Tomatilloes in flower

[Curryandchips]

I am growing tomatilloes this year since I have heard a lot about them. My first plants are about 10 inches high and just started showing flowers. I had them at home and have just moved them into my unheated greenhouse. They are due to be potted up to 15cm pots this week.

Does anyone know if the presence of flowers this early is normal, or are the plants too stressed? Apologies for no pictures.

[Curryandchips]

[gunnerbee]

not too sure, but the one i planted is long and lanky, perhaps i should put mine out too, annoying!!!!

[Curryandchips]

Lanky seems to be a good description, more so than tomatoes. I have also noticed that the stems are more brittle than tomatoes, I have lost two so far due to clumsiness.

[gunnerbee]

quick answer!!! oh is that normal? i havnt grown them before so im not too clued up on them, the stem is long thought it was leegy!!!

[Curryandchips]

The plants can easily grow to 5 or 6 feet, I believe, so will need staking. I am not surprised therefore by the upward nature of the plants.

[gunnerbee]

Panic over then, thanks!!

[fluffygrue]

Hm, let us know if they're tasty. I've heard people say they are, but on Gardeners' Question Time the other week they were saying they tasted orrible.. Not sure who to believe!

Melanie

[Mrs Ava]

Wow Curry, I think that is very very early!  Mine grew last year (or was it the year before) at the same sort of pace as my tomatoes and aubergines.  I can't imagine it is a problem, altho you will probably have to pretend to be a big buzzing bee to help the fruit to set.  Also getting into the greenhouse will hopefully slow them down a bit.  Mine were huge and leggy and brittle and were a pain in the neck in the greenhouse as they just kept going up and out!

[Curryandchips]

Thank you Emma, I will have them in big pots shortly,with 4ft stakes (from poundland) so they can stretch out a bit, then plant out about the end of April. Can you comment on the flavour for fluffygrue (and perhaps other curious members)?

[Columbus]

Hi Curry,

You might want to do a site search on Tomatillos as myself and others have written pages on them. But ... yours seem really really early. In my experience they are not frost hardy and need insect pollination. I have seen bumble bees this week so you may be lucky or you might want to try using a brush.

As for being leggy I don`t think you have a problem as long as you support them. I guess that at ten inches you have 3 or 4 pairs of leaves with side shoots and bushy top growth. Where did you start them off ?

I think that extending the season is going to give you a bumper crop of big ripe fruit if they pollinate. Be careful of splitting. If they are ripe when they split use them staright away or feeze them whole for use later. They will rot quickly begining at the split and you will lose them. They taste like eating apples when ripe.

If not then the plants will just get huge and continue to flower ready for the bees. In the meantime the early flowers will just drop off, don`t worry more will come.

Coor I think I`m jealous.  ;D Please keep us up-to-date with your progress.

Col

[flowerlady]

Have never grown these, what do they taste like?  How do you cook them etc? ???

[Columbus]

Hi Flowerlady.

Not all varieties are the same.
But my unknown variety taste like apples when ripe (just a little sharp) and when unripe the most bitter thing I ever tasted. Don`t even try to eat them until they are ripe all over.
(Go on try it just once it won`t kill you  ;) )

They ripen with more firm flesh and smaller seeds than a tomato. I mostly just put them into any mixed veg dish I was cooking or chopped raw into salads.
I think you could use them in proper mexican cooking . The mexican cantina restaurant near to me uses them.

Col

[amphibian]

Hi Flowerlady.

Not all varieties are the same.
But my unknown variety taste like apples when ripe (just a little sharp) and when unripe the most bitter thing I ever tasted. Don`t even try to eat them until they are ripe all over.
(Go on try it just once it won`t kill you  ;) )

I thought the unripe fruits of the physalis family poisonous?

here

[jennym]

I wouldn't be inclined to try anything unripe that I wasn't sure about - some authorities seem to say slightly toxic, some very toxic. Anyway, ripe - they are certainly worth a try, as are cape gooseberry (same family) !

[flowerlady]

ooo er ... think I might have to try these,  jennym whose seeds were De Milpa Purple?

[Curryandchips]

Thanks for those comments Columbus. I started my seeds off at work in a warm spot in February then brought them home for a week or so. This is my first year so it is all beginners luck.

[Columbus]

Hi all,

I thought the unripe fruits of the physalis family poisonous?

Disclaimer: After that warning if anyone is foolish enough to poison themeslves with unripe tomatillos neither myself nor anyone connected with this forum can be considered responsible.

I`ve come over all sickly. I`m not suggesting anyone would swallow an unripe tomatillo, they are extremely bitter and no-one could eat one accidentally. Nor would they. I can say after experimenting that an adult male will probably not die if he puts one on his tongue . .. but if you do please bear in mind the disclaimer above.

I can see I`m digging myself into an ever-growing hole on this one.  ;D
... I too am going to grow cape gooseberries as well this year.

Col

[jennym]

Flowerlady - Suttons "World in your Garden" range, select The Tomatillo - Salsa Plant from the drop down box in:
http://www.suttons-seeds.co.uk/index2.html?area=frame_menu_main.html&body=cffiles/search.cfm?cat_ca_ref=523&a=316&b=2&c=310&d=300&e=0

[gunnerbee]

got me worried now, how do do tell wehn they are ripe? thanks.

[Columbus]

Unripe ones are dark green and hard and bitter
ripe ones are pale green and soft though firm and edible

some will be more purplish

Col