Welcome to my Sustainable Urban Garden

My garden is a work in progress, always growing and changing within itself.

My gardens include many herbal beds, raised vegetable beds, raised "citrus heights" citrus tree bed, berry beds, fruit trees, grape arbor, rose beds and many perennial flower beds with annuals too. My greenhouse is still in the transformation stage,
as well as some planting areas.
Enjoy your journey through my gardens, I do!

Monday, August 02, 2010

Tomatillo surprises in the vegetable garden

Last year was the first year I had ever grown tomatilloes. I was told to have at least two plants for pollination, so I had two. I had no problem with the production of tomatilloes last year. They are those fruits that look like green tomatoes and also the ones with the paper looking skin. I had lots of them and did not get them all harvested, so many fell to the ground. The yellower they turn the sweeter they get. I understand some people only like them green and others really like them different shades of yellow. I have no preferences yet. Under that dry paper shell they are quite sticky and have to be washed before you prepare them for eating fresh or in a salsa or sauce. Other than that they are easy to incorporate into any dish you desire.


I was also told that once you grew tomatilloes you would always have them. So, when I groomed that long side bed of my yard and did not find any volunteers I was very disappointed. Then a month later in July I noticed these volunteers. Tomorrow I have to thin them, so hoping I have lots of friends who want tomatilloes.

I think they are a wonderful addition to the vegetable garden and so easy to grow. They do need to be supported. I used one of my old tomato cages made out of heavy wire wrapped into a cylinder shape. I really think I will not grow more than 4 plants this year. That is plenty for eating fresh and plenty to freeze for later in the year. Their shelf life is quite long too, much longer than a tomato. 

1 comment:

Gina said...

Looks like you have a great harvest. I have never tried growing tomatillo's, but I do know I love them in salsa verde.

My garden isn't doing as well this year as far as vegetables go:( We have had a weird summer as far as weather go's and I think it's taken a tole on my vegetable beds.

Your eggplants look nice too!