Tomatillos in partial shade?

[ContainerTed]

Robert, I grew three different types back in 2009 and had them in about half shade. The production was a bit low, but the flavor was not affected. Try to get at least 4-6 hours per day of sun. Otherwise, try to make sure you're taking full advantage of any "reflected sunlight" and that will make the difference. I was growing Cisneros, and two purple varieties.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by Jeannine Anne

I am curious..for what purpose would you use a tomatillo, could you not use a tomato. eg in a salsa is there a big difference. Is there a recipe that has to be a tomatillo and a tomato would not do.

Completely different taste. It's a cooked,green,tomatillo salsa,delicious in its own way but different from tomato salsa.

[drew51]

I like salsa with roasted tomatillos, my favorite salsa for sure. Yes comparing tomatoes to tomatillos is like comparing ketchup to mustard. They are not similar IMHO.

[Jeannine Anne]

Been shopping but no luck, well not quite right. We have a very fancy shmancy shop in town that sells most everything. I went in there and asked. I was surprised when the produce manager told me he had ordered some and if his supplier had them they would be in tomorrow. I than asked if he knew what variety and he said "is there more than one" I told him yes and he replied "they are green"

So tomorrow I may get my hands on some and I can try the recipes and if I take out some seeds and plant them straight away would that be OK? This is a first for me!!!!

[drew51]

Originally Posted by Jeannine Anne

So tomorrow I may get my hands on some and I can try the recipes and if I take out some seeds and plant them straight away would that be OK? This is a first for me!!!!

Yes, it should work.

[AlittleSalt]

The green ones are ...hmm, sort of like most people think tomatoes are only red and round. Verde is probably the most popular, and can be found in grocery stores. I'm guessing they last longer on the shelf?

Like I've written above this post, I'm trying several different-to-us varieties this year. If they produce well, maybe I could mail you some to try out? I don't know squat about what veges are okay to send to Canada, but we'll figure it out if that time comes.

[Jeannine Anne]

In a local seed catalogue I have access to Verde and Aunt Mollies which I think are different, it is probably too late to start thia year, is it, could you give me a list og decent ones and I can try to find them.

Great that you are helping me like this, I am very thankful, it is somerimes hard to start something completely new.

XX Jeannine

[HiPoha]

Last year was a total failure for my tomatoes and tomatillos and just about everything else I planted. Whiteflies were set in the garden pretty well. I planted a lot of jicamas which were resistant against the whiteflies and aphids and doing this has purged my garden of them . The start of this year, I harvested my jicamas and went back to planting tomatoes and a few tomatillos, which are doing very well. Tomatillos planted in January have been ready to pick in four months. I have two plants in a 25 gallon container that has given me over a hundred fruits. I guess with the warm weather coming, it should be a good time to plant tomatillos in the northern hemisphere. I planted the large green variety, but they only grew to about golf ball size. But they are tasty and I have made some great chile verde with them.

[bboomer]

Tomatillo rocks! I wait for volunteers to come up and place them in the most convenient, and new, spot in my garden without problem. Essential for salsa! They are ok raw when mixed in salad in small amounts.

[drew51]

I have been looking at various nurseries for tomatillos and Baker creek has some iteresting ones they collected themselves. Purple Coban. Collected at Coban, Guatemala.
Also "Tiny From Coban" Collected same place, in 2005, grown out finally in 2013. Part of the description
"a true tomatillo, having the typical husk, but the fruit is smaller, about the diameter of a dime. Fruits ripen to green or purple and are possessed of an unusual savory taste—somewhat different from other tomatillos"
The Amarylla Tomatillo from Poland, is a yellow one. More like a huge ground cherry.

[coldframer]

I start mine from seed about two weeks after my tomatoes. They grow FAST. I usually put them in morning sun, but afternoon shade. They keep well in an unheated garage IF you do not pull the husk off. I make green sauce for enchiladas, just like tomato sauce, with lots of garlic, in the food processor, then cooked. It freezes well.

[Jeannine Anne]

Well I fund a few varieties of seed but I guess it is too late to start them for this year, I shall be listening to all you say ready for next Spring, thank you for all the help

[oakley]

Not too late at all Jeannine. My three varieties are still in packets. I'll start them in a couple weeks and plant them out second-ish week June. I have even direct seeded as they are similar to sweetpeas in legginess and fast growers. (different seasons i know but similar plant growth) They hate cold so no reason to even start them much ahead. I often get wintered over volunteers but can't count on that so i start a few. They are not like a tomato in growth. More like a leggy sprawling cuke. Easily ignored till end of August-Sept when they explode. Toms and beans are dying off, then the tomatillos start filling out their lantern 'greenhouses'.

[Jeannine Anne]

Oakley, my seeds finally arrived today, this is what I bought

Plaza Latina..Giant Green
Purple keepers,Modern Landrace....this sounds like it may be a mix ???
Ground Cherry Ottos' Brush Creek.

I think I got some substitutions as I got 2 packets of one kind and I am certain I ordered 4

Anyway this is what I have,,is there still time to sow them?

[AlittleSalt]

Jeannine, ours started coming up volunteer at the same time tomato volunteers came up.

I started tomatillo seeds the same day I started tomatoes and peppers. But - Texas and Canada are a little bit different weather wise

Tomatillos germinate in soil temperatures between 65F and 85F. Most of the seeds I start indoors is in potting /starter mix around 75F - except for peppers - they like hotter temps.