Tomatillos are green with a papery husk.
Tomatillos are a member of the nightshade family and closely related to the tomato. Tomatillos are native to Mexico and grow well in the warm and dry Southwest United States. The green fruit grows within a papery husk, and so tomatillos are sometimes referred to as husk tomatoes. Other names include Mexican tomato and tomate verde. A bushy, prolific plant, the tomatillo requires a long growing season, up to 100 days before harvest. The tomatillo plant may also self-propagate, and the gardener may find tomatillo volunteers the following year.
Instructions
1. Start seeds indoors approximately four to six weeks before you're ready to place seedlings in the garden. Use potting mix in a seed-starter tray, and place the tray in a sunny location. Plant three seeds in each section of the tray, allowing for at least three tomatillo plants.
2. Harden off the seedlings as the afternoon temperatures reach at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Place seedlings outdoors in a sunny location for one to two hours during the afternoon, lengthening the time they spend outdoors as the days continue to warm.
3. Find a sunny location in the garden for the tomatillo plants. Allow enough room for each plant to reach its full size. Tomatillos have a bushy growth habit and may grow 2 feet wide and about 4 feet tall.
4. Add compost and fertilizer to the soil in the location in which you intend to plant the tomatillos. Use a fertilizer designed for tomatoes as both vegetables have the same nutrient requirements.
5. Group the seedlings together in the garden. Cultivars of the tomatillo plant are self-pollinating, like tomatoes, but tend to produce more fruit if other tomatillo plants are close by, encouraging cross-pollination.
6. Set up stakes or cages around the seedlings. If allowed to sprawl, the fruit may weigh down the plant, causing the emerging fruits to sit on the soil surface, resulting in rotted tomatillos.
7. Add a 1-inch layer of organic mulch to the area and water consistently. Tomatillos require approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water per week. Do not allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Tomatillo plants, like tomato plants, prefer a consistently moist soil but are susceptible to root rot if the soil is overly wet.
8. Add fertilizer to the soil as the plants begin to flower. Monitor the plants for pests as tomatillos are susceptible to cutworms and slugs.
9. Harvest the tomatillos when the outer husk changes from pale green to brown and splits slightly. Do not remove the husk. Cut the fruit from the stem, leaving a stem on the fruit about 1/4 inch long.
Tags: sunny location, fertilizer soil, papery husk, tomatillo plant, tomatillo plants
