Author Topic: Tomatillos (Read 1973 times)

miniroots · « **on:** April 17, 2007, 10:18:09 »

Hello,

Is anyone or has anyone been growing these?

I bought a packet out of curiosity and the seedlings are doing quite well - just wondering how tender they are? They are still on an inside window sill - but is it time to get them outside?

Curryandchips · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2007, 10:25:15 »

Treat them like tomatoes, although they are possibly a shade more robust. I put mine in an unheated greenhouse at this time last year, and a late frost wiped them out.

miniroots · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2007, 11:50:04 »

Great - I'll bare that in mind.

Are you trying it again this year?

Curryandchips · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2007, 11:54:01 »

No, I found green tomatoes easier to grow and harvest !!!

Trixiebelle · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2007, 12:11:11 »

Quote from: Curry on April 17, 2007, 10:25:15

I put mine in an unheated greenhouse at this time last year, and a late frost wiped them out.

Legs it to the greenhouse and brings her tomatillos inside!

Thanks for the tip Curry :D

I'm growing them for the 1st time too Mini. We can experiment together!

miniroots · « **Reply #5 on:** April 17, 2007, 12:13:38 »

Cool!

I'll post some photos when I get my camera back...

raisedbedted · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2007, 16:41:54 »

A point of advice I would give is to give them loads of space.

I grew them last year and spaced them like tomatoes about 18" - 24" apart, had to pull out every other one as they got huge and covered in fruit.

Sadly I was not a great lover of the fruit - a bit too baconey for my liking :-\.

Trixiebelle · « **Reply #7 on:** April 17, 2007, 17:02:07 »

They do grow outside don't they? :-\

And what do you mean by 'baconey' Plottie? Do they taste of bacon then?

raisedbedted · « **Reply #8 on:** April 17, 2007, 17:12:07 »

Yes! A very strange taste sort of cheesey / baconey.

Apparently some people skin them before eating, we werent keen (understatement) but others may love them, either way they make interesting looking plants!

cleo · « **Reply #9 on:** April 17, 2007, 17:27:12 »

They certainly do grow large! so be prepared to support them well.

I suppose they are an `acquired` taste-odd taste on their own but they make a great salsa with some onion,chilli and coriander.

Variety this year is `Mexican Green Husk`-PS my campaign to encourage folk around here to try something a bit different is working-I`ve sold out of tomatillos already :)

Growing outside?-never tried but it`s worth giving them a go

raisedbedted · « **Reply #10 on:** April 17, 2007, 18:26:55 »

Ours were grown outside and fair romped away.

I think mine were Mixed Green and purple tomatillos, have still got some seeds left so maybe I'll grow a couple again and try the salsa recipe.

Mouseski · « **Reply #11 on:** April 17, 2007, 18:46:49 »

Quote from: cleo on April 17, 2007, 17:27:12

They certainly do grow large! so be prepared to support them well.

I suppose they are an `acquired` taste-odd taste on their own but they make a great salsa with some onion,chilli and coriander.

Yes and yes :) I like the campaign Cleo!

Used them in green tomato chutney too.

Have always grown them in the greenhouse here in the North!

Trixiebelle · « **Reply #12 on:** April 17, 2007, 18:53:01 »

Thanks for the info :D

I'll do a mixture of EVERYTHING on here regarding tomatilloes and I'll report back in September ;D

miniroots · « **Reply #13 on:** April 18, 2007, 07:51:57 »

Cheesey / baconey flavour sounds delicious!!

Trixiebelle · « **Reply #14 on:** April 18, 2007, 17:38:45 »

I wonder if they'll be good on the barbeque?

Trixiebelle · « **Reply #15 on:** April 24, 2007, 15:38:58 »

HEEEEEEEEEELP!!

I've got tomatillo seedlings in bog-roll holders inside but they look a bit 'weedy'.

The stems are really thin and there's about an inch to an inch and a half to the 1st 2 leaves ::)

Is this normal?

And if they don't kark it and I pot them - when do I do it and shall I bury some of the stem?

Thank you in advance!

Jeannine · « **Reply #16 on:** April 24, 2007, 19:40:46 »

I've grown them a few times, cousins to the ground cherry but bigger,still got the paper husks.You can pinch out the bransh tips,this will help control spread.

To eat fresh,best eaten after thay fall off the plant when yellow, they are the sweetest then.For cooking ,harvest when still slightly green,flavour improves after a 10 minute simmer.

I grew Rio Grande and Toma Verde, along with Aunt Moll'ys ground cherries.

Big plus..not susceptible to blight.

XX Jeannine

miniroots · « **Reply #17 on:** April 25, 2007, 14:08:10 »

Hello Trixiebelle,

Mine looked a bit weedy to start with - but turned out to be much hardier than my tomatoes, which are still in shock and unlikely to make it to setting a truss...

I'm going to bury part of the stem when I plant out... not that I'm an expert...

Hope this helps

Trixiebelle · « **Reply #18 on:** April 25, 2007, 14:19:40 »

Thanks Mini & Jeannine :)

Glad to hear I'm not the only one with weedy specimens! I'll try and toughen them up .. call them names etc!

antipodes · « **Reply #19 on:** April 25, 2007, 15:00:38 »

Err, had to rush to wikipedia to find out what the hell a tomatillo is. Is it a cousin of the Cape Gooseberry? (sometimes called a chinese lantern?) I have never heard of this or seen one. Intriguing. might be one to grow next year, if I manage to get seeds. I thought of growing cape goosberries but didn't get around to ordering any.

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Author Topic: Tomatillos (Read 1973 times)