How to grow Tomatillo

Where to plant

Grow tomatillos in full sun in well-drained soil. They do poorly in heavy, wet soil, so use a raised bed or a large container where drainage is poor. Plants grow 3 to 4 feet tall and wide and sprawl unless supported.

Tomatillos are tolerant of heat and partly drought tolerant, which makes them a good fit for the South and Southwest, but they also crop well in northern summers from transplants.

• Florida: plant in late winter to early spring (February to April) and again in late summer (August to October in South Florida).
• Gulf South, Texas and the Desert Southwest: plant in early spring and again in late summer; Texas also in July for a fall crop.
• California: plant from spring into midsummer.
• Mid-South, Mid-Atlantic and Southern Plains: plant from late April or May into early summer.
• Northeast, Midwest, Northern Plains, Mountain West and the Pacific Northwest: start indoors and plant out in late May or June after frost; transplants ripen four to five weeks earlier than direct-sown plants.
• Hawaii: any month. Alaska: start indoors and grow in a tunnel or greenhouse.

Choosing a variety

Varieties are grouped by fruit color. Green types such as Toma Verde are the classic salsa verde tomatillo, picked firm and tart. Purple types are sweeter and turn purple as they ripen. You may need to grow your own transplants from seed to get a particular variety.

How to plant

1. Start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before planting out, about 1/2 inch deep, in warm mix; then grow seedlings at 65°F to 70°F in good light.
2. Plant out after frost once the soil is warmer than 60°F, when seedlings have five to seven leaves.
3. Set plants 24 to 36 inches apart, or sow four to six seeds per hill and thin, with rows 36 inches apart.
4. Plant at least two tomatillos, of the same or different varieties, so they can cross-pollinate.
5. Give each plant a tomato cage or stake to keep it off the ground and improve air flow.

Watering and feeding

Tomatillos are semi drought tolerant but crop best with 1 to 2 inches of water a week. Water at the base.

Work fertilizer into the soil before planting according to a soil test. Too much nitrogen gives big plants with few fruit.

Harvesting

Tomatillos are ripe when the fruit is firm and fills out the papery husk, which often splits; purple types are ready when they turn purple and fill the husk. Ripe fruit sometimes drops to the ground. Pick often to keep plants setting more, and expect the first fruit about 60 to 75 days after transplanting.

Store tomatillos in their husks. They keep for weeks at room temperature, or up to three weeks in a paper bag in the fridge. Wash off the sticky coating after husking. To freeze, husk, wash, dry and bag them.

Growing in pots

Tomatillos do very well in containers. Use a large pot, at least 5 gallons, with a cage, and grow two pots side by side for pollination.

Using it

Roast or simmer tomatillos with chili, onion and garlic and blend them into salsa verde, or add them to stews, enchilada sauce and chili verde. They are also eaten raw in fresh salsas.

Propagation and saving seed

Tomatillos self-sow freely from dropped fruit. Clear fallen fruit at the end of the season unless you want volunteer seedlings, which can become weedy.