Simply put, gardening is rewarding. Food is the obvious reward, but there is more to it. Now I can’t make the seed grow, but I can plant it, and I can help it grow once it sprouts. When it does grow and produce food, I know that it would not have happened unless I had first planted the seed. Besides being able to control what chemicals and contaminants that the plant is exposed to (to a degree), garden fresh food is just more enjoyable than store-bought produce. Encouraging others to get their hands dirty and unplug from the electronic and concrete for a bit is a hobby of mine, so I’m promoting growing some plants of your own, and even giving away free seeds to steemians in the US to prove it.
THE GROUND CHERRY
The Ground Cherry is an interesting plant that reminds me of a tiny, tasty tomatillo.
I’ve never actually grown any Ground Cherries until this year. I have definitely bought a lot of them before at Famers Markets, but I’d never grown them. Now that I am, I am enjoying the fresh supply of these sweet treats available right out in the yard whenever I desire some.
The plant itself will sprawl across the ground if left untrained. I looks similar in structure to a tomatillo plant, just stouter and shorter, and without shiny leaves. The little yellow flowers turn into small green paper lanterns. Inside this papery wrapping is where the fruit grows. Once the Ground Cherry inside the wrapper has grown and matured, the wrapper will turn yellow or brown and fall off. I believe that the ripened fruits falling to ground is where the Ground Cherry gets its name from, though it might be based upon the sprawling characteristic of the plant too. Thankfully, the fruit doesn’t get dirty even when it falls to the ground, because of the papery wrapper.
The flavor is sweet and somewhat tart if the fruit is not completely ripe. Since Ground Cherries are in the Nightshade family, the unripened fruits can be poisonous. Make sure that the fruit is yellow or orange without any green on them prior to ingesting.
These two look ready to eat, but you can still see some green on some in the other image shown earlier. For nutrition, Ground Cherries have high amounts of both Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
When the seedlings first appear, they almost look like skinny green needles with little pin-heads at the top. Make sure to leave a few feet between the plants, because the plants will eventually spread out and sprawl. I plan on always growing some of these wonderful plants, and hope that I can grow a lot more in the years to come. If you're interested in getting some free seeds, message papa-pepper on https://steemit.chat to request some. Even if you only planted one seed in a pot or corner of your yard and got 40 free Ground Cherries from that plant, wouldn't it be worth it? I think so.
