Tomatillos

[sage™]

Have any of you ever grown tomatillos? I've gotten to where I like salsa verde more than regular salsa on a lot of things. So I was thinking about getting some seeds to grow some. Probably next year since we plan on moving in a couple of months. Any body have any tips?

 

[GotGarlic]

Hi, Sage. We planted tomatillos for the first time last summer. I don't think any tips are needed They grew like crazy, without any special help. Since you're closer to where they're native plants, I would think you would have no trouble at all with them.

DH always adds manure to our garden patch in the early spring (it's already done now) and keeps it well watered. We only had three plants and probably harvested hundreds of tomatillos. Let me know if you have other questions.

btw, last week I made an avocado/tomatillo salsa from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill cookbook. It was great with grilled chicken. I've been using Tyler Florence's salsa verde recipe - I thought it was very nicely balanced. If you have other recipes for tomatillos, I'd love to see them. TIA.

 

[Anau]

sage, thanks for reminding me, I was going to try those this year too. I'm just a couple towns over from you so I guess we'll see how they go

 

[B'sgirl]

Hey, I want to grow some too! Do you think they would grow in Utah? Where do you get seeds?

 

[GotGarlic]

Hey, I want to grow some too! Do you think they would grow in Utah? Where do you get seeds?

I don't know what the climate and growing season are like in Utah, so I can't say. This site talks about the growing conditions needed. If you can grow tomatoes, you can probably grow tomatillos.

We bought small plants from a local garden store. I'd ask around your garden stores to see if they carry them. If not, I'd look for an online source; Amazon has some: Amazon.com: Organic Verde Tomatillo 50 Seeds - Heirloom - FREE SHIPPING ON ADDITIONAL HIRTS SEEDS ORDERED & PAID WITH ONE PAYMENT!: Patio, Lawn & Garden.

 

[Grandad]

I grew tomatillos for the 1st time in 2005. They seem to prefer the warmer weather. My wife is not a fan of green salsa. But, I'll probably try them again this year nonetheless.

 

[B'sgirl]

Hmmm, the site says a long, warm growing season and well-drained soil. We have a short growing season and clay instead of soil. Still, my tomatoes did quite well last year, it might be worth trying a few plants to see how it goes. I may have to put tee pees over them.

 

[sage™]

cool..thanks GG. the home we plan on buying has a nice little fenced in area that I planned on using as a veg garden. So, the end of summer and fall I'll be getting it ready for next season. I have never seen the plants at a nursery so I thought I would have to buy seeds..hope they have them when I'm ready for them. Good to know I'll only need 2 or 3 plants.

 

[spryte]

Ohhh!!! I picked up tomatillo seeds at WalMart... can't wait to get them planted! Hopefully they'll do well in containers.

 

[GotGarlic]

Ohhh!!! I picked up tomatillo seeds at WalMart... can't wait to get them planted! Hopefully they'll do well in containers.

I hope they're big containers Our tomatillos were pretty big - about 3 feet tall by about 3 feet wide. Like tomatoes, they need lots of water, and they'll need even more in containers. HTH.

 

[GB]

I grew them for the first time last year, but I did not produce any fruit. My advice is space the plants far apart. The branches spread out a lot.

 

[spryte]

I hope they're big containers Our tomatillos were pretty big - about 3 feet tall by about 3 feet wide. Like tomatoes, they need lots of water, and they'll need even more in containers. HTH.

Thanks for the tips!!!

 

[larry_stewart]

Grow very well here in new york ( long island). I had 3 plants last year which gave me plenty. I started them indoors ( from seed) april 1st , as i do my tomatoes. And I will get them in the ground in mid may. This provides enough time for them to mature and produce.

 

[shannon in KS]

oooooohhh love this thread! fresh salse verde, aka green salsa, is my FAV!!!

 

[blissful]

Have any of you ever grown tomatillos? I've gotten to where I like salsa verde more than regular salsa on a lot of things. So I was thinking about getting some seeds to grow some. Probably next year since we plan on moving in a couple of months. Any body have any tips?

Hi Sage, I planted yellow, green and purple tomatillos for my first time last year. We have a short season here so I started them early. They grew a good 4 feet tall (so stake or cage them!) and produced LOTS of tomatillos and I canned them for salsa, yum! They were heirloom seeds from Renee's Garden, and I kept seeds to plant for this year. Salsa verde is wonderful! Good luck on yours. ~Bliss

 

[PanchoHambre]

I bought 2 tomatillo plants a green and a purple... Cant wait for some awesome salsa... hope I dont manage to kill them with my black thumb

 

[B'sgirl]

I planted a bunch of tomatillo seeds and am growing them indoors. I don't think they are getting enough sun though so they are really tall, do you think they'll make it? I can't put them outside until May is over.

 

[PanchoHambre]

I planted a bunch of tomatillo seeds and am growing them indoors. I don't think they are getting enough sun though so they are really tall, do you think they'll make it? I can't put them outside until May is over.

I would reccommend giving them lots of arteficial light. A 2 bulb flourescent shop light directly above the plant was reccomended in this presentation I went to the other day. Everything I read says just a windowsill is not enough for sun loving plants. Otherwise they will get leggy and weak.

I started alot from seed this year but the tomatos and tomatillos I bought. So far the tomatos are looking a bit rough but the tomatillos look great

 

[spryte]

Woohoooo!!! Mine have sprouted!!! I didn't think they were going to! But they did!

 

[B'sgirl]

Mine look sickly. I wish it would warm up so I could put them outside! You can see very clearly that I don't really know what I'm doing. And is that mold growing in the soil?