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Family Owned Since 1979
Cultivating Gardeners
Home GROUND CHERRY Aunt Molly'S Ground Seed

AUNT MOLLY'S

AUNT MOLLY'S

65-70 days. When ripe the fruit turns a golden orange color and drops to the ground. It makes a tasty jam, perfect for gift giving. An unusual and rewarding addition to fruit salads and smoothies. Will store up to 3 months in the husk. Aunt Molly’s came to us as an unnamed line. Territorial selected and released it as Aunt Molly’s, named after Tom and Julie’s first business Aunt Molly’s Ice Cream Treats.

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ORGANIC SEED

$4.95

$4.95

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Customer Reviews

Based on 5 reviews
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M
Michele B.
Good choice!

All the seeds planted came right up and are going strong!

V
Vicki B.
Next to no germination

When I started seeds in March indoors, this one gave me one plant in two six packs and when it went outdoors, it promptly laid down and died. So I’ll try again with direct sow in the next week or so now that it’s (hopefully) going to stay a little warmer. This plant holds fond memories from my childhood and they’re hard to find. So, I’m hopeful but so far disappointed.

So sorry to hear that! We do germ test all of our seeds and to ensure we sell only top performing seed, we have established germination standards that are higher than prescribed by the Federal Seed Act. Our minimum germination standard for ground cherries is 75% and the most recent test for this variety passed at 89%.

It is best to start these seeds indoors rather than direct sowing with plenty of light and a soil temp of 70-90°F. To maintain proper soil temp heat mats or soil heating cables will likely be needed. To ensure adequate light, artificial light may also be needed.

As for the plant that died immediately after planting, without knowing specifics, my guess is that it went out before it was warm enough or it wasn’t hardened off before transplanting. Warm-weather crops such as ground cherries should go out only after the danger of frost has passed and once they have been hardened off.

‘Hardening off’ is the process of transitioning a plant from a protected, indoor environment to outdoor conditions. This is done gradually by exposing the plants to sun and outside temperatures before transplanting outside. Start by placing the plants in a shady, protected area (cold frame, porch, carport, etc.) for a few hours, and then bring them back inside. Gradually increase the amount of time and sun exposure the plants receive over a period of time. This process can take several days for cool-weather starts such as lettuce and brassicas and up to a week or two for warm-weather plants such as tomatoes and ground cherries. Note: keep an eye on the weather – if it’s going to be cold (below 45°F) or windy during the hardening-off process you will want to bring your plants back inside.

As always, our products are backed by our full guarantee. We want you, our customers, to be 100% satisfied with the seed, plants and supplies that you purchase from us. If anything you buy from Territorial proves to be unsatisfactory, we will either replace the item (if available) or refund the purchase price, whichever you prefer (for up to 1 year from purchase). You can also reach out to us for any troubleshooting! Contact our customer service (Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM Pacific Time) at either 800-626-0866 or info@territorialseed.com

E
Echo
Amazing!

Grows well in the PNW, sweet and yummy so fun to snack on. Will easily reseed itself and truly last a long time after harvest. I think it tastes like pineapple and almost everyone I know loves them. Definitely something you should get!

W
Wendy
Don't think of them as tomatoes

Ground cherries are a wonderful fruit that are really nothing like tomatoes. I find that they take a long time to germinate and grow, so I start them indoors even sooner than tomatoes and peppers for my zone 5 garden.
They seem to do better with the additional heat from black plastic mulch.
My favorite use is ground cherry pie, although if you have family members with diverticulitis, they won't be able to eat them due to the seeds.

12
Soil Temp for Germ 70–90°F
Seed Depth ¼"
Days to Emergence 6–14
Soil Temp for Transp 55°F
Plant Spacing 18-36"
Row Spacing 3–4'
Fertilizer Needs High
Minimum Germination 75%
Seeds per Gram See below
Seed Life 3 years

Physalis spp. These tasty summer treats are even more mineral-dense than tomatoes, packed with unique phytochemicals and flavonoids.

Days to maturity are calculated from date of transplant.

Culture
• Fertile, well drained, raised beds covered with plastic mulch promote early growth and better yields
• Tomatillos & Ground Cherries are high feeders and will benefit from regular fertilization with Age Old Bloom
• Overwatering can cause fruit to crack

Direct Sowing
• Not recommended

Transplanting
• Sow seeds in trays 6-8 weeks before anticipated transplant date; transplant into 3-4 inch pots when the first set of true leaves appears
• Strong light and cooler temperatures (60-70°F) prevent plants from getting leggy
• Fertilize with Age Old Grow every 10-14 days
• When transplanting work in compost, 1/2 cup of TSC's Complete fertilizer, and handful of bone meal
• Can be buried up to the top 2 sets of leaves
• Use Kozy-Coats or Victorian Bell Cloches to protect young plants

Insects & Diseases
• Common insects: Flea beetles and tomato hornworms
• Insect control: Pyrethrin or row cover for flea beetles, and Monterey B.t. for tomato hornworms
• Common diseases: Early and late blight
• Disease prevention: A strict 3-4 year rotation, remove vines at the end of the year, fungicide

Harvest & Storage
• Tomatillos: ripe when papery husk has dried up or folded back to reveal plump fruit
• Ground Cherries: ripe fruit will fall to the ground
• Do not refrigerate for best flavor

Seed Count
• Tomatillo: approximately 60-65 seeds per 1/8 gram, about 500 seeds per gram
• Ground cherry: approximately 150 seeds per 1/8 gram, about 1200 seeds per gram; 7 grams per 1/4 ounce

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