Help with my single tomatillo

[tam91]

I think blueberries are another one - in fact, the same variety can't pollinate one of the same variety. When I looked at buying blueberry bushes, each variety had a list of compatible varieties - you had to get at least one of each.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by larskyler

Thanks for the link Carolyn. Again I apologize if my post sounded rude, it was not intended to be and from what I have read on this forum I have no doubts as to some peoples credentials.

Just a personal opinion but I think actual gardening experience is far more important than anyone having "credentials" for this or for that. It does help if those involved in gardening want to learn more about various aspects of what they're growing, be it eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, you name it.

And that goes for light set ups, soil health, amendments, pesticides, how to start from seed and so much more.

And what I like about Tville is that there are Forums for all of the above and more in one spot on the net and on one page.

[nctomatoman]

No problem, larskyler.....one of the best things about Tville (and gardening) is how we all teach each other, and all learn about new things together!

[mwancho]

I'm also trying out a tomatillo plant for the first time this year. The single plant has grown tremendously but set no fruit. The trunk is probably about 1" in diameter after just over 2 months of growth. I'm curious to know if cloning the plant would be an option. If so, is there any particular process? Can I just take a cutting, stick it in dirt, and watch it set roots? If I were to clone my existing plant, would they successfully pollinate and eventually give me some fruit, or, since it's a clone, would the self-incompatibility persist?

Thanks in advance,
Mark

[arivaraci]

Well my tomatillo was looking really big and beautiful until it got hot today. SO I am watering, and looking for what could be the problem. The ground was pretty dry 2-3 inches down.

nctomatoman Hopefully the tomatillo plant survives the weekend. If so, could I pick up a plant-mate Tuesday early afternoon from you Craig?

Thanks Again
Suzanne

[nctomatoman]

Sure Suzanne - and by then I will possibly have a tomatillo rooted for you. It is looking promising (three Tomatillo suckers sitting in a glass of water in an east facing window - the window is a good luck charm for rooting African Violet leaves in water!)

[beefsteak]

Well my 2 tomatillo plants have set fruit, at first it was hard to tell, but about a week ago there was no doubt, so I am quite happy, hope everyone else is as fortunate..

[arivaraci]

Got my plant from Craig last week, thanks Craig. Keeping fingers crossed for fruit set! Congrats on your fruit.

[nctomatoman]

I am going to look at my three plants today to see if we've got tomatillo babies yet!

[delito8]

We had only one tomatillo plant last year (and it was our only physalis too) and we got fruits. Tomatillo is very rare here so I don't believe that my neigbours grow it.
And this year too our tomatillo started making lanterns and fruits alone.
So it just has to self pollinate or I would be just dreaming about getting fruits.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by delito8

We had only one tomatillo plant last year (and it was our only physalis too) and we got fruits. Tomatillo is very rare here so I don't believe that my neigbours grow it.
And this year too our tomatillo started making lanterns and fruits alone.
So it just has to self pollinate or I would be just dreaming about getting fruits.

If you look at the link from Purdue which I and others have posted in this thread you'll see that almost ANY member of the Physalis genus, and there are many, can pollinate a tomatillo and I think the figure was up to 500 meters away which is quite a distance.

Have you had a chance to read that link b'c it does explain why Tomatotillos are self infertile.

[arivaraci]

delito8 - Did you start yours from seed? Because the plant I received from Craig to cross with my lone tomatillo had already cross pollinated. Just a thought if you did not start from seed.

[mwancho]

I was very excited to see that the single tomatillo sucker cutting I took set roots rather quickly, and in just plain RO water in an empty molasses jar. I've never grown a plant from a cutting before, so this is a pleasant experience. Maybe I found that 'lucky' window sill on my first attempt!

Now I just need to figure out the right time to transplant...

--
Mark

[delito8]

Arivaraci, yes, we started from seed.
carolyn137, ah... My intention was only to tell that it doesn't really matter if you have only one plant But I'll read the article too, if it's easy enough for my english ...

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by delito8

Arivaraci, yes, we started from seed.
carolyn137, ah... My intention was only to tell that it doesn't really matter if you have only one plant But I'll read the article too, if it's easy enough for my english ...

The link to the article is in this thread in post #11, and here's the important part from it as regards pollination:

(Tomatillo is self-incompatible, so all plants are hybrids. Pollination is by insects. Cross pollination with other cultivars or other Physalis spp. would be possible if the plants are closer than 500 m. All seed production must be carried out in isolation. Saray-Meza et al. (1978) reported that 10 kg of fruit yields 100 to 200 g of seeds. Plant viruses can reduce tomatillo yields by 30 to 40%. Delgado-Sanchez (1986) described a complex of at least three different viruses affecting tomatillo.)

So, as I said above tomatillo plants are self incomptible which is why folks grow at least two plants and as I also said above, a source of pollen can also be any other Physalis species within 500 meters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis

Above is a discussion of the genus Physalis, many of them considered weeds, not cultivated, and there are about 80 different species in the genus, of which a few are listed near the bottom of the page of the above link.

So I do think that the only way you got berries was by insects transferring pollen from another Physalis species which you didn't even know was growing within 500 meters of your garden.

If you had a true self pollenizing Tomatillo plant you'd have something that no one else in the horticultural world has ever seen.
Hope that helps.