Whether you garden in the ground, in raised beds, or on the patio, tomatillos are a great addition or re-addition to your plant family. Read on for simple, straightforward specifics about growing tomatillos.
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Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Do Tomatillos Belong To?
Tomatillos (Physalis philadelphica) belong to the Solanaceae family, also known as the nightshade family.
Some of their relatives include tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Tomatillos?
The minimum container size recommended for tomatillos is 5 gallons.
Learn more in our Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden article here.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Tomatillos?
Some of tomatillos' best companions are as follows:
- Mints such as spearmint and peppermint
- Basil
- Tulsi
- Onion
- Peppers, especially hot peppers like habanero and jalapeño
- Peas
- Beans like green beans
- Orach
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Tomatillos?
Tomatillos are not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with tomatillos are as follows:
What Soil Conditions Do Tomatillos Need?
Tomatillos prefer fertile, well-draining soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
How Long Do Tomatillos Take to Germinate?
Tomatillos take 10-21 days to germinate at a temperature of 60-85°F.
How Much Sun Do Tomatillos Need?
Tomatillos prefer full sun.
Sun recommendations can vary by region, and tomatillos grown in hot areas or in warmer conditions than the ideal temperature range noted below may need more shade.
How Much Water Do Tomatillos Need?
Tomatillos need 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. They are somewhat drought-tolerant.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Tomatillos?
Tomatillos grow fastest in temperatures of 70-90°F.
This is their ideal temperature range. Although they will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, growth could be slower or even stunted.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. Some tomatillo varieties are bred for longer harvests and others for warmer climates.
Tomatillos are generally hardy to around 45ºF.
How Tall Do Tomatillos Get?
The average height of tomatillos is 3-5 feet.
Are Tomatillos Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Tomatillos are perennial vegetables, meaning that they live for longer than a couple years, in areas whose temperatures do not fall below 45ºF.
But they are typically grown as annuals, meaning that they start and end their lives in the same year, in colder areas.
How Do Tomatillos Reproduce?
Tomatillos reproduce by seed.
How Many Tomatillos Are Produced Per Plant?
For tomatillos, how many are produced per plant (also called the yield) largely depends on the type of tomatillo and, at times, the variety.
Most tomatillo varieties produce 60-200 fruits per plant.
Can Tomatillos Be Ingested?
Tomatillo fruits are edible.
Tomatillos do not have any known uses in herbal preparations.
There are no known safety concerns associated with ingesting tomatillo fruits.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of tomatillos rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for tomatillos here!
Tomatillos are featured in these Plant to Plate articles: