Tomatillo
Husk Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Jamberry, Domestic Tomatillo, Husk-Tomato, Large-Flower Tomatillo, Large-Flowered Tomatillo
Plant at least two plants for cross-pollination — a single plant will produce very little fruit. Treat like tomatoes: plant after last frost in warm soil, provide support (plants grow 3–5 ft). Harvest when husk turns tan and papery and fruit fills the husk. Fruit can be left on plant for weeks once ripe. Very productive in hot climates.
- Spacing
- 90 cm
When to plant tomatillo
Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost, and plant out 1–2 weeks after it.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to grow tomatillo
- 1
Sow indoors
Sow indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost, as you would tomatoes. Grow at least two plants: a single tomatillo sets very little fruit.
- 2
Plant out
Plant out after the last frost in warm soil, about 1 m apart.
- 3
Support
Plants reach 1–1.5 m and sprawl, so give them cages or stakes.
- 4
Harvest
Pick when the papery husk turns tan and the fruit fills it. Ripe fruit can stay on the plant for weeks.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
Medium water
Temperature
13–35 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-sensitive — protect below 0 °C
Days to maturity
75–100 days
How Tomatograph watches your tomatillo
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- Forecast of 2 °C or lowerFrost alert the evening before: cover plants with fleece or bring pots inside.
- 3 days at 35 °C or aboveHeat-wave alert while plants are flowering or fruiting: shade and water early.
- Humidity above 80% for 48 hoursCheck for early blight, which thrives in those conditions.
- Within a week of maturityHarvest-window reminder based on when you planted.
Tomatillo questions
- When should I plant tomatillo?
- Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost, and plant out 1–2 weeks after it.
- How far apart should I plant tomatillo?
- Allow 90 cm between plants.
- What grows well with tomatillo?
- Good neighbours include basil, carrot, pepper, marigold.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Planting figures from OpenFarm crops rescue (CC0 1.0). Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).