Plant tomatillos deep?

[gorbelly]

Should they be planted deep like tomatoes?

Mine aren't leggy or weak-stemmed or anything, so it wouldn't be to correct a problem. But even with good, robust tomato plants, I'd plant them deep.

Do tomatillos benefit from the same?

[oakley]

Mine are leggy so i always plant them deep. They don't necessarily grow root hairs like
a tomato but will root from leaf nodes like peppers. (i think)

I plant mine in the middle of my trellised tomatoes but let them go wild. They grow
frilly and a bit unruly and ripen late in September in my climate. Most tomatoes are
slowing down when my tomatillos fill out. In a Southern climate i would give them lots
of room somewhere else. If a stem hits the ground they will root another plant.
Layering. Mine usually find the trellis and go up and high, then fill out. 3 or four plants
give me plenty for a winters worth of smoked tomatillo salsa.

[gorbelly]

Thanks, Oakley. That's all helpful information.

[PhilaGardener]

I'm pretty sure mine rooted from the stem when I grew them a few years ago, and yes, I did plant leggy ones deep like tomatoes. Good luck with them!

[JRinPA]

Are tomatillos something I should be planting? Smoked salsa...not sure if we'd like that, plus no smoker here. I do make canned salsa and chili sauce based on Annie's with lime recipe. What else are they used for? Are they worth trading tomato space?

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by JRinPA

Are tomatillos something I should be planting? Smoked salsa...not sure if we'd like that, plus no smoker here. I do make canned salsa and chili sauce based on Annie's with lime recipe. What else are they used for? Are they worth trading tomato space?

I think it depends on how much you like tomatillos.

To find out, get some good recipes and try them out on some tomatillos you buy at the market. Only then can you decide whether to sacrifice tomato space.

As for "smoked", I've never smoked things for salsa. I "fire roast" quite a bit and really enjoy that flavor. If I don't feel like going through the hassle of setting up the grill, I char them on the gas stovetop.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by JRinPA

Are tomatillos something I should be planting? Smoked salsa...not sure if we'd like that, plus no smoker here. I do make canned salsa and chili sauce based on Annie's with lime recipe. What else are they used for? Are they worth trading tomato space?

The tomatillos in the store are for the most part not ripe.
Where I live they aren't worth growing did it once and was a big waste of space.
I dont like salsa verde unless it is green from peppers not tomatillos.
In all honesty I cant stand the darn things or the slimy, runny, tangy, salsa made with them.

[PhilaGardener]

I had good luck with a purple strain here in SE PA, although didn't find the taste appealing. They had an amazing shelf life and kept well into December at room temperature. Very pretty fruit too!

[oakley]

I don't make SalsaVerde that often. If it is ever slimy it has something else in it and
probably from a can or jar. Thickeners and preservatives are often gooey. Emulsifiers that
make bottled salad dressing thick. And canned soups and shampoo, etc.

Tomatillos are more like cranberries, rhubarb, lots of fruits that have a natural sauce
when heated. I think more juicy than slimy like okra, aloe, some cactus. Okra slime is
as slippery as glycerine.

If you like a TexMex style thick salsa that has tomato paste and catchup-y, like Pace,
or Annie's recipe, you probably will not like tomatillos. If you like salsa zesty with lots
of fresh lime and cilantro, you might like it 50/50 with roasted tomatillos till soft, then
add fresh tomatoes.

I made a batch last weekend. Stopped at the international market and picked up 5-6
different hot and sweet peppers, onions, garlic, a few lbs of tomatillos, cut toms in half,
everything into big chunks, 2 whole heads of garlic....all on a thick parchment lined
foil packet and slow roasted on the far end of the grill off the heat. Just a kiss of smoke
flavor, like fire roasted. Into the cuisinart. Lots of lime and cilantro, (with the stems)
6 half pints in the freezer. I use it to make rhubarb BBQ sauce, homemade ketchup, add
to bean salads, pasta salads, chili, breakfast eggs, tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, etc.

Harvest season i add fresh tomatoes. Winter i use frozen cherry tomatoes...still have
a big gallon bag from last year.

[swellcat]

Read up a bit on tomatillos de milpa. They present an acidity, a maybe plum-like fruitiness, plus a bold note I've not yet been able to characterize.

Plus or minus, they are the flea beetles' favourite in my yard.

[JRinPA]

Maybe not a bad idea for to try a plant or two. I think I have some seed from a swap. Is it too late for this year in SE PA?

[oakley]

Probably ok with some warm weather coming up next week. They love the heat.
I even get self sowing every year. Always have to pull out few.

I used to start the seed with my tomato starts but they always out-grow them and get
very leggy, un-ruly. So i start them later. 4-5 weeks out. My starts this year are tiny but
they should catch up. They get leggy like pea shoots for me and get tangled up.

If we get a late early frost, like mid-late Sept, you should get fruit.

[JRinPA]

Mid Oct is usually first frost here. Yeah I guess I'll try to find those seeds and start some, see what they are like. Thanks all.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by oakley

I don't make SalsaVerde that often. If it is ever slimy it has something else in it and
probably from a can or jar. Thickeners and preservatives are often gooey. Emulsifiers that
make bottled salad dressing thick. And canned soups and shampoo, etc.

Tomatillos are more like cranberries, rhubarb, lots of fruits that have a natural sauce
when heated. I think more juicy than slimy like okra, aloe, some cactus. Okra slime is
as slippery as glycerine.

If you like a TexMex style thick salsa that has tomato paste and catchup-y, like Pace,
or Annie's recipe, you probably will not like tomatillos. If you like salsa zesty with lots
of fresh lime and cilantro, you might like it 50/50 with roasted tomatillos till soft, then
add fresh tomatoes.

I made a batch last weekend. Stopped at the international market and picked up 5-6
different hot and sweet peppers, onions, garlic, a few lbs of tomatillos, cut toms in half,
everything into big chunks, 2 whole heads of garlic....all on a thick parchment lined
foil packet and slow roasted on the far end of the grill off the heat. Just a kiss of smoke
flavor, like fire roasted. Into the cuisinart. Lots of lime and cilantro, (with the stems)
6 half pints in the freezer. I use it to make rhubarb BBQ sauce, homemade ketchup, add
to bean salads, pasta salads, chili, breakfast eggs, tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, etc.

Harvest season i add fresh tomatoes. Winter i use frozen cherry tomatoes...still have
a big gallon bag from last year.

No I just dont like flavorless tangy salsa verde with no heat.
As far as salsas go I cant stand Pace or anything like it.
My idea of a tomato in salsa is to pass on over it and set it back down.
Ripe tomatillos are good with hot peppers.

[JRinPA]

I found the seed and threw it in a pot to start. Tomatillo Purple from a swap. If they come up I'll put them in somewhere.