When to Plant Tomatillos
The key ingredient in salsa verde, producing golf-ball-sized fruits inside papery husks. More productive and pest-resistant than tomatoes.
The Short Answer
How to Grow Tomatillos
Tomatillos are the essential ingredient in salsa verde, and they're easier to grow than tomatoes — more resistant to disease, less attractive to pests, and more productive per plant. The critical rule: plant at least two plants for cross-pollination. A single tomatillo plant produces foliage but no fruit. Harvest when the papery husk splits and the fruit fills it completely. The sticky residue on the fruit is normal — rinse it off before cooking. Tomatillos are prolific self-seeders in mild climates; volunteer plants pop up everywhere the following spring.
Starting Seeds Indoors
Begin tomatillos seeds indoors 6 weeks before your average last frost date. Seeds need soil temperatures of at least 60°F to germinate, which typically takes 7-14 days. Provide 12 hours of light per day using a south-facing window or grow lights.
Transplanting
Move seedlings outside 2 weeks after your last frost date, once soil temperatures reach 60°F. Harden off seedlings for 7 days before transplanting by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions.
Growing Tips
Plant at least two for cross-pollination — a single tomatillo won't set fruit. Ripe when the husk splits and fruit fills it completely. Prolific — 2-3 plants produce enough for dozens of jars of salsa verde.
Companion Planting
Good companions:
Keep away from:
Tomatillos Planting Dates by State
Click your state for tomatillos planting dates specific to your location:
Last reviewed: March 29, 2026