Tomotillos ripe?

[BB48]

Hello All

I grew tomatillos for the first time and they have grown tall and produced lots of fruit. I read that they would be bursting out of their papery shells when they are ripe but mine are dropping off at a rate and none are bursting out of shells. Can I use them or will they ripen on the window sill like toms. I also thought they should be a purple colour but mine are still green although some are turning a darker colour that are on the window sill

Also would be grateful for any recipe ideas.

BB

[womble]

I presume you are growing the purple ones then?
I'm growing them for the first time, they are ready when they fall off the plant, at this point they should be just about bursting out of their shells, or should fill them completely, if they don't you've got some kind of problem.
Mine aren't very purple at all btw.

[Alison]

Some tomatillos are a purple type and some are green and you can use them ripe or unripe anyway in salsas and Mexican cookery in particular. I've never had any problems with them falling off and normally pick them when they are as big as possible but last year picked a load of smaller ones before I went away in the autumn so that they didn't get frosted and just used them as they were. Are yours in pots or open ground?

[BB48]

They are in pots outside. Had a problem with my toms dropping off too and they are in pots. Maybe a lesson to learn here!

[Alison]

Hmmm, I've only grown them in the ground but have found in the past that fruits dropping off can often be down to irratic watering, is that feasible?

[BB48]

I have tried to water most days especially when it was hot. Oddly though, they are in the same size pots but one did dry out quicker than the other and as they are sort of mingled now it is hard to say which is dropping the most.

I have found a tomatillo and chilli jam recipe that I am going to try at the weekend as I have read that you can use them ripe or unripe.