Tomatillo
Physalis philadelphica
Solanaceae · nightshade family
- Matures
- 70–100 days
- Harvest
- Continuous · Annual
- Sun
- 6–8+ hrs
- Spacing
- 24–36 in
Planting window
When to sow, by microclimate — foggier blocks run a different calendar than sunnier ones.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foggy | ◐ | ◐ | ◐ | |||
| Sunny | ● | ● | ◐ |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foggy | ◐ | ◐ | ||||
| Sunny | ◐ |
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Sunlight
How well it does at each level of direct sun per day.
<2 hrsNot suited
2–4 hrsNot suited
4–6 hrsMarginal
6–8 hrsWell-suited
8+ hrsWell-suited
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Soil depth
Root room it needs — useful for sizing raised beds and containers.
6–10"Not suited
10–15"Not suited
15–18"Marginal
18–24"Well-suited
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Spacing
Room each plant needs — along the row and between rows — for sizing beds.
- In-row
- 24–36 in
- Between rows
- 40–48 in
Growth habit
The shape it makes in the bed and how tall it gets — what tells you whether to give it a trellis, a stake, or just room.
- Habit
- Upright
- Mature height
- 3–4 ft
Stands on its own; the tallest types appreciate a stake in wind.
How to start it
Sow it where it grows, or raise it under cover and set it out — and how far ahead to start the seedlings if it's the latter.
- Usually
- Transplant
- Start indoors
- 6–8 weeks ahead
Direct-sowNot suited
TransplantWell-suited
Started under cover, then set out as a seedling.
Well-suitedMarginalNot suited
Getting started
How it goes in the ground — how deep to sow or set it, and the soil temperature it needs to wake up. The cold-soil floor is the real limiter for direct-sowing in a foggy SF spring.
- Started from
- From seed
- Ideal soil temp
- 75–85°F
- Sow depth
- 0.5 in
- Time to emerge
- 7–14 days
Germinates between 60–90°F; happiest around 75–85°F.
30°F110°F
IdealWorkable
Pests & diseases
What tends to trouble this crop — what it is, what you'll see, and what to do about it, least-toxic first.
USU: Tomatillos are naturally resistant to most diseases and pests. Early detection will help alleviate crop damage if problems should arise. See the following pest chart. Most insect damage will be to the leaves; the papery husk protects the fruit from pests.
Pests2
Aphids
- What it is
- Aphids have soft pear-shaped bodies with long legs and antennae and may be green, yellow, brown, red, or black depending on the species and the plants they feed on. A few species appear waxy or woolly due to the secretion of a waxy white or gray substance over their body surface.
- What you'll see
- Low to moderate numbers of leaf-feeding aphids aren't usually damaging in gardens or on trees. However, large populations can turn leaves yellow and stunt shoots; aphids can also produce large quantities of a sticky exudate known as honeydew, which often turns black with the growth of a sooty mold fungus.
- What to do
- Before planting vegetables, check surrounding areas for sources of aphids and remove these sources. On the other hand, these aphid-infested weeds can sometimes provide an early source of aphid natural enemies.
Flea Beetles
- What it is
- Their small size, enlarged back legs, characteristic shot-hole damage, and habit of jumping when disturbed make flea beetles easy to identify. There are numerous flea beetle species.
- What you'll see
- Adults feed mostly on leaves, leaving tiny pits or small holes at their feeding sites. Flea beetles feeding together can cover leaves with bleached, pitted areas or ragged holes.
- What to do
- Remove debris in the fall to remove any overwintering beetles. Reflective mulches applied very soon after planting and before plants become infected can be helpful.
Diseases3
Powdery Mildew
- What you'll see
- Older leaves and leaf petioles of plants with powdery mildew may be covered with a white powdery growth. Young leaves develop small circular white powdery spots that slowly enlarge to cover the leaflets.
- What to do
- In most cases, planting resistant varieties or avoiding the most susceptible varieties and following good cultural practices will adequately control powdery mildew. Provide enough water and avoid excess fertilizer.
