25 seeds
Matures in 100 days
Companion planting: Cabbage, cucumber, garlic, chives, basil, lettuce, carrot, asparagus, spinach, ...
Poor companion: Potato, pepper, ...
Belonging to the tomato and ground cherry family, the tomatillo is an eye-catching addition to the garden. Its fruit, covered with a thin green husk, can reach 5 to 10 cm, and the plant almost 2 meters! Therefore, it needs to be staked. It is used in the traditional Salsa verde and enhances the flavor of tacos and quesadillas wonderfully.
Start your tomatillo seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost in the ground. Sow the seeds in a tray at 1/4" deep and about 1" apart. Keep the room temperature at around 20°C (70°F) until germination. Also, ensure proper lighting with a grow light or in front of a sunny window; keep the soil moist, but make sure the drainage is adequate. When the second set of leaves emerges, transplant the seedlings into individual pots and bury the stems as low as possible to encourage optimal rooting. Remember to acclimate your plants a week before putting them in the garden to harden them.
Be cautious; tomatillos do not tolerate cold and should not be planted in the garden until all threat of frost has passed.
Harvest them as soon as the fruit fills the husk but before the husk opens. They can be eaten raw or cooked and can be stored in their husks for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator and freeze well.