# Tomatillos won't fruit



## Bat Farm (Apr 21, 2010)

We have grown tomatillos from seed for two years in a row now and they just won't fruit! :help:

The plants get very large and flower like crazy but no tomatillos develop. I know they are getting pollinated (the bumble bees love them) and last year we did get three little fruits but that was all. So far this year we are on the same path. Any ideas or tips? 

We planted both green and purple this year if that matters


----------



## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

Do you water from the top or the bottom? I water my tomatoes and tomatillos from the bottom to keep from washing any pollen off and I seem to have great pollination compared to other people I know. Someone here in Gardening told about it a couple years ago and it really seems to work! My tomatillos aren't very big since the weather has been cold at night but this past week has warmed up and they are finally growing - although they have LOTS of little tomatillos on them!!!


----------



## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

There could be a big argument here on if tomatillos are self-pollinating or self-incompatible. Either way, you should get fruit from 2 or more plants if insects are swapping pollen back and forth between them. Also, not certain of the melting point of the pollen but it's around 80Âº for most tomatoes. It may just have been too hot there both years. 

Martin


----------



## sticky_burr (Dec 10, 2010)

here is hoping maine farm mom is around i know she is growing them this year and is over run.
how are the high and low temps i know too high and they will abort and too cool and they wont set.
have you a peice of row cover you can toss over a couple plants to keep then warm evening and night

ok i looked south carolina i am guessing heat aborting fruit grow in differnt season, so they fruit earlier in the spring of later in fall or suspend a shade cloth(open sides) to try to keep temps down


----------



## MaineFarmMom (Dec 29, 2002)

Are you looking for fruit at the bottom of the plants, under all the foliage? They start producing at the bottom where the first blossoms were. I was literally on my hands and knees crawling through the jungle a few days ago. I put two rows too close together in a high tunnel. I won't do that again.

Water well, at least 1.5" of water a week, 2" is better. They need moist soil to produce well. If you have soil that doesn't hold water you'll need to water more.

Are you adding compost to the soil? Don't over do nitrogen. They need fertile soil but too much nitrogen will produce a lot of plant but not a lot of fruit. 

Stickey_burr is right, it might be too hot. If you can start them sooner and have production going before it's too hot you might get tomatillos. I'm going to have a small week coming up because it was too hot in the tunnels. 75* to 85* is good, above 85* can cause blossom drop. 

I sold all of my tomatillos and Jalapenos this week (first week for more than a handful ready to pick). Next week I'm keeping some for salsa verde.


----------



## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

I have my tomatillos planted between the tomatoes right next to my mobile on the south side...It gets HOT but I water good by hand in the am and at dusk. The plants are small but loaded with little tomatillos. I put worm compost in this raised bed last fall.


----------



## Bat Farm (Apr 21, 2010)

You folks rock! :goodjob:

It looks like my problem is the heat based on your good information.



COSunflower said:


> Do you water from the top or the bottom? I water my tomatoes and tomatillos from the bottom to keep from washing any pollen off and I seem to have great pollination compared to other people I know. Someone here in Gardening told about it a couple years ago and it really seems to work! My tomatillos aren't very big since the weather has been cold at night but this past week has warmed up and they are finally growing - although they have LOTS of little tomatillos on them!!!


They do get watered from the bottom when rain is not the source. We definitely don't have cold nights here right now, I am a little jealous of yours 



Paquebot said:


> There could be a big argument here on if tomatillos are self-pollinating or self-incompatible. Either way, you should get fruit from 2 or more plants if insects are swapping pollen back and forth between them. Also, not certain of the melting point of the pollen but it's around 80Âº for most tomatoes. It may just have been too hot there both years.
> 
> Martin


There are 6 plants in a square area so they are cross pollinated for sure. I am thinking the heat based on y'alls input. It's over 80 most definitely!



sticky_burr said:


> here is hoping maine farm mom is around i know she is growing them this year and is over run.
> how are the high and low temps i know too high and they will abort and too cool and they wont set.
> have you a peice of row cover you can toss over a couple plants to keep then warm evening and night
> 
> ok i looked south carolina i am guessing heat aborting fruit grow in differnt season, so they fruit earlier in the spring of later in fall or suspend a shade cloth(open sides) to try to keep temps down


I think you folks are right and the high temps are the problem. They have good shade already due to large tree coverage. It looks like I am just planting them at the wrong time. 



MaineFarmMom said:


> Are you looking for fruit at the bottom of the plants, under all the foliage? They start producing at the bottom where the first blossoms were. I was literally on my hands and knees crawling through the jungle a few days ago. I put two rows too close together in a high tunnel. I won't do that again.
> 
> Water well, at least 1.5" of water a week, 2" is better. They need moist soil to produce well. If you have soil that doesn't hold water you'll need to water more.
> 
> ...


They are raised 3 ft up so looking at the bottom is easy  They get plenty of water. The soil has lots of compost so I will check my N levels. I do tend to treat them like tomatoes even though I know they are not tomatoes. I need to get out of that mindset. Last year was our first year trying these. DH loves salsa verde, that's why we are growing them (well trying  )

I will try some with the fall garden in a couple of weeks and then again this spring as an early crop rather than a summer crop as I have been. There are plenty of seeds left so I have several tries before I have to buy more. 

Thank you! :bouncy::bouncy:


----------



## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

Myself and my neighbor grow them for salsa verde also  We plant them with our tomatoes as they seem to like the same conditions.  Neither of ours get any shade and we both have them on the south side of our mobiles right up against the metal practically. They seem to LIKE the heat but you do have to water them regularly on a schedule practically or they will drop their blooms. I water mine every morning and every evening after it cools down.


----------

