Tomatillo Pollination The Facts?

Worth1 · April 17, 2012

Ok here is the deal.
I have never grown these critters ever in my life.
I purchased some the last time I was home and they just said (tomatillo)
I have possibly narrowed the variety down to Cisinaros due to the large size they said it would get.
The store in Austin (The Natural Gardener) didn't even tell people you needed at least 2 of them.
They are covered in blooms and for all I can read here and other places I get conflicting information.

I am looking for an expert such as Craig L (nctomatoman) or anyone else that has experience to tell me something.

Will a tomatillo plant pollinate another tomatillo plant, if they are the same variety?
They are all bunched together in one area and I have some I think pollinated, the husk is closed and they are not yellow and falling off.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

PS Fried green Tomatillos are to die for.

Worth

Worth1 · April 17, 2012

I cant believe this thing corrected tomatillo to tomato in the title sorry.

If there is any way to fix this please do.

Worth

Neohippie · April 17, 2012

I've grown tomatillos before that were all the same variety, and they pollinated each other and set fruit just fine, but you do need more than 1 plant to set fruit.

The husk grows first, and then the fruit grows to fill in the husk, eventually splitting it open.

It sounds like yours are doing fine so far.

Worth1 · April 17, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neohippie

I've grown tomatillos before that were all the same variety, and they pollinated each other and set fruit just fine, but you do need more than 1 plant to set fruit.

The husk grows first, and then the fruit grows to fill in the husk, eventually splitting it open.

It sounds like yours are doing fine so far.

Thank you very much Neohippie

Worth

ContainerTed · April 17, 2012

Worth, I've grown that exact tomatillo the last 4 years. I usually put two of more plants into a bucket and let nature take its course.

You can harvest them anytime you feel the husk is filled up. I usually wait til the husk splits. Anyhow, at the end of the growing season, I harvest anything left regardless of size and put them into a ziplock freezer bag and save them for fresh recipes during the winter.

You can also save the seeds from really ripe ones. The seeds are a bit of a fuss to get separated from the "meat", but you don't need many to be able to grow some next season. Some folks put tomatillos into their own little area and let them reseed themselves. This can be an "in-exact" thing that may or may not happen. I prefer the more deliberate method of sewing new seed every year.

I put them in my salsa which is really more like a picante sauce. They add some "chunky-ness" to the whole thing. The flavor is kinda neutral. Some say you must cook them, but I've eaten them "raw" without any problems.

**carolyn137** · April 17, 2012

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=362

The facts about tomatillo pollination are given in this thread, a few posts down, by Grub, link from Purdue.

Best info there is about tomatillos and I've posted the same link to Purdue many times here but didn't go searching for it today.

Hope that helps.

tam91 · April 17, 2012

I read this thread, and the other references. Sorry, but lost in cultivars etc. If I have one regular tomatillo, and one purple one, planted next to each other - will that work for pollination?

ContainerTed · April 17, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by tam91

I read this thread, and the other references. Sorry, but lost in cultivars etc. If I have one regular tomatillo, and one purple one, planted next to each other - will that work for pollination?

Yes, but you are at a very high risk of cross pollination. The initial fruit will be okay, but subsequent seasons will reveal the crosses. I had Cisneros and Purple in the same area (really only two feet apart) and while they did okay that year, the next year, I had some large fruit with only some streaky purple coloring, pointing to an obvious cross.

tam91 · April 17, 2012

Interesting, striped ones sound cool actually. I wasn't planning to save seed, not this year anyway - I bought the plants on a whim and don't know exactly what variety they are. But if I like the purple ones, I might find some good purple tomatillo seed for next year.

Or - is there just one purple? Is it an heirloom or a hybrid?

CarolynPhillips · April 20, 2012

Speaking of pollination.....if I don't see any bees, which i read the bees will come running with no problems, How would you actually help out pollination?(paint brush?)

huntoften · April 20, 2012

Learned my tomatillo lesson the hard way...have to have two or more. I grow Toma Verde and Purple...don't save seed from them myself, so don't know about crossing. As for bees....they usually come in DROVES to my tomatillo plants.

CarolynPhillips · April 20, 2012

How far apart would you say the green has to be from the purple to make sure they don't cross?

4 purple, 4 green

Worth1 · April 20, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolynPhillips

How far apart would you say the green has to be from the purple to make sure they don't cross?

4 purple, 4 green

I dont know anything but my guess would be a mile or so with bees around.

After my rosemary stopped blooming I dont have any bees.

I do know that when the squash and cucumbers bloom they will be back.
Worth

Worth1 · April 20, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntoften

Learned my tomatillo lesson the hard way...have to have two or more. I grow Toma Verde and Purple...don't save seed from them myself, so don't know about crossing. As for bees....they usually come in DROVES to my tomatillo plants.

I felt sorry for all of those folks I saw buying just one tomatillo plant.

I couldn't hang around and tell everyone but I could have spoken to the people that run the place so they could have put up a sign.

