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Most gardeners in Central Our Country know physalis as an exclusively ornamental plant. But this relative of the well-known tomato also has edible varieties. Edible physalis can be eaten both fresh and canned. There are several popular varieties of this crop, each variety has its fans.
How to distinguish physalis edible and inedible
It is quite simple to distinguish edible from decorative physalis. As soon as the ripening process occurs, ornamental varieties acquire an unpleasant, poisonous, bright orange color. Edible physalis usually has a flashlight of a paler color. Inside the flashlight, the edible variety has a small berry directly, which can be eaten without any temperature treatment. The color of the edible berry can be different, for example, plum. There are also orange and light yellow fruits.
What does Physalis edible look like?
Physalis has two completely edible forms. The first is vegetable, the second is berry. The fruits of vegetable physalis look like a yellow-green tomato. Meaty, medium size. The bushes are tall and slender, like all nightshade crops.
Stems may vary and be branching or creeping. The length of the stems reaches 120 cm. The leaves are oval, with jagged edges. Up to 200 fruits are formed on one plant, depending on weather and fertile conditions.
Where does Physalis edible grow?
To grow edible physalis, calcareous soil is needed. If the soil is acidic, then physalis will not grow. During the day, the plant requires sun. And also for a good harvest, you need to prevent excess moisture.
If there is no excess moisture, weeds, enough sun, then the plant will produce a good and rich harvest. It is important that there is sufficient sunlight when growing and caring for physalis.
How does Physalis edible grow?
A rare vegetable is grown using seedlings. When planting, it should be borne in mind that the plant most often branches strongly, which means that it will have to be planted in the ground at a distance of at least 50 cm from each other and in a checkerboard pattern. Then the bushes will not interfere with each other. It is important that different varieties of physalis should not be combined in the same area. Moreover, each variety and variety requires its own care.
Varieties of physalis edible
Before planting an edible physalis, you need to choose the most suitable variety. The following varieties of edible physalis are most common in cultivation:
- Peruvian. Berry variety with a pleasant sweet taste and aroma. It is mainly used for making desserts.
- Pineapple. The berries of the physalis of this variety are small, taste like pineapple.
- Raisin. The variety, when dried, becomes similar to raisins. It is used not only dried and dried, but also fresh. Has a citrus flavor.
- Moscow early. Vegetable variety, used successfully for conservation. Early ripe fruits weighing up to 80 g.
- Mexican tomato. The most common among vegetable varieties. The bushes are tall, the fruits have a yellowish tint. Used in salads and jams.
- Ground Gribovsky. Productive and cold-resistant variety. Fruits of a greenish shade of mid-season ripening.
When choosing a particular variety, it is important to carefully study the growing and planting conditions.
What is useful physalis edible
Edible physalis has many useful properties due to the contained vitamins and trace elements.
The fruits of a ripe plant contain:
- a large amount of vitamin C, it helps in the treatment of infectious and colds;
- nicotinic acid, which helps lower blood cholesterol levels and fights atherosclerosis;
- potassium, which reduces pressure, removes excess fluid and relieves swelling;
- beta-carotenes, lycopene – reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men;
- B vitamins that control and normalize the work of the central nervous system.
When used properly, physalis has a choleretic, analgesic, wound healing, antiseptic and diuretic effect on the body. With success, the plant is used for:
- cholecystitis;
- pyelonephritis;
- hypertension;
- rheumatism;
- constipation;
- Botkin’s disease.
There are also benefits for the intestines, since the vegetable improves peristalsis and normalizes the digestive system.
Противопоказания
The plant also has its own contraindications:
- you can not drink a course of more than 10 days without the permission of a doctor;
- pregnancy, lactation period;
- gastritis and stomach ulcer;
- thyroid disease;
- allergic reaction.
If a person does not reliably know about an allergy to physalis, it is enough to recall a food reaction to tomatoes. Allergy to them means the presence and allergies to physalis.
Growing and caring for edible physalis
Physalis vulgaris is not difficult to grow. Agrotechnics of the plant is extremely simple. Physalis vulgaris is grown from seeds using seedlings.
Before planting seedlings in the ground, the soil must be prepared. You need to choose a sunny place, because the Mexican tomato does not like shade. A weak solution of potassium permanganate should be added to the soil. When digging, it is necessary to add ash and humus. Then the soil will become quite fertile.
Any nightshade cultures cannot be used as predecessors, since they use similar substances from the soil and deplete it. Seeds germinate quickly, and within 30 days a young plant will sprout.
It can be planted immediately in open ground, but in this case, the beds must be covered with foil.
At first, you should not water the seedlings too actively, because in this case the root system is subject to decay. To prevent the fruits from becoming too watery, it is not recommended to water the plant during the formation and ripening of the crop, only occasionally.
Feed the plant twice during growth. For top dressing, a solution of cow manure is used in a ratio of 1:10.
The plant does not require special care. It is enough to water moderately and monitor the absence of weeds.
Diseases and pests
The main diseases of physalis vulgaris:
- Blackleg – occurs with excessive moisture and lack of loosening of the soil. In case of disease, the stem at the root turns black, and the plant dies.
- Mosaic – light green spots of various sizes appear on the butts of the plant. The plant is infected through insects, as well as with improper agricultural practices mechanically.
If the plant is regularly weeded, watered, and also loosened the ground, then the diseases will not be able to overcome the physalis, and the crop will be full. In addition to diseases, there are also pests, some of which are very interested in nightshade crops:
- Medvedka – damages plants from the very beginning of spring. The insect has pronounced digging legs. Winters as a larva. To get rid of the bear in early June, it is recommended to deeply loosen the aisles.
- wireworm – not the insects themselves are dangerous, but their larvae. They gnaw the root system of the plant and lead to its death. It is recommended to cultivate the soil with special means, as well as set traps to lure the wireworm.
Harvesting
Physalis ripens gradually. The first crop appears and ripens on the lower branches of the plant. If it is not collected in time, then the fruits will fall to the ground. If the weather is dry, then on the ground, the fruits in cases will retain their beneficial properties for a long time. In a humid climate, it is necessary to collect immediately so that larvae and parasites cannot climb into the cover.
The fruits can endure the first autumn frosts, but experts advise harvesting before frost so that the fruits retain all their beneficial properties.
For long-term storage, fruits must be harvested in an unripe state. For storage, it is necessary to leave the fruits in their natural “packaging”.
How to eat
Physalis perennial edible can be consumed in several ways. It all depends on the variety. There are decorative varieties from which you can prepare jam, vegetables for preservation and salads.
And you can also eat and cook:
- Physalis salty. This recipe can be prepared both separately and using cucumbers. The recipe is this: put fruits in layers with spices in a jar and pour brine at the rate of 60 g of salt per liter of water.
- Soaked vegetable.
- Marinated product. It is necessary to pickle under the same conditions as ordinary tomatoes.
- Vegetable caviar from the fruits of the Mexican tomato is prepared by passing through a meat grinder and adding salt, onion, pepper to taste.
- candied fruit most often prepared from berry varieties of vegetables.
- Jam and puree both for one-time cooking and as a winter preparation.
This vegetable is unique in that it will appeal to both sweet lovers and those who prefer a healthier cuisine. In salads, physalis edible has its own pleasant taste and, with a low calorie content, will attract lovers of a healthy diet.
Conclusion
People began to eat edible physalis a long time ago. This is a healthy product containing a large amount of vitamins and minerals. Growing it in the country is no more difficult than a simple tomato. A novice gardener will also be able to take care of the planting, and as a result he will receive a useful plant with a large number of healing properties.