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hendi_alex
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Tomatillos, year one

Not much usable fruit, but 5-6 foot plants, and you never saw so much bee activity. We have harvested enough fruit for two batches of salsa verde, first batch was great, second batch yet to be made.

[img]https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4861087327_25ace13726_o.jpg[/img]

[img]https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4861708820_91142400d4_o.jpg[/img]

hit or miss
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I haven't had a husk mature into a full sized fruit yet. It should be interesting, some of the info I've read indicated that they will fruit all at once in late summer and you better be ready! Nice plants, by the way!

DoubleDogFarm
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Alex,

That's a serious plant. Mine are about 3ft tall. Lots of bee activity here also. When do you harvest your fruit.

a) When the husk is full
b) When the husk turns yellow
c) After they fall on the ground

I picked about 5lbs last night. All were full, but different sizes. Some had green husk, some yellow and I found a few on the ground.

[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/DSC02569.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/DSC02565.jpg[/img]

Eric

orgoveg
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I've never grown tomatillos, but I grow the very closely related ground cherries found in the wild. They are best when they have just fallen from the plant, but you can pick them when the husk is still green, yet full. I put them in a paper bag until they ripen inside the husks.

For seed-saving purposes, I've learned that I must wait until they fall off and then wait until the fruit skins shrivel before collecting fully mature seeds.

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hendi_alex
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I hope my fruit end up getting better size. So far they are only about one inch or less in diameter. I harvest when the husk is filled and the fruit is still green. As the shade becomes a yellowish tint, the fruit gets too sweet for my taste as I prefer the tartness of the green fruit.

DoubleDogFarm
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Alex,

Good to know. I'll have to do a taste test. Green vrs. Yellow. Do you have a favorite recipe :?:

Eric

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hendi_alex
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That is the wife's department, but with this being year one, she has only tried one recipe so far. It was good, but I'm not sure that it was any better than what they serve at Moe's Mexican restaurant. My wife's home made salsa and home made guacamole are to die for. The salsa verde is a work in progress.

garden5
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Although I haven't tried growing them for myself, yet, I've heard that they're best when they fall to the ground. However, personal taste trumps all: if you like 'em tart, pick 'em green :).

orgoveg
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Again, I'm talking ground cherries, but they are very similar to tomatillos (just smaller).

You have to be careful that ground cherries are ripe before eating them raw. Some varieties are actually toxic when green. I don't know if the same applies to tomatillos. Green ground cherries have a bitter flavor and must be cooked before eating. It's the same as green tomatoes, green potatoes, etc.

I use them to make jelly/jam (I don't know the difference). I'm still working on perfecting the recipe, but the batch I made last year turned out pretty good. Recipe follows:

1 cup ground cherries
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. orange juice concentrate
1 tbsp. lemon juice

In your smallest pot, bring cherries and water to boil and cook until cherries break open. Add sugar, orange juice and lemon juice. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 1/2 hour, stirring often. Refrigerate. It will thicken when chilled. Keeps for two months or more.

This is only good for one small jar. Tomatillos are bigger and you'd have to adjust the ingredients, accordingly.

I plan to experiment with some nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and a bit of salt.

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applestar
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I'm planning to try growing ground cherries next year. I'll have to remember your recipe.

I'm curious to know if Tomatillos really make better salsa verde. I've been using green tomatoes (a few hard green mostly breaking color green) based on several recipes found on line and I thought the resulting salsa tasted pretty good. Let us know won't you, Alex? DD?

garden5
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Looking at all those flowers, DD, I'm thinking you'll be in for a great harvest this year. Keep us updated.



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