook:

Peel the physalis from its covers, wash it with warm water to remove the waxy coating and cut small fruits in half, and large ones into 4 parts. Peel and seed the zucchini and cut into cubes. Place the prepared fruit mixture in an enamel bowl and pour hot sugar syrup. Wait until the syrup cools down. Next, cook the jam in several stages to keep the fruits intact. For flavor, add a few cloves or pieces of ginger to the jam before the last stage of cooking. Pour the finished jam into jars, close the lids, and store in the refrigerator.

Quince and physalis jam

Decorative quince – 10-15 pcs.
Physalis berry – 2 kg
Sugar (sand) – 1.5 kg

How to cook:

Remove the physalis berries from the lanterns, rinse thoroughly in hot water, cut into halves (or quarters) and add some sugar. Leave overnight. Wash the quince, remove the seeds, grate it, add it to the prepared berries and put it on medium heat. Boil. Cook over low heat until thickened. Place the jam into sterilized jars and close the lid tightly.

Physalis jam

Physalis vegetable - 1 kg
Sugar - 1.2 kg
Water - 0.5 l

How to cook:

Blanch the prepared physalis fruits in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, drain in a colander to drain, and place in a saucepan. Prepare sugar syrup at the rate of 500 g of sugar per 0.5 liter of water: heat until the sugar dissolves and boil for 3-4 minutes. Without cooling, pour it over the fruits in the pan. Leave the fruits in the syrup for 3-4 hours. Then add another 500 g of dry granulated sugar to the pan for each kilogram of fruit and, stirring gently, heat until all the sugar is completely dissolved and cook at low boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to soak for 5-6 hours. Then add another 100-200 grams of sugar for each kilogram of fruit and boil for 10-15 minutes.

The jam is ready when the syrup flows from the spoon in a thick stream, and a drop of syrup does not spread on the plate. Pour the jam into jars, close the lids and pasteurize in a saucepan with hot water for 15-20 minutes. If the jam is not intended for long-term storage, you can cool it and pour it into sterilized jars. But in this case it must be stored in the refrigerator.

Candied Physalis

From jam you can make candied fruits - candied physalis fruits. To do this, pour the prepared jam onto a sieve, let the syrup drain, and place the selected fruits on a baking sheet, cover with thick paper and dry in the oven at a temperature of 35-40°C. Can be dried in the room, without heating. Sprinkle the finished candied fruits with granulated sugar or powder. Store in glass jars with lids. published

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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. In this way, ungerminated and weak plants are discarded, which often happens in crops with small seeds. To prevent the seedlings from stretching, the room should not be too hot. Optimum temperature + 18-20°C. After picking, the seedlings are fed with 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 warm weather sets in, the growing seedlings can be taken out into the fresh air (during the day) for hardening. 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. Since nightshades do not like high humidity, they try to ensure that the top layer of soil under the film is not too waterlogged.

Physalis - care

Grown plants are fed with complex fertilizer for vegetable plants. To improve fruiting, you can apply 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 sheaths. The surface of the fruit, especially young ones, is sticky and oily. The most delicious 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 sheath and washed with 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 and bladder stones. Decoctions and infusions of fresh and dry fruits - for inflammation of the respiratory tract, stomach, and intestines.

New varieties of physalis - Likhtarik, Zharinka(Ukrainian selection)

Biochemical composition of physalis fruits (in % of fruit weight)
Variety	Index
	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 is an annual plant of the nightshade family, which gets its name from the round shape of the flower calyx (physa means bubble in Greek), inside which there is a fruit with numerous seeds.

The genus Physalis is represented by 110 botanical species, most of which belong to wild weeds. Several types of physalis have decorative and nutritional value.

Useful properties and use. Ornamental types of 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.

Strawberry physalis

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.

The second group of 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 sugars, a significant amount of vitamin C, organic acids, microelements, and 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 fresh, used for making preserves, marmalade, jam, compote, caviar, and they are salted and pickled.

Biological features.

Mexican physalis is an annual cross-pollinating plant. Insects readily swarm on its large and fragrant flowers, which bloom before the onset of autumn frosts. Among the forms of vegetable physalis, there are semi-cresting 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.

Based on Mexican physalises, domestic varieties Moskovsky Ranniy, Gruntovy Gribovsky and Confectionery have been created, which can be successfully grown in 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, ovate. 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 of medium thickness, 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. If all agrotechnical measures are carried out in a timely manner, ground-sowed physalis, as a rule, gives higher yields. In addition, such plants do not suffer from picking and replanting, during which a significant part of the roots is lost, and As a result, they develop a more powerful root system and suffer less disease.However, the ripening of their fruits lags behind compared to seedlings.

If an amateur vegetable grower wants to have an earlier harvest of 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 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 sowing, and poor ventilation of plants. The stems at the root collar turn black and the plants die.

Control measures.

Thinning seedlings, rare but abundant 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.

Physalis does not grow in every garden; many do not even know about it. I remember that as a child, my mother brought bouquets with bright orange lanterns from the garden, which stood in a vase on the kitchen windowsill all winter. We were strictly forbidden to pick and eat it.

