Murphy's Law on seeds

Doug9345 · May 23, 2012

I plant 10 Purple De Milpa tomatillo seeds in a cup on April 15. By May 15 none of them have come up so I decide to plant the rest of the 28 seeds in the packet with the hope that I can get two to come up. Yep you got it. Three days after I plant the 28 seeds the original seeds start to germinate and three more days later so do the later seeds. I now have 4 seedlings from the first batch and 5 more from the second batch. I'll bet even more come up as time goes along. I just hope I have enough time left to get a few ripe.

Worth1 · May 23, 2012

The same thing happened to me.
I think the temps were too low in the garage.

I just noticed you were talking about tomatillos NOT tomatoes.

Worth

Doug9345 · May 23, 2012

I suspect that was the problem also, although I did give them some heat.

Worth1 · May 23, 2012

I edited it above but I just noticed you were talking about tomatillos not tomatoes.

Never planted a tomatillo seed before.

Worth

Doug9345 · May 23, 2012

This is the first year for me. I think they need warmer temperatures. The tomato seed that took a month to come up was ols and I didn't have any more to plant so I didn't get the new and old plantings coming up together.

Mojave · May 23, 2012

Tomatillos do need pretty warm temps to take off. They tend to grow like weeds, too much nutrients or water and you'll get a big beautiful, but fruitless, plant. Ahhh fresh salsa verde, I'm getting hungry!

Doug9345 · May 23, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojave

Tomatillos do need pretty warm temps to take off. They tend to grow like weeds, too much nutrients or water and you'll get a big beautiful, but fruitless, plant. Ahhh fresh salsa verde, I'm getting hungry!

Should I try growing a couple in pots so that I can keep them drier than they may be in the garden and do you have a good salsa verde recipe?

Mojave · May 23, 2012

I've never tried growing them in pots, I'd try a couple in the ground and a couple in pots.

Here's the basics for my salsa verde:

6 or 7 medium tomatillos

3 or 4 (more or less depending on your taste) Jalapenos or Serranos (I like to throw in a Habanero or Scotch Bonnet pepper too)

Juice of 1/2 large lime, or 2 of the small key limes if you can find them

1/2 white onion, chopped

3 or 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

About a tablespoon chopped or shredded cilantro

Salt to taste.

Peel the tomatillo husks off and wash the tomatillos (they'll be sticky). Put a piece of foil with the edges turned up (so you don't lose any juice) on a cookie sheet directly under the broiler. Put the tomatillos, garlic and chili peppers on the foil and let them slightly char under the broiler. Flip them over and char the other side. Remove most of the charred tomatillo skin and the charred garlic skin. Chop tomatillos, garlic and peppers and put in a bowl. Add the juice from the foil, the lime juice, onions, cilantro and salt. Mix and serve!

Don't worry about the charred bits in the salsa, it adds an earthy flavor. As an alternative you could boil the peppers and tomatillos, but it isn't the same.

livinonfaith · May 23, 2012

Sounds a lot like what I did last year except mine was quite a bit milder and I didn't broil anything.

That sounds like a grand improvement!

Come on little tomatillos! Grow!

Mojave · May 23, 2012

I don't know if you've ever tried nopales (prickly pear cactus pads). They're usually boiled and are OK that way, but broiling them takes them to a whole new level of awesomeness!

Tracydr · May 24, 2012

I have four purple tomatillo plants growing in a group together. Huge plants with lots of flowers. The bees are working hard but I'm not seeing any fruits yet.
Any advice?

Worth1 · May 24, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracydr

I have four purple tomatillo plants growing in a group together. Huge plants with lots of flowers. The bees are working hard but I'm not seeing any fruits yet.
Any advice?

I have tons of flowers no bees and one fruit.
Reall disappointed this year with no bees.
It might be aftermath from last years big fire.

Worth

docgipe · June 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

I have tons of flowers no bees and one fruit.
Reall disappointed this year with no bees.
It might be aftermath from last years big fire.

Worth

One can play bee with a soft artists brush. Pick up the pollen and move it to any other female you wish. Q-Tips work as well but require a very gentle touch. It only takes one grain of pollen on the female part to satisfy the pollination.