Various viruses
- What you'll see
- Leaves are light green, mottled, malformed, dwarfed and curled. Early infection affects fruit shape and flavor. Viruses are transmitted by aphids and leafhoppers.
- What to do
- Control insects and destroy infected plants.
Root rots
- What you'll see
- Plants grow poorly and may wilt even when watered regularly.
- What to do
- Don’t over-water or grow where soils stay wet long after the irrigation is over.
Sources
Every figure above is backed by these.
- UC Master Gardeners, Marin Countybacks plantingWindow, sunlight, soilDepth, inRowSpacing · UC Marin MG Tomatillo grow sheet (coastal Bay Area): 'Plant after danger of frost is past and soil has warmed, April through June' (warm-season window). 'Plant in a location with full sunlight (at least six hours a day)' (sunlight full-sun; 4-6 hrs = maybe). 'Space plants about two feet apart and provide support such as a cage or stake, as tomatillo plants can grow up to four feet tall' (inRowSpacing 24 floor; a large 4-ft plant, so deep-rooted like its nightshade relative tomato -> soilDepth mirrors tomato: 18-24 = yes, 15-18 = maybe, shallower = no). Tomatillo (Physalis) is a warm-season Solanaceae grown on the same schedule as tomato in the Bay; foggy SF stays marginal (heat-loving, mildew-prone in cool damp) so the month map mirrors tomato.
- UC Master Gardeners, Alameda Countybacks sunlight, inRowSpacing, soilDepth · UC MG Alameda 'Guide to Growing Tomatillos': 'Tomatillos need at least six hours of sunlight per day' (sunlight). 'Space plants about two feet apart and provide support such as a cage or stake, as tomatillo plants can grow up to four feet tall' (inRowSpacing). 'When planting bury half of the plant below the soil line to encourage root growth from the stem' (roots from stem like tomato -> deep-rooted, supports soilDepth).
- Utah State University Extensionbacks daysToMaturity, inRowSpacing, sunlight, plantingWindow, lifecycle, harvestStyle, plantingDepth, growthHabit · USU 'How to Grow Tomatillos in Your Garden' (agronomy only; Utah timing not used for SF): 'Expect to begin harvesting fruit about 60-75 days from transplanting' (daysToMaturity floor; full production runs to ~90-100, so range 70-100). 'Transplants should be planted 2 feet apart in rows spaced 3 feet apart' and 'hills, 24-36 inches apart' (inRowSpacing 24-36). 'Choose a site in your garden that receives full sun' (sunlight). 'Plant tomatillos when soils are warmer than 60F or after the frost danger has passed' (corroborates the warm-season set-out). 'tomatillos form roots from their stems like tomatoes' (deep-rooted, soilDepth). Habit and harvest: annual, continuous — grown as a warm-season annual that begins fruiting ~60-75 days from transplant and keeps setting and ripening fruit until frost. Planting depth 1/2 in: 'Plant four to six seeds 1/2-inch deep in hills.' Growth habit: 'Tomatillos grow 3-4 feet tall and wide' (height 36-48 in) with 'an indeterminate, sprawling growth habit'; they 'benefit from staking or caging plants to keep fruit off the ground' — classed upright (a large caged bush that flops under fruit weight but does not vine/climb), not sprawling-along-the-ground.
- UC Master Gardeners, Sonoma County (Planting Summary)backs rowSpacing, startMethod · Vegetable Planting Summary, Tomatillos row: 40-48 in between rows. Start method: Vegetable Planting Summary, Tomatillos row: method T. The table's legend defines T as 'usually transplanted (start seed indoors 6-8 wks ahead)' — the lead time here is that legend figure, stated for the table's T crops generally rather than for tomatillo specifically.
- University of Minnesota Extensionbacks germination · UMN Extension: keep flat 75–85°F until seedlings emerge (optimal), 70°F ideal after; plant out when soil >60°F (floor). Days 7–14 follow tomato — UMN sows tomatillo on the tomato schedule (2 weeks later).
- USDA GRIN Taxonomybacks botany