Grow Your Own Magazine

Hope this is the right place to put this query, sure someone will move it if not. We've actually managed to germinate and grow tomatilloes this year. I've only just realised they are a sub-species of physalis - I grow the ordinary physalis (chinese lanterns in the border as a decorative plant), but I understand that tomatilloes are not hardy. Also, my main query is when do you pick the fruits. Do the "lanterns" change colour when the fruit are ready?

No, my lanterns didn't change. I picked mine when they seemed about right ie they filled the lantern bit and felt a bit softer to squeeze. I wanted mine for Mexican cooking and apprently they're best for that when not fully ripe - if you do a search you'll find there was a bit of a discussion on this the other day - none of us really knew but it seemed to be working out OK.

BTW, if you've got the purple ones then it might be different as they may change colour when they ripen, not much help for me tho as mine were plain green although I did find the plants very pretty.

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Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

Rustylady, i grew the purple ones this year for the first time. Yes they do change colour, they turn a deep purple colour and soften.
I entered some in the competition so you may like to take a look at them.

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And when you're back stops aching,
And you're hands begin to harden.
You will find yourself a partner,
In the glory of the garden.

Rudyard Kipling.

Thanks, Alison & Bramble. Guess I'll just have to try them and see.

I have a few which are splitting their "lanterns", but they are still green.

I've moved you to Vegging Out Rustylady, but not too sure about that either, but it is probably the place where we might go looking for it at a later date.

They sound very interesting. Are you able to post a piccy?

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~
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay Ash

Will try to post a piccie tomorrow Jennie. Too dark now to take one. I now have two fruit bursting out of their lanterns, but the fruit is still green and the lanterns haven't changed colour.

Can't post a piccie of mine as they've either been eaten or frozen!

__________________

Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

Sounds like they're somewhere near ready RL, if they're starting to burst their lanterns? What colour are they supposed to be? Mine were a green variety anyway, i think they lightened in colour slightly but that's all. If I was you, I'd just pick one and try it - trial and error?! At least you'll know then!

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Sarah

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Gave in and picked the two biggest ones today as it's getting really cold now at night. Attached, I hope is my piccie. Still not decided what to do with them.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Now all you need is a salsa recipe!

PS I've grown Cape Gooseberries (Physalis Edulis) which also have a lantern and they look to be related!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

great in chutneys! the river cottage recipe is a good one...... ps mine tend to feel a little sticky when ready, but i have used them before in chutney (tried other recipes but I don't like the taste!)

That's just what mine looked like.

The ones I've used so far were made into a Salsa De Tomate Verde which was a Mexican sauce which I used for Enchilados Verdes. Really yummy. Was going to make some more today but got caught up making various chutneys and ran out of time. Will post the recipe if you want although will have to get the book out for that one.

__________________

Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

Wow! They come ready packed? Thanks for the piccie RL.

Until the Virtual Show I had not even heard of them. Perhaps I'll give them a try next year, they look really interesting.

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~
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.
~ Mary Kay Ash

Thanks everyone for your help. Don't think I'll be able to make much salsa with just two fruits, but I will give it a go. Yes Snadger, tomatilloes are a type of Physalis - don't know if they are Physalis Edulis (maybe Tomatillo is a fancy new name for them?). I grow the common or garden Physalis in the border (commonly known as Chinese Lanterns) and they produce lovely orange lanterns in autumn with a fruit inside them but I don't think they're edible. They also seem to be hardy, but I don't think Tomatilloes are. I'm confused now.

Tomatillos also need more than one plant as they will not produce fruit on a lone plant.

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And when you're back stops aching,
And you're hands begin to harden.
You will find yourself a partner,
In the glory of the garden.

Rudyard Kipling.