Lcottomsvcs · May 24, 2012

My tomatillos are flowering like crazy, but no fruit yet. Thanks to another thread on TV, I knew to buy at least 2 plants. Does anybody have an idea when these things will fruit? This is my first time for tomatillos.....It has been in the 80-90's here every day with low nights in the 50's. Maybe its still too cool for fruit?

stonysoilseeds · May 24, 2012

of course there much much later here in upstate new york i havent even set mine out yet but after the flowers drop they get a papery husk that enclloses the fruit and takes a few weeks from then for harvest we have very cool nights so u dont think temps in the 50s would inhibit fruiting

May 23, 2012	#1
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	Murphy's Law on seeds I plant 10 Purple De Milpa tomatillo seeds in a cup on April 15. By May 15 none of them have come up so I decide to plant the rest of the 28 seeds in the packet with the hope that I can get two to come up. Yep you got it. Three days after I plant the 28 seeds the original seeds start to germinate and three more days later so do the later seeds. I now have 4 seedlings from the first batch and 5 more from the second batch. I'll bet even more come up as time goes along. I just hope I have enough time left to get a few ripe.

May 23, 2012	#6
Mojave Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: SF Bay area Z9a Posts: 821	Tomatillos do need pretty warm temps to take off. They tend to grow like weeds, too much nutrients or water and you'll get a big beautiful, but fruitless, plant. Ahhh fresh salsa verde, I'm getting hungry! __________________ Bill _______________________________________________ When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. -John Muir Believe those who seek the Truth: Doubt those who find it. -André Gide

May 23, 2012	#8
Mojave Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: SF Bay area Z9a Posts: 821	I've never tried growing them in pots, I'd try a couple in the ground and a couple in pots. Here's the basics for my salsa verde: 6 or 7 medium tomatillos 3 or 4 (more or less depending on your taste) Jalapenos or Serranos (I like to throw in a Habanero or Scotch Bonnet pepper too) Juice of 1/2 large lime, or 2 of the small key limes if you can find them 1/2 white onion, chopped 3 or 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled About a tablespoon chopped or shredded cilantro Salt to taste. Peel the tomatillo husks off and wash the tomatillos (they'll be sticky). Put a piece of foil with the edges turned up (so you don't lose any juice) on a cookie sheet directly under the broiler. Put the tomatillos, garlic and chili peppers on the foil and let them slightly char under the broiler. Flip them over and char the other side. Remove most of the charred tomatillo skin and the charred garlic skin. Chop tomatillos, garlic and peppers and put in a bowl. Add the juice from the foil, the lime juice, onions, cilantro and salt. Mix and serve! Don't worry about the charred bits in the salsa, it adds an earthy flavor. As an alternative you could boil the peppers and tomatillos, but it isn't the same. __________________ Bill _______________________________________________ When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. -John Muir Believe those who seek the Truth: Doubt those who find it. -André Gide

May 23, 2012	#10
Mojave Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: SF Bay area Z9a Posts: 821	I don't know if you've ever tried nopales (prickly pear cactus pads). They're usually boiled and are OK that way, but broiling them takes them to a whole new level of awesomeness! __________________ Bill _______________________________________________ When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. -John Muir Believe those who seek the Truth: Doubt those who find it. -André Gide

May 24, 2012	#14
Lcottomsvcs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 123	My tomatillos are flowering like crazy, but no fruit yet. Thanks to another thread on TV, I knew to buy at least 2 plants. Does anybody have an idea when these things will fruit? This is my first time for tomatillos.....It has been in the 80-90's here every day with low nights in the 50's. Maybe its still too cool for fruit? __________________ Gardening is not a rational act. Margaret Atwood

May 23, 2012	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The same thing happened to me. I think the temps were too low in the garage. I just noticed you were talking about tomatillos NOT tomatoes. Worth

May 23, 2012	#9
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	Sounds a lot like what I did last year except mine was quite a bit milder and I didn't broil anything. That sounds like a grand improvement! Come on little tomatillos! Grow!

May 24, 2012	#11
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	I have four purple tomatillo plants growing in a group together. Huge plants with lots of flowers. The bees are working hard but I'm not seeing any fruits yet. Any advice?

May 24, 2012	#15
stonysoilseeds Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: cincinnatus, new york Posts: 341	of course there much much later here in upstate new york i havent even set mine out yet but after the flowers drop they get a papery husk that enclloses the fruit and takes a few weeks from then for harvest we have very cool nights so u dont think temps in the 50s would inhibit fruiting