A neighbour gave me some plant which are growing quite happily
in my cold greenhouse. They reached about 3ft and each branch
has at least a couple of (green) lanterns developing on them.
They are also still growing upwards and producing new shoots
and flower buds. I have 2 questions:

1) In view of the fact they they will not survive the winter
frosts here, and it is unlikely that any floweres produced now
will develop, should I pinch out all growing shoots so that
they can put their energies into ripeneing the existing fruit?

2) When are the fruit ripe?. Gooling seems inconclusive, with
site saying "pick when ripe" and other saying wait untill the
fruit falls off the plant! Also there have been references to
the lantern bit being poisonous (and even one reference to to
fruit being poisonous until ripe). Help !!!


--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

In article ,
Roger Tonkin wrote:
A neighbour gave me some plant which are growing quite happily
in my cold greenhouse. They reached about 3ft and each branch
has at least a couple of (green) lanterns developing on them.
They are also still growing upwards and producing new shoots
and flower buds. I have 2 questions:

1) In view of the fact they they will not survive the winter
frosts here, and it is unlikely that any floweres produced now
will develop, should I pinch out all growing shoots so that
they can put their energies into ripeneing the existing fruit?

It won't do any harm - or much good!

2) When are the fruit ripe?. Gooling seems inconclusive, with
site saying "pick when ripe" and other saying wait untill the
fruit falls off the plant! Also there have been references to
the lantern bit being poisonous (and even one reference to to
fruit being poisonous until ripe). Help !!!

When the husk dries to a papery light brown and the inside becomes
deep golden.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 11/09/2015 17:35, Roger Tonkin wrote:
A neighbour gave me some plant which are growing quite happily
in my cold greenhouse. They reached about 3ft and each branch
has at least a couple of (green) lanterns developing on them.
They are also still growing upwards and producing new shoots
and flower buds. I have 2 questions:

1) In view of the fact they they will not survive the winter
frosts here, and it is unlikely that any floweres produced now
will develop, should I pinch out all growing shoots so that
they can put their energies into ripeneing the existing fruit?

2) When are the fruit ripe?. Gooling seems inconclusive, with
site saying "pick when ripe" and other saying wait untill the
fruit falls off the plant! Also there have been references to
the lantern bit being poisonous (and even one reference to to
fruit being poisonous until ripe). Help !!!


You don't say if they are in pots or in the ground.
They may well overwinter in a cold greenhouse if the winter isn't to
extreme esp if they are in the ground. if they do then next year they
will be a lot bigger.
The husk is a straw colour when the fruit is ripe but can stay on the
plant for quite a time with no harm to it.
You could pinch out but it wont make any difference to the ripening or
size of the fruit.
I have planted out half a dozen plants this year but haven't looked for
fruit on them yet.
David@ a now wet side of Swansea Bay.