I wish I would have now but what the devil, people need to do their research.
With computers and smart phones everywhere there just isn't hardly an excuse.
I use my phone all of the time at the nursery, one of the few good things I like about it.

Worth

mwancho · April 20, 2012

Great topic, Worth.

My single tomatillo got gigantic last year, didn't bear a single fruit. I learned late about the self-infertility thing, so I tried propagating a second plant from a cutting. As soon as the cutting became large enough to bloom, the season ended. Looking back, I wish I would have researched rather than buying on impulse.

Aphids loved the plants, I think it fed a whole colony of ants the entire summer. This year, I'm staying on top of the aphids.

I have two green tomatillo plants from the nursery (unsure of the variety) and several purple ones I started from seed. I noticed the nursery topped the plants they had, so that two lower chutes would grow up. I'm curious if there was any particular reason they did that and if I should do the same with the purple variety.

--
Mark

April 17, 2012	#1
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Tomatillo Pollination The Facts? Ok here is the deal. I have never grown these critters ever in my life. I purchased some the last time I was home and they just said (tomatillo) I have possibly narrowed the variety down to Cisinaros due to the large size they said it would get. The store in Austin (The Natural Gardener) didn't even tell people you needed at least 2 of them. They are covered in blooms and for all I can read here and other places I get conflicting information. I am looking for an expert such as Craig L (nctomatoman) or anyone else that has experience to tell me something. Will a tomatillo plant pollinate another tomatillo plant, if they are the same variety? They are all bunched together in one area and I have some I think pollinated, the husk is closed and they are not yellow and falling off. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. PS Fried green Tomatillos are to die for. Worth Last edited by Worth1; April 17, 2012 at 03:07 PM. Reason: Spelling

April 17, 2012	#5
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Worth, I've grown that exact tomatillo the last 4 years. I usually put two of more plants into a bucket and let nature take its course. You can harvest them anytime you feel the husk is filled up. I usually wait til the husk splits. Anyhow, at the end of the growing season, I harvest anything left regardless of size and put them into a ziplock freezer bag and save them for fresh recipes during the winter. You can also save the seeds from really ripe ones. The seeds are a bit of a fuss to get separated from the "meat", but you don't need many to be able to grow some next season. Some folks put tomatillos into their own little area and let them reseed themselves. This can be an "in-exact" thing that may or may not happen. I prefer the more deliberate method of sewing new seed every year. I put them in my salsa which is really more like a picante sauce. They add some "chunky-ness" to the whole thing. The flavor is kinda neutral. Some say you must cook them, but I've eaten them "raw" without any problems. __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

April 17, 2012	#6
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=362 The facts about tomatillo pollination are given in this thread, a few posts down, by Grub, link from Purdue. Best info there is about tomatillos and I've posted the same link to Purdue many times here but didn't go searching for it today. Hope that helps. __________________ Carolyn

April 17, 2012	#7
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	I read this thread, and the other references. Sorry, but lost in cultivars etc. If I have one regular tomatillo, and one purple one, planted next to each other - will that work for pollination? __________________ Tracy

April 17, 2012	#9
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Interesting, striped ones sound cool actually. I wasn't planning to save seed, not this year anyway - I bought the plants on a whim and don't know exactly what variety they are. But if I like the purple ones, I might find some good purple tomatillo seed for next year. Or - is there just one purple? Is it an heirloom or a hybrid? __________________ Tracy

April 17, 2012	#3
Neohippie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: San Marcos, Texas Posts: 77	I've grown tomatillos before that were all the same variety, and they pollinated each other and set fruit just fine, but you do need more than 1 plant to set fruit. The husk grows first, and then the fruit grows to fill in the husk, eventually splitting it open. It sounds like yours are doing fine so far.

April 20, 2012	#10
CarolynPhillips Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Nauvoo, Alabama Posts: 184	Speaking of pollination.....if I don't see any bees, which i read the bees will come running with no problems, How would you actually help out pollination?(paint brush?) __________________ Happy Gardening Carolyn

April 20, 2012	#11
huntoften Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas CIty Posts: 560	Learned my tomatillo lesson the hard way...have to have two or more. I grow Toma Verde and Purple...don't save seed from them myself, so don't know about crossing. As for bees....they usually come in DROVES to my tomatillo plants. __________________ Kansas City, Missouri Zone 5b/6a

April 20, 2012	#15
mwancho Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: SW TX Posts: 16	Great topic, Worth. My single tomatillo got gigantic last year, didn't bear a single fruit. I learned late about the self-infertility thing, so I tried propagating a second plant from a cutting. As soon as the cutting became large enough to bloom, the season ended. Looking back, I wish I would have researched rather than buying on impulse. Aphids loved the plants, I think it fed a whole colony of ants the entire summer. This year, I'm staying on top of the aphids. I have two green tomatillo plants from the nursery (unsure of the variety) and several purple ones I started from seed. I noticed the nursery topped the plants they had, so that two lower chutes would grow up. I'm curious if there was any particular reason they did that and if I should do the same with the purple variety. -- Mark