Much later I learned that this is an ornamental physalis, and there are many types of plants. Which physalis is best to have on your property - I now know all this first-hand.

The plant belongs to the Solanaceae family; in natural conditions it develops as a perennial or as an annual bush. About 120 species are known, the name itself translates as “bubble”.

When the sepals of a flower grow together, they form a kind of bubble-lantern that grows faster than the fruit itself.

Physalis has lignified stems up to 120 centimeters high, its familiar appearance is decorative, it overwinters in our climate, the above-ground part dies, but in the spring shoots of the bush grow again. The fruit has a bitter taste and is not eaten.

Types and varieties

Physalis species are divided into ornamental, vegetable and berry.

Decorative (wild)

Alkekengi and Franche are two similar species, all parts of the plants are poisonous (they contain alkaloids and physalin). They are very common in our country, they are also called “Chinese lanterns”.

The tall decorative physalis grows up to a meter in length, it has large leaves and numerous capsule fruits. They are painted in the familiar orange-red color.

The bush is most decorative in August-September; for the winter, winter bouquets are formed from it. The leaves are torn off.

Mexican physalis

This vegetable species, one of a kind, is also called glutinous or Mexican tomato. The tall bush has large fruits of greenish, yellow and purple colors. In its raw state it does not have an excellent taste, however, winter preparations in the form of jam and salads turn out decent.

Based on the Mexican vegetable species, varieties have been created that can be grown in central Russia:

Moscow early

An early ripening, spreading bush with pale yellowish fruits. Their weight reaches 80 grams.

Ground Gribovsky

Mid-season variety, bush 70-90 cm, fruits are sour, light green. Gardeners love the variety for its productivity and cold resistance.

Confectionery

The variety is valued for its sweet-sour taste, productivity and suitability for jam and sweet preparations, such as candied fruits.

Berry species of physalis

The most common and valuable varieties of sweet physalis belong to the berry species. They are dried, dried, eaten fresh, preserves and jams are made, candied fruits and homemade marmalade are made, and the glossy fruits are used to decorate desserts.

Peruvian

Pleasant sweetish smell and taste, similar to berries. Very rich in vitamins and microelements, used for dessert preparations, eaten raw.

Florida

The berries of this type are too sweet, they lack acid; additives are used for jam so that it is not so cloying.

Raisin variety

Interesting, subtle taste and aroma with hints of pineapple and citrus. Dried berries can be stored for up to six months, and if you dry them, they will taste like raisins.

Pineapple

Small berries-fruits have a pineapple taste; they are consumed fresh and processed.

Strawberry

The taste is good, the berry is sweet both fresh and cooked.

How to grow physalis

Even inexperienced, novice gardeners can comprehend growing and caring for crops.

Sowing seeds in open ground

In the southern regions of the country, physalis is sown directly into the ground in autumn or spring. In the first case, natural stratification of the seeds occurs over the winter, and the next year they bear fruit. Spring planting occurs early in April or early May.

We place no more than four-year-old seeds in a slightly salted solution; for planting we use those that settle;
We plant in shallow trenches in the garden bed, which we place at a distance of 30 cm from each other;
You can plant it quite densely; the extra shoots that appear can be easily transplanted to another place;
The remaining ones should grow at a distance of at least 30 centimeters.

Seedling method

In temperate climates, physalis is grown through seedlings. At the end of March and April, you can begin the procedure of germinating seeds using the seedling method.

We select suitable planting material by immersing it in brackish water (we take those that have settled to the bottom);
We disinfect the seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour;
We fill the containers with loose, fertile soil and moisten them;
Plant the seeds to a depth of 0.5-1 cm and sprinkle with soil;
Water moderately, avoiding stagnation of water, otherwise the plants will die;
We keep it in a warm and bright place, shoots appear in 7-10 days;
The seedlings will need to be plucked, planted in separate pots if they grow thickly.

What kind of soil is needed

Physalis needs fertile, loose soil. Therefore, in the fall, humus or compost and wood ash are added for digging. The soil reaction is slightly alkaline or neutral. Also in the spring you can fertilize and enrich the soil with superphosphate or another mineral complex.

Important! Remember about the predecessors of the crop - nightshades should not have grown in this place before physalis, but cruciferous plants are just right.

Place for physalis

Sunny, open area without strong wind, follow the tomatoes, the conditions are the same.

When and how to plant seedlings outside

The cold weather has passed outside and the frosts will not return? Take out physalis plants for planting. Seedlings should have 5-7 leaves, all seedlings take root well. The time of day at which we carry out work is evening or morning.

A checkerboard planting pattern is chosen, since the plants are spreading, voluminous, and the stems can fall;
The distance between seedlings is 40-50 centimeters;
Dig a hole, fill it with humus and water it;
Place the plant, deepening it to the first leaves and cover it with soil;
Overgrown specimens, like tomatoes, can be laid obliquely and also covered up to the first leaves;
Water the surrounding soil generously.

Physalis care

The unpretentious physalis culture requires watering 2-3 times a week while the root mass grows. Then water as it dries. Weeding is carried out systematically, and mulch is desirable on the surface of the earth under the plant.

