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Vegetable Planting Guide - Planting, cultivating and harvesting your favorite vegetables.

Tomatillo (Toma Verde)

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Tomatillos (toma verde or ground cherries)

Tomatillo is also known as Toma Verde or Ground Cherries. It is a member of the nightshade family, related to tomatoes. It is grown like a tomato, and the plant and leaves look like a tomato plant. That is where the similarity ends.

Twenty years ago, most Americans did not even know of Tomatillos, let alone think about growing them. Now, avid gardeners looking for something different to grow, often turn to Tomatillos.

The fruit of the Tomatillo is green, and about the size of a large cherry tomato. The inside is white and meatier than a tomato. Tomatillos grow inside of a thin paper-like husk. They are used in Salsa, jams and other mexican recipes.

Varieties:

Green Tomatillos are most commonly found in the U.S. There are also purple and yellow varieties.

Sowing:

Sow seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost. Transplant tomatillos into your garden after all chance of frost has past. Plant seedlings 18 - 24 inches apart, in rows three to four feet apart.

Tip:

Harden off your tomatillos by bringing them outdoors for increasing amounts of time, beginning a week before transplanting. Make sure to bring them in, or put them in a cold frame, if frost is forecast.

Days to maturity:

90 - 100 days.

How to grow Tomatillos

Tomatillos like hot weather. They are grown just like tomatoes. Provide plenty of water, and mulch around the plant to retain water. Feed them regularly, and switch over from nitrogen to higher phosphorous and potassium as the plants grow, to promote flowering and fruit set.

See: Water Requirements - Providing the proper amount of moisture to your plants

See: Mulch - Providing a natural covering for your garden soil

See: Fertilizers - Providing the proper nutrients to your plants

Moon Phase Planting

Tomatillos should be planted when the moon is in the 2nd Quarter (i.e. waxing) and in one of the following Zodiac Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

2012 moon phases - A chart of moon phases and planting dates for 2012 to help you in your garden planning.

Insects and pests:

Insect infestations are fairly uncommon. Occasional chewing and sucking pests will affect them. The most common pests are cutworms, snails and slugs.

Tip:

Stake your plants up to keep the fruit off the ground. This keeps the snails and slugs away and damage from lying on the ground.

See: Organic Insect Control - Create a natural balance in your garden to control pests

Disease:

A number of plant problems can arise, usually in mid summer heat and humidity. Blights and fungus infections can occur in the high humidity.

Early treatment with fungicides is effective. Spacing plants too close, cuts down air circulation and promotes disease.

Harvesting:

Tomatillos are ripe when the paper-like husk turns brown and breaks open. Remove the husk, and rinse the oily substance off. Store in a cool, dry place until you are ready to use them.

See: Harvesting and Preservation - Harvest and preserve your bounty

Hardiness:

Tomatillos are a tender annual. Transplant them in your garden after all danger of frost has past. Cover tender seedlings if frost is forecast. If there is fruit still on the plant in the fall, cover them with a sheet of plastic, a blanket, or an old tablecloth. They will succumb to any frost.


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