How to Grow Verde Tomatillos

Tomatillos never ripen to red.

The verde tomatillo or tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa) is also known as the Mexican green tomato, jamberberry and strawberry tomato. It is closely related to the tomato and has similar growing requirements. Grow tomatillos as annual plants and harvest the fruit before the first fall frosts.The ripe fruit, which grows in a papery case, are an essential ingredient of the spicy Mexican sauce salsa verde -- green salsa.

Things You'll Need

• Seed tray
• Potting compost
• Balanced fertilizer

Instructions

1. Sow tomatillo seeds indoors at least six weeks before the last frosts. Plant them 1/4 inch deep in moist potting compost in a seed tray. Keep the pots close to a bright window at a temperature above 61 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Plant out your tomatillo plants once the temperatures have risen above 65 degrees F. Plant in rows at least 30 inches apart, leaving at least 16 inches between plants. Tomatillos are not fussy about soil type, but favor rich, free-draining soils. Enrich the soil prior to planting by digging in up to 2 pounds of balanced fertilizer per 100 square feet.

3. Water your plants once the surface of the soil has dried out, but before the plants start to wilt. Increase the frequency of watering during hot summer periods, aiming to provide 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water per week. Water the plants in the morning and try to avoid wetting the foliage and fruit to prevent rot.

4. Apply a layer of organic mulch such as straw to the soil around your tomatillos to keep in moisture and prevent weed growth.

Tips & Warnings

• Pick your tomatillo fruit once their papery cases have turned brown and begun to split open. The fruit are ready to pick around 75 to 100 days after picking. Collect your own tomatillo seeds by crushing a ripe fruit and collecting the seeds that sink in water. Dry them out and store in the refrigerator for up to four years.

• Check your plants regularly for aphids as these spread viral diseases that severely damage tomatillo plants.

References

• Iowa State University Extension; Tomatillos; Eldon Everhart, Cindy Haynes & Richard Jauron; April 2003
• Oregon State University Extension Service; Grow Tomatillos For Green Salsa; Carol Savonen
• University of Florida IFAS Extension; Tomatillo - Physalis Ixocarpa; James M. Stephens; May 1994
• Floridata; Physalis Ixocarpa; Steve Christman ; August 2003
• University of California Cooperative Extension; Tomatillo Production in California; Richard Smith, Manuel Jimenez & Marita Cantwell