Growing Tomatillo

Physalis ixocarpa : Solanaceae / the nightshade family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    S                  
        T              
        P              

(Best months for growing Tomatillo in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • S = Plant undercover in seed trays
  • T = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Grow in seed trays, and plant out in 4-6 weeks. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 21°C and 27°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 70 cm apart
  • Harvest in 10-14 weeks. Husk splits when fruit is ripe..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Will happily grow in a flower border
  • Tomatillo Plant (CC BY-SA 3.0 WikiMedia)
  • Young tomatillo

NB: Tomatillos are not self-fertile so you need to have at least two plants for cross-pollination. Tomatillos are from the same family as Cape Gooseberries, with a papery husk round the fruit.

Tomatillo plants are similar in growth to tomatoes and spread about 1 - 1.5 m. Can be supported but are happy spreading themselves around. The plants are very productive so 2 or 3 plants may be enough for the average household.

Tomatillos will cope with cooler weather than tomatoes. The fruit will swell to fill the husk as they ripen. Do not use fertiliser.

When buying seed, check that it is Ph.ixocarpa not Ph.peruviana otherwise you will grow Cape Gooseberries instead of Tomatillos.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Tomatillo

Use in spicy sauces with or to replace tomatoes.
They are the base of salsa verde in Mexican cookery.

Your comments and tips

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30 Jun 24, Elaine (USA - Zone 8b climate)
I have a volunteer plant that looks like this plant. The little paper lanterns don’t seem to have anything inside. Does it start with the paper lanter?
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04 Aug 22, Hugh (USA - Zone 5a climate)
These grow fantastically in Western MA. Great yield. Several self-seeded plants around the property are doing ok. Amazing considering how dry it's been this summer.
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06 Jul 22, Steve (USA - Zone 6a climate)
We have one tomatillo plant and it’s thriving but just found out we need a second plant for it to bear fruit. If I get another flowering tomatillo from the garden center, will it be too late? July 6th in zone 6a
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24 Apr 21, Judy (USA - Zone 9b climate)
Hello , I live In Northern California .Our location is Inland from Ocean. We do get plenty of sun in summer months into October . Do I need to cover gooseberry in afternoon heat ? I got this plant from a friend .I am learning about this Gooseberry Tomato. I want to know whether I can grow this plant behind another taller Purple Tomatillo in a separate barrel about 2 feet away and achieve cross pollination successfully ? Thank you ,Judy
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28 Apr 21, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Plants need to be planted at the right time of the year. If it is really hot then they will need more watering (if they can take the heat), like each day not each 2-3 days. If you want cross pollination then you need to plant at the same time if close together. A tall plant will shade a smaller plant and it will not grow well, end up thin and weak. I don't know if you can cross gooseberry with tomatillo. I answer questions here and I'm just a home gardener who grows about 20 different vegies.
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02 Jul 16, Patricia Dunsky (USA - Zone 7a climate)
Where can I buy tomatillos in New England area?
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11 Jan 16, Rory Derrick (USA - Zone 10b climate)
Hi there, from what you are explaining there it sounds like the fruit that they called tomatillo, it is a relative to the tomatoes, they are used in the making of the green Mexican style salsa type of topping sauce.
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04 Sep 14, S.R. Weeks (USA - Zone 10a climate)
I had a volunteer (a.k.a. "weed") tomatillo-like plant sprout up in my garden. It has grown to be approximately 3 ft. high, same foliage as shown above & has pointed lantern shaped papery outer coverings around a small green tomato-like fruits. Is this edible? Would the Cape Gooseberries be edible?
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17 Aug 14, Marie (USA - Zone 8a climate)
Tomatillos have done well here in Texas, which is extremely hot and dry. I grow them in the summer, and they seem to do well in temperatures over 39 degrees Celsius. Humidity does not bother them, but pruning lower branches helps prevent rot.
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