Physalis Species, Mexican Husk Tomato, Miltomate, Tomatillo

Last year I was growing this in England (near Liverpool) as an edible crop on the allotment. Sadly during a windstorm it was snapped and ...Read MoreI lost all the ripening fruits. I was absolutely gutted. However I wondered if this plant could behave as a herbaceous perennial maybe and return after winter.

A few days ago I noticed some new growth from the stem, and also some new growth coming up from below ground. It seems therefore it might be a little hardier than -1C. The place where it was this year hit around -3C although the plant was mulched.

Anyway it looks like I'll get a second crack at this one.

Tomatillos are a MUST GROW in my zone 5b garden every year. There's no other veg that is going to give you the unique flavor that a To...Read Morematillo will give you. Especially in red salsas as a "secret" ingredient. People will chase you down to figure out why your salsa is better than any other they've tasted. ;-) They are essential in Salsa Verde', which is awesome on steak, in green enchiladas, burritos- you name it. They're also just darn good eaten raw in salads.
They have a sticky residue on them when you pick them. I've never used soap to get that off as some suggest. It washes off easily with cold water. The residue gives them a weird smell which totally disappears with the residue.
I've never had any real pest issues with Tomatillo. Never any diseases either. One time I had some kind of tiny caterpillar/worm that made their homes in the husks and broke out at some point (tiny holes left behind in the husk). The fruit were completely untouched and unharmed. I would have never known they'd been there at all if I hadn't been picking them early and seen them. I was told this is a fairly common issue and does not harm the fruit at all. That proved to be true.
They do extremely well (when grown correctly). You have to have more than one plant, so that they can pollinate each other. I never plant less than 3, though I have friends who do have success with just 2.
Different people like Tomatillos at different stages of ripeness. They taste differently at each stage. Early, when they are bright green- they are slightly tart. That's my favorite stage. When they develop more of a yellow-green color, they are less tart. Then they go yellow, and then purple. Personally, I don't like the flavor when they're yellow and like it even less when purple. They taste almost rotten to me then. I do know people that like them purple though.
The husk develops on the plant before the fruit within develops. Don't be discouraged when you squeeze the husk(which you'd SWEAR must have a fruit in it) and discover it is totally empty. Soon enough, the plant will be bursting with fruit in all of those husks.
Tomatillo is a very prolific producer, and a long season producer. I get tons of fruit from late May/early June until I get a late November hard frost here in Central Ohio. The fruit is just as good whether it is large or small. Doesn't seem to matter. I often pick some early and use them. It's a tall and bushy plant, but the foliage is not as dense as with Tomatoes. Mine usually average 5ft in height.
Give them a try! You might just fall in love. Just remember to plant more than one (side by side) or you'll have big plants with empty husks that never develop fruit inside.

When I grew them in San Diego, I had incredible success, but here in Santa Cruz, I have witnessed powdery mildew looking stuff on my thre...Read Moree surviving plants. I prop'd them from traded seeds, so that may be why (pm), but we get our fair share of foggy days early in the growing season, and wet morn's in the summer. I only water at the base, but while on vacation, someone else watered, so...

Easy to grow, tart fruit essential in making authentic Mexican verde sauce. Plant reseeds readily, but the seedlings are easily pulled up.