The Inca Berry Experiment


Inca Berry ExperimentSo How Best To Plant Your Inca Berry Seeds?

 

Three sisters.  Three methods of growing.  Which was best? This year I decided to do the Inca berry experiment from the Home Grown Revolution book.

Because they say they need to be quite warm I grew mine on a downstairs windowsill. But my house is quite cold only at 15/16 degrees in March/April and the berries need to be 18 degrees, at least.

This resulted in taking ages to germinate and then grow very, very slowly.  I then put in a second sowing, when it was warmer and put them in the bedroom windowsill.  These grew much better.

Now all three of us sisters decided to grow Inca Berries this year for the first time.  And we all three decided to do it differently.

One sister grew hers in a mini greenhouse outside. Her plants did not germinate and after about a month and a half she brought them in.

My other sister lives in the north where it is colder.  She grew her’s on the windowsill of her house.  It was very warm.  She had the best success.  Hers were ready for planting out while mine were still struggling.

My conclusion is that these plants are less flexible than many others and really do need the extra warmth to germinate and grow effectively.

Inca Berry Growing Progress by Month

July

It is now July and my plants have long since been planted outside.  I transplanted them too small really, due to their slow start.  They have come along nicely and are growing well. I did, however, have a larger fall out than I expected so have only a few plants which are only about 1/3 of when I started.  This is not nearly enough to consider jam making from them.

Now the question begs will I see any berries this year?

August

My Inca berry patch has been infested with weeds.  They are easy to pull up but every time I weed them they come back again every couple of days.  They are, however flowering and getting quite tall.  My sister’s plants are huge.

September

My Inca berries are filling out.

inca berries

Suttons Seeds 188040 Inca Berries Seed

October
My Inca berries have gone orange and some are ready to pick, however, many have just fallen off or are not ripe.

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