Tomatillo
Physalis ixocarpa
Belonging to the Physalis genus, Tomatillo has a botanical name of Physalis ixocarpa.
Please note: jamberry, husk cherry, and tomate de fresadilla do not belong in this entry…
Those names are all variety names of ground cherry and not types of tomatillo.
Mexico is thought to be the country of origin for Tomatillo.
Tomatillo needs a moderate amount of maintenance, so some level of previous experience comes in handy when growing this plant. Ensure that you are aware of the soil, sun, ph and water requirements for this plant and keep an eye out for pests.
This plant info is provided by the myfolia gardener's wiki. All details about Tomatillo have been kindly provided by our members.
How to grow Tomatillo
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Full Sun
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High
Tomatillos are almost completely self-incompatible and require at least two plants to normally produce fruit.
As plant is a member of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, all other parts of the tomatillo besides the fruit are inedible.
There are a large variety of tomatillo species, but many are poisonous.
While full sun is best for this plant, light shade is also well tolerated.
Tomatillo likes a position of full sun and remember to water often. As a rough idea of the types of climates Tomatillo does best in, check to see if your local area is within USDA Hardiness Zones 5 and 11. Planting Tomatillo in loamy soil with a ph of between 6.0 and 7.0 is ideal for as it does best in weakly acidic soil - neutral soil. Keep in mind when planting that Tomatillo is thought of as tender, so it is really important to plant out well after your last frost date.Growing Tomatillo from seed
Germination inside is the easiest and will ensure that your seedlings aren’t frost damaged.
An optimum soil temp for germination is 27°C, however they will germinate at lower temperatures, albeit more slowly – the soil should be at least 20°C.
Sow at a depth of approx. 0.58 inches (1.5 cm) and aim for a distance of at least 2.47 feet (76.0 cm) between Tomatillo plants. Soil temperature should be kept higher than 20°C / 68°F to ensure good germination.Transplanting Tomatillo
Hardening off is extremely important before transplanting outside. A span of a two-week harden should suffice.
Like tomatoes, you can bury tomatillos quite deeply, leaving only about 4" of the whole plant above soil.
Companion plants for Tomatillo
These plants have been known to grow well alongside Tomatillo so consider planting:
Repellent plants for Tomatillo
These plants will not grow well with Tomatillo so avoid planting these within close proximity:
Common Tomatillo problems
These problems, diseases and pests are known to affect Tomatillo plants:
Tomatillo Etymology
A Spanish diminutive of tomate, translates to “tomato” in English.
Tomato is a Spanish word taken from the Nahuatl “tomatl” which was a generic word describing globular fruits with a membrane.
Tomatillo Folklore & Trivia
Archaeological excavations have shown that this plant has been consumed by the Mexican population since pre-columbian times, and has been found in the valley of Tehuacán on archaeological sites.
Other names for Tomatillo
Husk tomato, Mexican tomato, Tomate de cascara, Tomate milpero, Tomate verde, Toma verde, Mexican tomatillos, tomate de milpa
Physalis philadelphica
Misspellings: Tomatilo, Tomatilla, tomate de cáscara
Latest Tomatillo Reviews
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19 May 2013
Mr_Uke's Tomatillo 'Purple Tomatillo' was
Reviewed day 35
15 cm
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09 Dec 2012
Kevalsha's Tomatillo Purple was
Reviewed day 85
The three Purple tomatillo plants are all bearing fruit. They start by looking like a lantern. Then the tomatillo forms in the inside and the lantern slides up to show the tomatillo. Now they are turning from green to purple. This is my first time gro
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30 Apr 2012
wiltjen's Purple Tomatillo was Reviewed day 28
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12 Feb 2012
KathN's Tomatillo "de Milpa" was Reviewed day 257
I was actually disappointed with this tomatillo. The one planted in a half barrel did better than the one with the tomatoes, and not many fruit to show for it. They were tasty however.
Tomatillo care instructions
How long does Tomatillo take to grow?
Footnotes
Popular varieties of Tomatillo
Tomatillo Tags
Tomatillo Forums
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