When to Plant Ground Cherries

Ground cherries are a tender warm-season fruit. Frost damages them, so they go out only after the last spring frost.

Start seeds indoors 5 to 7 weeks before the last spring frost, and plant out 2 to 4 weeks after the last frost. Or sow them where they will grow, 3 to 6 weeks after the last spring frost. The first harvest comes about 70 to 80 days after transplanting.

Example dates

The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.

Ground Cherries: dates by last spring and first fall frost
TaskLast frost Mar 15first Nov 15Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25Last frost May 15first Sep 30
Start seeds indoorsJan 25 – Feb 8Feb 25 – Mar 11Mar 27 – Apr 10
Harden offMar 22 – 28Apr 22 – 28May 22 – 28
Plant outMar 29 – Apr 12Apr 29 – May 13May 29 – Jun 12
HarvestJun 7 – Aug 2Jul 8 – Sep 2Aug 7 – Oct 2
Direct-sown: Sow outdoorsApr 5 – 26May 6 – 27Jun 5 – 26
Direct-sown: HarvestJun 28 – Aug 23Jul 29 – Sep 23Aug 28 – Oct 23

Growing ground cherries

Low sprawling plants drop ripe fruit in husks, so gather what has fallen every few days.

  • Spacing: 24 in apart, in rows 36 in apart. In a raised bed, 1 per 4 sq ft at square-foot spacing.
  • Days to harvest: 70 to 80 from transplanting, then about 8 weeks of picking.
  • Rotation: ground cherries are in the tomato family. Plant them where nothing from that family grew in the last two years. See crop rotation.

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Questions

When do I start ground cherries indoors?

5 to 7 weeks before the last spring frost: with a last frost of April 15, that's Feb 25 – Mar 11. Enter your ZIP code above for your own dates.

Can ground cherries go in before the last frost?

No. Ground cherries are damaged by frost: plant them out 2 to 4 weeks after the last spring frost.

How long do ground cherries take to grow?

About 70 to 80 days from transplanting to the first harvest, which then lasts about 8 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.

More planting dates

Sources

  1. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
  2. University of Maryland Extension: Vegetable Planting Calendar for central Maryland
  3. WSU Extension: Pacific Northwest Gardener's Handbook, Chapter 7: Vegetable Gardening
  4. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Vegetable Planting and Harvesting Times (chart, central Iowa)
  5. Penn State Extension: Growing Ground Cherries