You can feed physalis bushes with organic fertilizers (this is mullein and bird droppings - all in diluted form). If the relatives of physalis tomatoes need to remove stepsons, then this crop does not. Numerous branching shoots produce the greatest number of fruits.

Easy to propagate

The easiest way to get additional plants of perennial ornamental physalis is by dividing the bush. In spring or October, we separate part of the root with a sharp shovel and replant it in the right place. Edible species are still propagated by seeds and seedlings.

When does physalis ripen?

This happens gradually in August and September.

The fruit is also harvested from time to time, processed or eaten.

The seeds are removed from very ripe berries and carefully rubbed through a sieve. Dry and leave for planting. They can be used up to 4 years of age.

How does a decorative species winter over?

The rhizome survives frosts well in the Moscow region and the Urals, the outer stems are cut and removed, the surface is covered with spruce branches or peat, humus.

Diseases and the fight against them

Physalis is affected by diseases of the nightshade family - mosaic, chlorosis, late blight and blackleg. Treating the soil and bushes with Bordeaux mixture and phytosporin can help against all types of rot, according to the directions on the package. Significantly infected plants must be destroyed.

But don’t panic, because physalis has good immunity to diseases and almost never gets sick. We provide him with ventilation of the plantings, plenty of sun and do not overwater the soil.

3 delicious sandwiches - a cucumber sandwich, a chicken sandwich, a cabbage and meat sandwich - a great idea for a quick snack or for an outdoor picnic. Just fresh vegetables, juicy chicken and cream cheese and a little seasoning. There are no onions in these sandwiches; if you wish, you can add onions marinated in balsamic vinegar to any of the sandwiches; this will not spoil the taste. Having quickly prepared snacks, all that remains is to pack a picnic basket and head to the nearest green lawn.

Depending on the varietal group, the age of seedlings suitable for planting in open ground is: for early tomatoes - 45-50 days, average ripening - 55-60 and late ripening - at least 70 days. When planting tomato seedlings at a younger age, the period of its adaptation to new conditions is significantly extended. But success in obtaining a high-quality tomato harvest also depends on carefully following the basic rules for planting seedlings in open ground.

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One of the brightest months of the garden calendar pleasantly surprises with the balanced distribution of favorable and unfavorable days for working with plants according to the lunar calendar. Vegetable gardening in June can be done throughout the entire month, while the unfavorable periods are very short and still allow you to do useful work. There will be optimal days for sowing and planting, for pruning, for a pond, and even for construction work.

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It is no coincidence that June remains one of the favorite months of gardeners. The first harvest, new crops in the vacant spaces, rapid growth of plants - all this cannot but rejoice. But the main enemies of gardeners and garden bed dwellers – pests and weeds – also use every opportunity this month to spread. Work on crops this month is waning, and planting seedlings is reaching its peak. The lunar calendar in June is balanced for vegetables.

Many dacha owners, when developing their territory, think about creating a lawn. The imagination, as a rule, draws magical pictures - a smooth carpet of green grass, a hammock, a sun lounger, a barbecue and beautiful trees and shrubs around the perimeter... But when faced with laying out a lawn in practice, many are surprised to learn that creating a beautiful, smooth lawn is not so easy . And, it would seem, everything was done correctly, but here and there strange bumps appear or weeds sprout.

The June schedule of gardening work can surprise anyone with its richness. In June, even lawns and ponds require attention. Some ornamental plants have already finished flowering and need pruning, others are just getting ready for the upcoming show. And sacrificing an ornamental garden in order to take better care of the ripening harvest is not a good idea. There will be time in the June lunar calendar to plant new perennials and potted arrangements.

Cold pork leg terrine is a meat snack from the category of budget recipes, because pork legs are one of the cheapest parts of the carcass. Despite the modesty of ingredients, the appearance of the dish and its taste are at the highest level! Translated from French, this “game dish” is a cross between pate and casserole. Since in times of technical progress there have been fewer game hunters, terrine is often prepared from livestock meat, fish, vegetables, and cold terrines are also made.

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Trifle with strawberries is a light dessert common in England, the USA and Scotland. I think this dish is prepared everywhere, just called differently. Trifle consists of 3-4 layers: fresh fruit or fruit jelly, biscuit cookies or sponge cake, whipped cream. Usually, custard is prepared as a layer, but for a light dessert they prefer to do without it; whipped cream is enough. This dessert is prepared in a deep transparent salad bowl so that the layers are visible.

Weeds are bad. They interfere with the growth of cultivated plants. Some wild herbs and shrubs are poisonous or can cause allergies. At the same time, many weeds can bring great benefits. They are used as medicinal herbs, and as an excellent mulch or component of green fertilizer, and as a means of repelling harmful insects and rodents. But in order to properly fight or use this or that plant for good, it needs to be identified.

Once upon a time, while visiting, I saw and fell in love immediately and forever with this bush. Of course, for this I needed to see it in all its glory, namely at the moment of flowering. And now, when I am writing this article, a massive pink bush - weigela - inspires me outside the window. It is named after a German scientist of the 18th–19th centuries. In those distant times, a scientist, as a rule, was a specialist in many fields at once - in botany, and in chemistry, and in pharmaceuticals.