fruit · transplant
Ground Cherry: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating ground cherry a few times a week needs about 9 plants in ~54 sq ft, worth about $54 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$3.00/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 3 | ~18 sq ft | ~4 | ~$18 |
| 2 people | 5 | ~30 sq ft | ~7 | ~$30 |
| 4 people | 9 | ~54 sq ft | ~12 | ~$54 |
| 6 people | 14 | ~84 sq ft | ~19 | ~$84 |
Spacing
24" in row · 36" between rows
Sow depth
0.25"
Days to harvest
70 from transplant (100 from seed)
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 22 – Jun 23 | — |
| Zone 4 | May 17 – Jul 3 | — |
| Zone 5 | May 7 – Jul 7 | — |
| Zone 6 | Apr 27 – Jun 27 | — |
| Zone 7 | Apr 12 – Jun 12 | — |
| Zone 8 | Apr 1 – Jun 1 | — |
| Zone 9 | Feb 27 – Apr 29 | — |
| Zone 10 | Feb 7 – Apr 9 | — |
Know when it's time to plant
Give us your ZIP and we'll email you a planting checklist for your exact frost dates, this month's list right now, then once a month when sow windows open.
One email a month, only when there's something to plant. Unsubscribe anytime.
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Ready to pick when
Ready when they fall: gather the husks off the ground when they turn tan and the fruit inside is golden.
Yield
About 2 lbs per plant over ~8 productive weeks (~2 lb).
Watch for
Colorado potato beetle · Tomato hornworm · Cutworms · Verticillium wilt, the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
Neighbors
Plays well with basil, carrot. Keep away from potato.
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
53 kcal · 11 mg vitamin C
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code, not just your zone, in about 60 seconds.
Ground Cherry planting questions
How many ground cherry plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 3 plants per person. A family of 4 needs about 9 plants, which takes around 54 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does ground cherry need?+
Space plants 24" apart in the row with 36" between rows. Sow 0.25" deep. Start indoors, transplant out.
When should I plant ground cherry?+
It depends on your frost dates. Spring sowing is keyed to your last spring frost. The zone table on this page shows typical windows; enter your ZIP in the free planner for dates tuned to your exact location, not just your zone.
Is growing ground cherry worth it?+
At about $3.00/lb retail and ~2 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $54 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.