When I lived in Paris, I would often see a single ground cherry placed as a garnish on top of a dessert with its papery husks folded back like wings.
Your main strategy for keeping your ground cherry plants insect-free should be inspecting your plants regularly. Read our guide on flea beetle control for more tips. In healthy plants, this will probably only be an aesthetic concern. Flea Beetlesįlea beetles are tiny beetles that will chew holes in the leaves of your ground cherry plants. If you find any on your plants, pick them off and squish them.įind tips on colorado potato beetle control here. These beetles are easy to spot – although they are on the small side, they look like little clowns with their bright yellow and black stripes. Colorado Potato Beetles and Ground Cherry Leaf Beetles Learn more about combating tomato hornworms here. They make excellent treats for your chickens, or can be squashed under your heel. Inspect your ground cherry plants (and other nightshades) for these big, juicy caterpillars and remove them. Tomato hornworms will munch on any nightshade plant, so ground cherries are definitely on the menu. Read our complete guide to cutworm control for more tips. Protect seedlings with plant collars or by sprinkling eggshells or coffee grounds around the base of young plants.īe sure to correctly identify these guys, as they look similar to some beneficial butterflies. While ground cherries aren’t particularly prone to insect problems, there are a few bugs that might find your plants as delicious as you find the fruit! CutwormsĬutworms can be a problem for young seedlings. Or ask your local nursery!įencing will certainly help keep the bigger critters out, and floating row covers will offer even more protection. If you want to skip the seed starting business altogether, you can obtain transplants from heirloom seed companies such as Seed Savers Exchange. You’ll find all you need to know about starting seeds indoors in our guide. Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before your last frost. When seedlings are well established, thin them so plants have at least two square feet to spread. Ground cherry seeds have a low germination rate, so plant more than you need. Seeds should germinate in approximately five to eight days. Water after planting seeds, and then daily with a gentle spray from your watering wand until the seeds are established. Place your seeds on top of the soil and then cover lightly with a thin layer of soil, about a quarter of an inch. Moisten the soil then pat it down gently without compressing it. Loosen the soil and work in some compost. If you do choose to direct sow, plant seeds after your last frost.
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