Tomatillos

[Kristen]

Greetings! I was wondering if anyone here has any experience growing tomatillos? I have a plant that I started from seed that's now at least 4.5 feet tall, and absolutely full of flowers, but it's not setting fruit. I've seen bees visiting the flowers and I've tried using a paintbrush to encourage pollenation. But after the flowers are done and there's a small "future tomatillo" they always turn pale and drop off of the plant, like peppers do sometimes. This has been happening for a couple of weeks now. I'm not in dire need of tomatillos or anything - I just planted them for the heck of it - but I'm curious about this. I'm in Zone 5 near Syracuse, NY, and my tomatoes and peppers are all setting fruit like crazy. We had a cold, wet, late spring and the past two weeks have been dry and hot (80-90F). No pests on the plant that I can find, and it appears to be very healthy (and growing like a weed!). Any ideas?

-Kristen

[zxcvbob]

I'm growing them for the first time this year. I have two plants and no fruit yet. I found out a few weeks ago that tomatillos are self-sterile. You need at least two plants or else you will get no fruits. I'm not sure why mine are not setting, but both plants are from seeds from the same fruit, so maybe they are not compatable (and I shoulda planted 2 more tomatoes instead)

FWIW, "ground cherries" or "cape gooseberries" are very closely related and they are self-fertile.

Sorry for the bad news, Bob

[Kristen]

Bob- Thanks for the info! I had thought of that, but dismissed it. I do have another plant, but it's way on the other side of the yard in a pot. I'll have to see if I can cross-pollinate them by hand (no room in the garden to move the pot into, and it's an awfully big pot to move anyway). Of course, they're both from the same seed packet, so I might run into the same problem you have. You would think they would put this information on the seed packet (or even in the one garden book I consulted - I haven't checked my others yet). Thanks again!

-Kristen Zone 5 Syracuse, NY

[Bruce Yates]

This is my first year to. I have six plants and they are loaded. It does seem to take a long time between blossom and fruit set. Much longer than tomatoes. Now if I can just figure out what to do with them all when they are ready.

Bruce

[Gary The Rookie Farmer]

Something else to try. My friend, Homer Simpson, grows tomacco. All the juicy goodness of tomatoes with the addictiveness of cigaretttes! ;>)

[<ahall]

Kristen> Greetings! Kristen> I was wondering if anyone here has any experience growing tomatillos? Kristen> I have a plant that I started from seed that's now at least 4.5 feet Kristen> tall, and absolutely full of flowers, but it's not setting fruit. I've

You need two plants, they are either completely or almost non-self-fertile.

Kristen> seen bees visiting the flowers and I've tried using a paintbrush to Kristen> encourage pollenation. But after the flowers are done and there's a Kristen> small "future tomatillo" they always turn pale and drop off of the Kristen> plant, like peppers do sometimes. This has been happening for a couple Kristen> of weeks now. I'm not in dire need of tomatillos or anything - I just Kristen> planted them for the heck of it - but I'm curious about this. Kristen> I'm in Zone 5 near Syracuse, NY, and my tomatoes and peppers are all Kristen> setting fruit like crazy. We had a cold, wet, late spring and the past Kristen> two weeks have been dry and hot (80-90F). No pests on the plant that I Kristen> can find, and it appears to be very healthy (and growing like a weed!). Kristen> Any ideas?

Plant another, quickly.

[<ahall]

Bruce> This is my first year to. I have six plants and they are loaded. It Bruce> does seem to take a long time between blossom and fruit set. Much Bruce> longer than tomatoes. Now if I can just figure out what to do with Bruce> them all when they are ready.

Salsa Verde!

Freezes well, we served some from last year to guests the other day.

[Kris O]

This is our first year growing tomatillos as well. I wasn't as adventurous as most of you, I purchased my plants, and I do have two of them, so I've gotten that part right, but we aren't getting any fruit either. We get a lot of flowers and the beginning of husks, but then they just fall off. Any suggestions??:confused:

-- Kris O

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