🟢 Tomatillo

Tomatillos produce tangy green fruits wrapped in papery husks, essential for Mexican salsa verde. Plants are vigorous, sprawling relatives of tomatoes, and they crop reliably in a warm UK summer, especially under glass.

They are not self-fertile, so you need to grow at least two plants for pollination. Fruits are ready when they split their husks.

Varieties to try

Verde (green, classic)Purple de Milpa (purple-tinged)Toma Verde (reliable)Cisineros (large)

Sow from March to April, 5 mm deep, in pots at 20°C, as for tomatoes. Prick out seedlings into individual pots, and plant out in early June after hardening off, 60–75 cm apart, into rich soil or large pots. Grow at least two.

A sunny, sheltered spot is essential; a greenhouse is more reliable. Provide stakes or cages.

Top tips

• Grow at least two plants.
• Start as for tomatoes.
• Support with cages.
• Plant out in June.

Water regularly and feed with tomato fertiliser every 1–2 weeks once flowering. Pinching out side shoots is unnecessary. Support the sprawling stems.

Pests are as for tomatoes; blight can occur in wet summers. Fruits fall to the ground when ripe; mulch with straw to keep clean.

Tomatillos need sturdy support, as the branches break under the weight of fruit. A tomato cage or three canes with string is ideal. They are thirsty plants, so mulch to help soil moisture. If no fruit sets, check that you have at least two plants and that they are flowering at the same time; pollinators visit the pale yellow flowers freely.

Top tips

• Feed like tomatoes.
• Support with cages.
• Mulch with straw.
• Watch for blight.

Watch out for

Late blightAphidsWhiteflyPoor pollination if only one plant

Pick when the fruit has filled the husk and the husk is beginning to split, usually from August to October. Fruits should be firm and bright green, or slightly yellow if more mature; ripe ones are sweeter.

Pick regularly. Fruit left on the ground is edible if clean. Harvest all before frost.

Top tips

• Pick when husks split.
• Choose firm green fruit.
• Pick before frost.
• Harvest regularly.

Remove the husk, rinse off the sticky coating and roast or grill the fruits for salsa verde with chillies, coriander and lime. Also good in stews, sauces and chutneys. They are tart and citrusy when cooked.

Store in husks in the fridge for 2–3 weeks. Freeze whole or as salsa for a year.

For classic salsa verde, roast husked tomatillos under a hot grill until blistered, then blend with raw onion, garlic, coriander, a fresh green chilli, lime juice and salt. It keeps for a week in the fridge. Tomatillos also add acidity to stews and chilli sauces.

Top tips

• Rinse off sticky residue.
• Roast for salsa verde.
• Store in husks.
• Freeze as salsa.