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Post by restless on Jul 21, 2015 15:01:01 GMT -5
I am thinking about tomatillos for next years garden. I have questions. Are they easy to start from seed for an experienced seed starter? How tall to the plants get? Do they require a support system? How wide do the plants get? What are the disease and pest problems? What is the yield like from one plant? Do all the fruit come in at once or do they produce throughout the season? How long until you get fruit? Does a plant last all season, or do you need to plan for two successions (in zone 7?) Anything else I may want to know? I would appreciate any photos you may have.
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Post by tbird on Jul 21, 2015 15:32:35 GMT -5
Are they easy to start from seed for an experienced seed starter? yes
How tall to the plants get? Do they require a support system? How wide do the plants get? about 3'by 3' What are the disease and pest problems? What is the yield like from one plant? Do all the fruit come in at once or do they produce throughout the season? never had any trouble. How long until you get fruit? depends on variety - similar to toms Does a plant last all season, or do you need to plan for two successions (in zone 7?) lasts Anything else I may want to know? Must do 2. 1 will not fruit hardly at all or none....2 - way more than you want!
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Post by tbird on Jul 21, 2015 15:33:39 GMT -5
photo of this years tomatillos is in my danny devito/arnold thread....
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Post by tendingmygarden on Jul 21, 2015 16:32:09 GMT -5
I guess all gardeners have slightly different answers. Here's my experience:
Are they easy to start from seed for an experienced seed starter? yes - just like tomatoes (they're in that family)
How tall to the plants get? One of mine was small about 2 feet tall by 1 1/2 wide. The other was huge! Four feet tall with spread of about 5 or 6 feet.
Do they require a support system? I didn't support them, but the larger one probably could have benefited from a support.
How wide do the plants get? See above
What are the disease and pest problems? None for me, but they are in the tomato family, so disease and pest would probably be the same.
What is the yield like from one plant? From the small one - not so many. From the larger one --- hundreds of fruits.
Does all the fruit come in at once or do they produce throughout the season? Throughout the season.
How long until you get fruit? Didn't pay much attention so I don't remember.
Does a plant last all season, or do you need to plan for two successions (in zone 7?) Mine lasted all season. I'm in zone 7.
Anything else I may want to know? Tbird already mentioned that you have to do 2 or you may not get much fruit - if any.
Theresa
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Post by desertwoman on Jul 21, 2015 18:09:36 GMT -5
I am thinking about tomatillos for next years garden. I have questions. I'm growing them for the first time this year.Are they easy to start from seed for an experienced seed starter? Absolutely. Even easy for a newbie seed starter
How tall to the plants get? Do they require a support system? Well, because I've been recovering, I haven't been tending the gardens like I usually would. I planted two and they are out of control. Flopping over and sprawling. Not supported. I think they would have benefited from support or a tomato cage- if no other reason than to conserve space.. They are about 3-4' tall right now and just as wide.How wide do the plants get? What are the disease and pest problems? Haven't seen any What is the yield like from one plant? They are laden with fruit right nowDo all the fruit come in at once or do they produce throughout the season? Don't know yet.How long until you get fruit? Mine are fruiting now and a decent size, but I don't think they are ready to pick yet. I started seed in April and put in the ground June 2Does a plant last all season, or do you need to plan for two successions (in zone 7?) And yes, you do need to plant two.
And I have a question too for all you experienced tomatillo growers. How do you know when they are ready to pick?!!
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Post by restless on Jul 21, 2015 19:21:17 GMT -5
Thanks all! I appreciate all the info.
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Post by James on Jul 22, 2015 17:30:07 GMT -5
I have 4 plants growing. They are going bonkers, spreading out six feet wide. They are just starting to put on fruit. Now the question is: What do you do with them?
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Post by Veggie Gal on Jul 22, 2015 17:35:46 GMT -5
Google recipes. I think you cook them down and make a sauce or use in salsa. Share what you find out, please............
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Post by desertwoman on Jul 22, 2015 17:35:54 GMT -5
I'm planning to make tomatillo salsa and use it as I would any other salsa.
You can also make tomatillo soup. Or try a stew( pork is a traditional meat with tomatillos)
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Post by gardenthyme on Jul 22, 2015 18:21:21 GMT -5
I grew 2 plants last year. I did not support them. I did have a worm problem on most of the tomatillos and had to throw most of them away. They are ready to pick when the tomatillos fill up the husk completely and burst out of it.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 22, 2015 23:34:41 GMT -5
I've been growing tomatillos for many years, and this year I found the best variety yet- Tamayo! I always have grown them on a 5' fence of CRW, and they always got to the top, spreading out in all directions, like a cherry tomato! Most varieties wouldn't start producing until well into Aug., but I harvested my first ones this year for 7-4, and a large harvest on 7-10! Here are this year's photos: s24.photobucket.com/user/pepperhead212/library/Tomatillos%20%202015?sort=3&page=1I have grown many varieties, including a couple purples, which I was not impressed with. Some pop their husks, but most don't, so you have to be diligent about watching to see if they have filled them up, then pick, as you don't want them to ripen. As soon as you see a hint of browning on the husk, pick it! It may be late already, and by the end of the season they would normally be producing so many, I couldn't keep up with them, and a bunch would drop on the ground, and I'd end up with volunteers for the next season, not even having to plant any! However, they kept getting smaller yearly, which is why I tried the new one this year. I have never had to plant a second planting, and 3 or 4 plants is more than I can use! I have never had any diseases or bug problems with them, though it seems something chews tiny holes in many of the leaves, even though it doesn't seem to slow them down - just something that's there every year. Seeds start a little slower than tomatoes, but faster than peppers, as a rule. The stems are thin, so I usually end up staking the seedlings, as I have had them snap during hardening off, from what didn't seem like much wind.They can be buried deep, to help with that during transplant. This season, figuring I will have a lot more with that new variety, I tried drying some - 1 lb reduced to 1.45 oz. I am going to toast them in a pan, as with chiles, then rehydrate, and see you they work out in a dish in place of grilled ones.
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Post by restless on Jul 23, 2015 5:50:27 GMT -5
Thanks, Pepperhead.
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Post by OregonRed on Jul 23, 2015 11:18:14 GMT -5
yum pepper! dam! dude, you are so cook talented - well and gardening, well and socializing and well communicating - hahahhaha
thanks mann!
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Post by tbird on Jul 23, 2015 15:29:34 GMT -5
Great idea with the dehydrating, let us know how this works for you.
I have the excaliber 9 tray, so will follow your example with excess harvesting....
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 26, 2015 22:18:26 GMT -5
Here's today's harvest, showing some turning brown, and some popping their skins. The brown ones were all on one plant, for some reason, but the fruits are still green, and they have to be used/preserved fast. One of those very large ones, that popped its skin, was the largest I have ever grown - 6.1 oz! There are still countless more, only half filling the skins, or less. I have to try the dried ones soon, so I know if I should dry the rest.
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