


Start from seed 6 to 8 weeks before you wish to transplant them outdoors.Tomatillos start readily from seed but must be hardened off before going into your garden. Tomatillos share many of the same pest issues as other nightshade family plants (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, or peppers) so crop rotation is important. If you find tomatillo starter plants at the nursery, choose stout-stemmed plants that have not yet flowered or started to fruit. While you might find tomatillos in your local garden center, they are less common than tomatoes, so you may need to start them from seed. Plant them near each other to help your pollinators get the job done. The most famous use for tomatillos is in making salsa verde, but don’t limit yourself to just one dish! Tomatillos are fantastic in chilis and soups, with eggs and seafood, as an ingredient in salad dressings, preserved in jellies, added to guac, and grilled with meats.įull sun, hot weather, fertile well-drained soil, and mulch are the ingredients for a large tomatillo harvest. You’ll need at least two tomatillo plants to get them to set fruit. Picked green, they have a tart, bright, almost citrusy flavor and are a good source of vitamin C. Some varieties may ripen to yellow or purple. Native to Central America, tomatillos grow wild in parts of Mexico and have been cultivated for hundreds if not thousands of years. Smaller than a standard tomato, the fruits are green and covered in a papery husk, called a calyx.

The plants, however, can grow quite large, some reaching 4 feet tall and wide. The fruits are smaller than an average tomato, usually less than 2 inches in diameter. Common names also include Mexican ground cherry or husk cherry. What Are Tomatillosĭespite the name (tomatillo means “little tomato” in Spanish), tomatillos are not tomatoes but a separate species, Physalis philadelphica or Phsyalis ixocarpa.
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Tomatillos are not just unripe tomatoes! Usually sold with their papery husks still intact, these green fruits are an easy-to-grow garden performer-and go wonderfully in salsas and more! Learn how to plant, grow, and harvest tomatillos.
