Q&A: A Christmas present and for the future
Q I was given a winter cherry as a Christmas present; it was covered with bright orange, round berries and it still has a few left. How do I go about caring for the plant to make sure it flowers and produces more berries?
A Solanum capsicastrum is a lovely houseplant. It prefers a cool room but plenty of light.
Don’t overwater but keep the compost just moist to the touch (stick your finger in; if it comes out with a bit of the compost stuck to it, then that’s fine).
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Hide AdThis month, prune the stems to half their length and don’t water the compost until the end of March. Then repot the plant.
When the threat of frost has passed, pop the plant outside where it should produce tiny flowers.
Spray with tepid water to encourage them to set – if they fall early, you’ll get no winter berries.
In September, bring the plant indoors where it should start to produce green berries which will eventually turn range.