Are Tomatillo seeds worth trying?

[veggiechicken]

You're in luck! I've just found a slightly furry one in the kitchen. The seeds inside it look OK so I'm drying them off for you. If you PM me your address I'll send them to you.

[Scarlet]

Oh Fab! PM is on it's way!!!

[daylily]

As in the Bible:

Try everything, and what's worth, keep it.

You only gonna know for yourself. Plenty complain about weed qualities of these plants, plenty of us like them. You try some for yourself.

[northepaul]

I was going to have a go with tomatillos again this year too...(tried 2 years ago but although the plants got big, I didnt get one single fruit) I am liking the idea of making chutney etc with them.

[jackyspratty]

Ive grown tomatillos for 2 years now. I love them! I just grow them in a florist bucket outside and stake well. They do get huge, bees love them and the fruit also stores well. I just have mine in the kitchen in a seed tray and keeps firm and lovely. You will need to wash them well to eat and cook as they have a waxey coating which need to be removed as it feels a bit sticky. I use mine cooked, nice thinly sliced and fried with garlic etc as a side garnish, also use them in alongside green toms in a chutney and of course salsa! I think they are worth groing if you have the space as they seem to be disease free and need minimal fuss if any! I mainly like them because of their storing capacity really its not a case of harvest and use, you can relax and take your time!

[veggiechicken]

With that recommendation, I'm definitely giving tomatilloes a go this year. Thanks JSakaD

[Tripmeup]

Ok I'm going to try them so..thanks all...so that's tomatoes and tomatillos on the list...

[jackyspratty]

If any of you need seeds Pm me and Ill sort some out

[veggiechicken]

By coincidence, on the front of another gardening magazine with "Grow" in its title there are some free Tomatillo "Salsa Verde" seeds. There are also seeds of Chilli Anaheim, Cucumber Marketmore and Tomatoes Yellow Stuffer and Sweet Baby. I know all this because the magazine just fell into my shopping trolley!

[spanish_gardener]

How did everyone tomatillo plants grow for you last year? How did you grow them? Outdoors, indoors, what pots size, light, etc.? I saw a packets of tomatillo seeds for only 50p and I am considering grow them in a polytunnel.

[scorpius]

Ooh, not heard of tomatillos?? What do they taste like? just going to google. Mmm, not sure if Id like them? so do I get seeds or a plant?

[spanish_gardener]

Ooh, not heard of tomatillos?? What do they taste like? just going to google. Mmm, not sure if Id like them? so do I get seeds or a plant?

Hello Scorpius! I have never grow tomatillos myself, but I ate them and they were fabulous, plus very versatile, because you can add them in stir fries, you can make sauce, etc. and I read that, unlike tomatoes, tomatillos are pest free (not sure if it's true through!).

Here is an excelent article about them:

Tomatillo: a green sourpuss with a sweet side

Roasted, sautéed, grilled or stewed, tomatillos liven many Latin-inspired recipes with their vibrant color, often silky texture and mildly tart flavor.

It's vibrant green and looks like a small, under-ripe tomato hidden under a delicate, paper-like husk. Peel back that wrapping to reveal firm, slightly sticky flesh with a scent faintly reminiscent of freshly picked herbs. Take one bite and the sweet-tart flavor rings with plum, apple and citrus notes.

The tomatillo, a close but very independent cousin of the tomato and Cape gooseberry, is known by several names, including husk tomatoes, jam berries and Mexican green tomatoes. Though widely available year-round, the main season is May through October. Allowed to mature, tomatillos may range in color from yellow to red, even purple. But they're best picked just before ripening, when the flesh is still firm and the flavors are bright with a gentle but assertive acidity. Look for firm fruit with tight, unwrinkled husks.

With husks on, tomatillos keep for about two weeks stored in a paper bag and refrigerated, but husk them and store refrigerated in a plastic bag and they keep up to four weeks. If you garden and find yourself with an abundance, try freezing them (spread them, sliced or whole on a sheet pan in the freezer until solid, then place them in an airtight freezer bag).

In Spanish, tomatillo means "little tomato," and records show that tomatillos were cultivated by the Aztecs as far back as 800 B.C. Tomatillos liven many Latin American recipes with their vibrant color, often silky texture and mildly tart flavor. They're often used in salsas, especially those that lighten rich chicken and pork dishes.

Tomatillos lend themselves to a variety of cooking methods such as roasting, sautéing and stewing. Cooking softens the acidity and brings out the sweetness in the fruit. And like tomatoes, tomatillos can be enjoyed raw. Eat the fruit by itself, or use it to punch up a salad or cold dish.

For a simple meal, try grilling tomatillos -- direct heat over a hot fire brings out the sweet notes of the fruit -- by cutting them into wedges and lightly oiling and seasoning them. Quickly grill the tomatillos so they're crisp-tender -- a couple of minutes per side -- then toss them with some quick-grilled scallions, serrano chile and marinated, grilled shrimp. Divide the mixture among freshly warmed tortillas, add a side dish -- and supper is served.

Or try a variation on classic chile verde by using them in a sauce for a fluffy omelet made with panela cheese (a fresh Mexican cheese that softens to rich creaminess when heated). Sauté diced pancetta and tomatillos with minced onion and garlic. The pancetta cooks until caramelized and crisp; the tomatillo is added just so it warms through and blends with the flavors in the pan.

Freshen up the classic pairing of tomatillo and pork by adding citrus and fresh basil, mint and oregano. Stud a boneless pork roast with slivered garlic. Brown it in a heavy-bottomed casserole. In the same pan, sauté onion, garlic, serrano chile and coarsely chopped tomatillos, then place the roast back in the pan. Add some broth, orange zest and fresh oregano and roast until the meat is falling-apart tender.

Finish the dish by adding some fresh basil, mint and more oregano to the sauce (there is no cilantro in this variation ) along with some fresh lime juice. Spoon the rustic sauce over the pork and serve with rice or grilled tortillas.

The LA Times

[veggiechicken]

I grew some last year as it says up there ^^^^ somewhere. Only had a couple of tomatillos and I didn't know when they were ready to eat - as they stayed green. I liked what I had though so will try again this year. Mine were in flower buckets in the GH - 2 to a bucket.

[Alison]

I always grow them in beds outside on the lottie, they get HUGE and produce loads too - am guessing that they probably stayed smaller if you had 2 to a bucket. There is no way I'd have room for them in the tunnel / greenhouse and I've not found that they need protection after the last frosts. When they are laddened with fruit you do need to give them some support as they branches get very heavy.

I still have loads in the freezer from 5 plants last year (and one of them got damaged when something fell on it so didn't do as well ). I use some in chutneys but mainly for Mexican salsas and sauces. In the past I've frozen them whole but last year I cut a load up and froze them in batches with the amount I needed for one meal which meant that if I forget to defrost I can just empty the whole bag and cook from frozen. Really great plants, mine are just starting to germinate. I always find that the initial seedlings go a bit leggy (even with loads of light) and look a bit feeble. This used to worry me a bit and I've thrown away plants and started again when I first started growing them but over the years I've realised that they sturdy up nicely so don't worry too much. Never seen plants of them being sold but then again, never looked either so they might be easily available for all I know. Oh and the plants are very pretty too. I pick them when they've filled the husks but at the end of the season I take a load that are smaller too so as not to let them get wasted in the frosts.

[Tripmeup]

I was similar to VC in that I pit them in flower buckets and didnt get huge amounts of fruit....Sounds like they need plenty of room to grow big and produce masses of fruit.....

I shall try again this year...What I did have, I used in chutneys...