Purple Tomatillo

The Purple Tomatillo is an open-pollinated variety that is a real standout in your garden. The unique heat-loving fruits feature bright green flesh and a bold deep violet skin at maturity when properly exposed to sunlight. Unlike other tomatillo varieties, the Purple Tomatillo has a much sweeter and fruitier flavor profile and can be eaten right off the vine or mixed with green tomatillos to make excellent salsa. The plants can benefit greatly from pruning suckers as they grow to ensure the already vigorous and heavy-yielding plants produce the largest fruits possible. Physalis ixocarpa. 70-80 Days To Maturity.

Tomatillos are in the nightshade family along with tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. We recommend growing them from transplants in our 162 Cell Seed Starting Trays. Transplants will usually take 5-6 weeks to establish a solid root ball before they’re ready to go in the ground. Tomatillos should be transplants when the risk of frost has passed in spring, typically 1-2 weeks after tomatoes, transplants are planted. For pollination and fruit set to occur, at least two plants must be planted beside one another.

Tomatillo plants can produce quite a bit of foliage and fruits. As a result, they will require some type of trellising or support. If growing long rows of them, you can also support them with stakes and twine using the Florida Weave technique. Fruits ripen early and should be harvested when the husk begins to split and the fruits fill the husk. Leave fruits in the husk until you’re ready to cut and prepare the fruits. Fruits will usually store for 2-4 weeks in the refrigerator after harvesting.

Purple Tomatillo Planting Information

Planting Method: transplant

When to Plant: after last frost

Planting Depth: 1/4″

Seed Spacing: 2′

Row Spacing: 3-4′

Days to Maturity: 70-80

Disease Resistance: None