Huckleberry Seeds,
Chichiquelite

4.132 ReviewsSKU #GR102 · 50 seeds
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Description

Sweet purple berries are great fresh or cooked. These make wonderful pies, jams, jellies and other sweets! They are much like Wonderberry but are larger in size and give heavier yields. Very easy cultivation and you can have fresh fruit to harvest in as little as 70 days.

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Solanum nigrum
Life Cycle
Annual
Sun Requirement
6–12 hr.
Days to Germinate
7–21
Days to Maturity
70
Planting Depth
⅛ in.
Plant Spacing
15–18 in.
Ideal Temperature
65–75°F
Frost Hardy
No

Growing Guide

When to Grow

Chichiquelite is a warm-season annual that will not take frost, so start seeds indoors in fine, moist soil 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost and transplant only once frost danger has passed. Sow about ⅛ inch deep and expect germination in 7 to 21 days. Space plants 15 to 18 inches apart in full sun. Fruit can be ready in as little as 70 days, and spring is its planting window.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Germination steps are very similar to those for tomato seeds. Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost date and transplant out after all chance of frost has passed. Sow seeds 1/8 inch deep.
  • Ideal germination temperature is 75-80 F.
  • Sow in quality seed-starting mix and provide average moisture.
  • Seeds germinate in 7-21 days.

How to Grow

  • Grow these plants just as you would tomatoes.
  • Provide full sun. Plants prefer well-drained soil with average to rich organic matter.
  • Provide average, consistent moisture.
  • Space plants 14 inches apart.
  • These plants can be grown with a tomato cage for support, or allow them to remain freestanding.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • A relatively pest- and disease-free plant. The biggest challenge is to prevent aggressive re-seeding and invasive behavior. If you are concerned about re-seeing, you can grow these in a container and prevent fruit spilling into soil, or provide a layer of plastic mulch or hardware cloth beneath plants and harvest fruit promptly.

How to Save Seeds

  • Self pollinating.
  • Save seeds by allowing fruit to become quite squishy and soft before picking.
  • Mash berries and dilute with water to help separate the seeds from the flesh, then skim the skin and flesh, leaving just the seeds.
  • Dry seeds thoroughly and place in an airtight container.
  • Store seeds in a cool, dark, dry place.

FAQ

How does Chichiquelite compare to Wonderberry?

It is much like Wonderberry, but the berries are larger in size and the plants give heavier yields.

Can the berries be eaten fresh?

Yes — the sweet purple berries are great fresh or cooked, and make wonderful pies, jams, jellies and other sweets. Harvest them only when fully ripe, very black and soft; green fruit may be poisonous to eat.

Do I have to start Chichiquelite indoors?

That is how it is grown: start seed indoors in fine, moist soil 6 to 8 weeks before you set plants out after frost. The plants are not frost hardy and spring is the planting window, so transplants go out once frost danger has passed. Cultivation is very easy from there.

Customer reviews

4.1 / 5 32 Reviews

What gardeners are saying

  • Heavy yields: Bushes load up with berries all summer, often more than needed.

  • Vigorous plants: Grows fast and tall, 4 to 6 feet in good soil.

  • Best cooked: Good in jam, pies and crisps; pick only once the shine dulls.

  • Self-sows freely: Drops seed and volunteers come back the next year.

  • Heads up: Flavor divides growers; many find it bland or tomato-like.