Tomatillos are a cousin of the tomato but taste nothing like a tomato. They have a tangy, tart, citrus flavor and are the base for taste sauces like salsa verde. This green variety is an early maturing variety. The green variety is more tart and tangy than the purple variety. Harvest when fruits are green but starting to soften.
Planting/Harvesting Notes
- Plant in well draining, fertile soil in full sun
- Space plants 2-3 ft apart
- Use a tomato cage or stake to keep plants off the ground
- At least two tomatillo plants are required for successful pollination of crops
- Time from planting to harvest is 70-80 days.
- Type is semi-determinate so produces most of its crop all at once, but some stragglers will ripen early or later.
Seed Saving
To save tomatillo seeds, squeeze the seeds and pulp into a small container. Be sure to label the container with your variety. Once all seeds are in the container, fill the container with water so that the seeds are floating (approximately 1/4-1/2 cup water) and cover the container. Allow the container to sit in a cool, dark place for 3-5 days. It is ok if a moldy film develops on top. After 3-5 days, carefully remove the film and stir. Allow seeds to settle for 1-2 minutes. Any seeds that sink are viable. Carefully pour off any floating seeds and pulp and then strain the sunken seeds. Rinse the remaining gel off the seeds while they are in the strainer. Then spread the seed in a single layer on a drying screen, paper plate, etc. If saving multiple varieties, be sure to label all seeds. After all seeds are dry, store in a labeled paper envelope in a cool dry place.
Image Credit: “tomatillos” by craigCloutier is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.