Tomatillo verde advise please

[jackyspratty]

Hello all, Ive got 3 tomatilo verde plants in florist buckets outside. I haave no room in the garden which is mostly shady except the concrete bit hence the pots.

Is there anything special I should be doing with them? Am I meant to armpit them like toms, or just leave the offshoots? They have a few flowers each but seem quite leggy. I have staked them
Never grown them before so Im a bit in the dark.

Any tips apreciated. Many thanks

[womble]

Nah just leave them, you do need to support them more than say tomatoes I've found as they aren't as robust.

[BB48]

Hello

I am new to growing tomatillo plants too but havent read anywhere about pinching out armpits so I havent!

I have 2 in the greenhouse and they have grown like triffids with lots of lovey yellow flowers. One has had a few leaves go mottled with small bumps on them - anyone know what it could be? It was up against the greenhouse window so could it be scorching?

I'm not sure what to do with them (presuming I get fruits!) but read somwhere that they make good salsa. What to you intend to do with yours?

BB

[Bramble_killer]

you don't need to pinch out tomatillos, they grow as wide as tall.

Have you looked under the leaves to see if there are aphids or anything like that?

If you've got flowers, you'll get fruits Last year I made salsa then chopped them up into pasta sauces, they were lovely and tart. I used them in place of tomatoes. I'm sure you can make them into chutney or relish.

Ah-hah , an old thread with lots of ideas
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ick_21770.html

[Rabidbun]

As they're in a pot you will likely have to tie the tops of the plants (or the stakes) to something to stop them blowing over when they're bigger*. Mine flung themselves around the garden a fair bit till I got them anchored well, they don't half get big! This time around I've grown them near a fence for when they start to topple!

*possibly obvious, but I never thought that such spindly plants would catch the wind as much as they did!

[Jillyreeves]

Im growing them for the first time this year, three plants in pots in the greenhouse, all of which are in flower.

Are they OK in the greenhouse or do they prefer shade?
How tall do they get?

[womble]

They get to over a metre x a metre.

I always understood that they preferred going outside, rather than in the greenhouse, but then I've heard that some people grow them inside with no problems. They do need insect pollinating though.
I've only grown them in the ground, they're bad enough there! I wouldn't fancy having to balance them in a pot as well. Full sun seems to work well for me.

[Jillyreeves]

Binking Heck they grow massive.

Think I will have to pot them on again soon then and might have to put them outside no way do I have the space for them at full size in the greenhouse.

[womble]

Yep, but you can sort of grow them in amongst each other, they don't get really thick and crowded IYSWIM.

[jackyspratty]

Thanks guys thats great as usual. I didnt realise how big they got either! Mine Aren't really bushing yet, but do have a few flowers coming on. Some of the leaves are eaten in the middle rather than from the edges, assume this is aphid but not seen any yet on them, but they are on other things,

Thanks again

[JJSH]

tomatillos? Ah, maan, I had totally forgot about these. I wanted to use them in many tex-mex dishes, but wasn't prepared to pay silly money for the tinned ones, but of course, I have an allotment now, I can grow them! Doh! Why didn't I think of that in march.

Bring on next season!

[Alison]

I grow them most years but they really do get too big for the greenhouse and do really well outside where the insects can pollinate them easily. I don't pinch out anything but provide support via canes where I can and put them about 3' apart in their own bed. They fruit loads and freeze really well, still have a meal left out of them for last years crop so feel a Mexican coming on

[BB48]

Could I put them outside the GH now without causing any damage/shock as they have lived there so far but they are getting very big and I could do with the room?

[Rabidbun]

I just moved mine outside once it got hot and they survived the shock, but not sure if they should be eased out more gently and hardened off. My garden is quite sheltered though, which probably helped with the sudden transfer.