Q: We had tomatillos growing in a community location, but they were ripped out early because it was thought they were poisonous prior to cooking. Are there precautions to growing tomatillos?
A: The tomatillo, otherwise known as the Mexican husk tomato, can be eaten both raw and cooked. It is a staple in Mexican cuisine, seen primarily in green sauces such as salsa verde. The tomatillo fruit is surrounded by an inedible, paper like husk. As the fruit matures it fills the husk, which turns brown and often splits open by harvest.
When planting your garden, it is important to note the tomatillos are highly self-incompatible, meaning it takes two or more plants for proper pollination. Isolated tomatillo plants will rarely set fruit. Several cultivars are available; sweeter purple and red varieties as well as more tart green and yellow varieties.
Ripe tomatillos will keep refrigerated for about two weeks, longer if the husks are removed and the fruit is placed in sealed plastic bags. They may be frozen whole or sliced.
Tomatillo
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