How to Grow Goldenberries

1: Plant the Seed

Goldenberries (Physallis peruviana) are in the Solanacea Family along with Tomatoes, Eggplant, Peppers and Tomatillos. Their seeds are a shiny orange color about the size of a sesame seed. Goldenberry seeds should be planted 1/8-1/4 inch deep in rich potting soil with lots of compost.

Keep soil moist and warm until seeds emerge as two very small pointy leaves with a purple stem and covered in fuzz. Goldenberry seeds can germinate as fast as 1 week but can also take up to a month to emerge! Be patient and keep gently watering taking care not to overwater or create a “boggy” environment.

2: Caring for Young Plants

Keep young Goldenberry plants well watered, warm and with lots of sun. Once the leaves start to increase in size they will grow quite fast so make sure they have enough space to spread out or they will get leggy and thin.

When the stem becomes rigid and strong, they are ready to be planted outside or in a greenhouse. Don’t worry if they flop over after transplant, they will rebound quickly with adequate water and re-adapt to their new environment.

When we planted our first rows of Goldenberry it was the middle of summer and they immediately fell over and looked super sad. However, within a month the base of the original stem was sprouting new, dark-green fuzzy leaves which soon overtook the original growth and became giant healthy bushes.

3: How To Plant Goldenberries

Goldenberries are a very adaptive species and can be grown in many environments. Its native environment is in the Andes Mountain Range between 2000-4000 ft elevation. However, we have had great success growing in cool temperate climates. In this environment, Goldenberries can reach an unsupported height of about 5 ft and will often flop over when laden with fruit.

In hotter, dryer climates Goldenberries will grow more conservatively in size and will sometime more closely resemble a Tomatillo or Eggplant in shape.

4. Taking Care of Mature Plants

Goldenberries require very little maintenance and will produce lots of tasty fruit on their own. You may consider trellising or supporting the branches as they grow but be aware they become quite heavy and can snap easily. We have seen goldenberries grow stalks over 10ft long in a trellised greenhouse.

When left to their own devices they will generally grow upward until they “flop over” due to their weight. It is often around this time that the fruit begins to ripen, perhaps even more quickly when in contact with the ground.

In particularly hot and dry climates consider irrigating especially in the rapid growth phase. Goldenberries also seem to like growing in partial shade and along feces or other wind breaks; this may be a good way to produce larger plants in harsher climates.

5. How do I know if a Goldenberry is Ripe?

To know if a goldenberry is ripe, you must first know what variety it is. This website only focuses on the original Peruvian Goldenberry or Aguaymanto; which are ripe when they are large, bright orange and firm with a bit of bounce. There exists a second variety which is eaten when fruits are still green or a greenish-orange. This varieties fruits are also considerably smaller, drop their fruit more readily and have husks that are snug around the fruit.

When picking goldenberries we often look to see “if the light is on.” This means that the husk is somewhat translucent and the fruit glows orange from within. You can also pinch the husk so that the color of berry can be more visible through the husk. Each fruit starts out a dark green and slowly transitions first to yellow, followed by a warm orange which darkens as it ages.

This is a frequently asked question?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.