Anyone who has ever cultivated Physalis will probably, like most people, have cared for it as an annual. It is entirely possible and not at all difficult to get them through the winter and continue cultivating them next year. We will explain to you how to protect the Andean berry, as it is also called, from winter in the garden and pot and how to prepare it before overwintering the Physalis.
The fact that most people only cultivate Andean berries as an annual indicates that they are not winter hardy, at least not in our regions. There are also no winter-hardy varieties, despite somewhat more robust breeding forms. As a rule, temperatures should not permanently fall below 10 degrees so that the plant can survive the winter. If, in an exceptional case, things go closer to zero, this is not immediately fatal, but damage to the above-ground parts of the plant is then possible and in the long run this inevitably leads to the death of the roots and therefore also the plant.
When does the Andean berry need winter protection?
What the Physalis absolutely cannot tolerate is frost. Therefore, you should overwinter the Physalis before the first frost at the latest. This is usually the beginning of October or the middle of the month at the latest.
Can you overwinter Physalis in the garden or pot?
You probably grow the physalis in the garden. But onePhysalis to overwinterin the garden is simply impossible, even with winter protection. Therefore, you have no choice but to overwinter the Physalis in the pot. We explain how to do this step by step.
Prepare the plant by cutting it back
Proper preparation in the form of pruning not only makes it easier to store the plant. This way you will also promote more lush growth in the coming season and also get perfect cuttings that you could use for propagation if you wish. With pruning shears you can easily shorten the shoots by half. You can now dispose of the branches or use them for propagation:
- To get suitable cuttings from them, you also need to shorten them. Keep only the tips of the shoots, which are about 10 centimeters long.
- Make the cut diagonally, like with cut flowers.
- Remove all leaves except the top ones at the tip.
- Fill flower pots (9 cm Ø) with potting soil.
- Insert the cuttings and moisten the soil.
- Place the cuttings in a warm and bright place out of direct sunlight.
- Keep the soil moist but not wet.
What about remaining, unripe fruit?
It may well happen that not all of the berries have ripened and been harvested by the time of the overwintering phase. You don't have to remove these because they often continue to ripen, so they can still be used in winterenjoy the delicious fruitscan.
Physalis plants overwinter
So you overwinter the Physalis in the pot. To do this, simply dig them out of the bed after you have alreadyripe fruits are harvestedand put them in a bucket. You can do this from October. Then look for a suitable winter quarters that is ideally cool, but not below 10 degrees, and bright. If possible, temperatures should not exceed 15 degrees. Water occasionally to prevent the root ball from drying out. If the plant suddenly starts to lose its foliage, it may be because it doesn't like the location. Usually, places that are too dark and too warm will cause the leaves to drop while overwintering the Physalis.
When can the plant be allowed back outdoors?
Be sure to wait until frost is no longer expected. Usually the Ice Saints are a safe time, so you can plan accordingly. We recommend an acclimatization phase in which the Andean berries can gradually adapt to the conditions outside. Then you can plant them back in the bed and care for them as usual.
