Back to growing guides 
VegetablesTenderAnnual
Tomatillo
Tomatillo is a tender husk tomato grown for firm tart fruits enclosed in papery lantern-like husks. It is central to salsas and sauces, and differs from standard tomatoes in both flavour and growth habit, producing abundant crops on vigorous plants.
Basic information
Category
Vegetables
Lifecycle
Annual
Hardiness
Tender
Planting partners
1 companion · 1 crop to avoid
Growth profile
Days to harvest
85 days
Germination window
7–14 days
Germination temperature
20–25 °C
Plant spacing
75 cm
Row spacing
90 cm
Sowing depth
0.5 cm
Height
150 cm
Spread
75 cm
Calendar
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Flowering / Harvest
Timings based on average frost dates in the UK. Sign up to set your frost dates.
Care tips
Grow at least two plants for more reliable pollination and fruit set, and give them the same warmth and feeding you would offer tomatoes. Support plants if growth becomes lax, and harvest once the husks fill out and begin to split naturally.
Common pests
Aphids, whitefly, flea beetles, slugs.
