Some years ago, I heard the idea that you had to plant two tomatillos in order to get fruit. One tomatillo plant alone would flower but not set fruit. It needs cross pollination.
This reminded me of the idea I had heard about avocados too: that you need two avocado trees in order to get fruit. I knew that idea was false because I’d seen lone avocado trees loaded with fruit.
But how about evidence against the need for two tomatillos?
In 2016, I first tested the idea by planting a lone tomatillo early in the summer. It grew well and flowered but did not set fruit. All of the husks (calyxes) remained hollow. But after I stuck a second plant next to it in mid-summer, it started making fruit.
So maybe this idea of needing two tomatillos is true, I thought.
I did not grow a lone tomatillo plant again until this summer of 2025. The same thing happened, as the plant flowered and formed husks but when I squeezed the husks they were never filled with tomatillo fruit.
This time I removed the plant, and then I planted two new tomatillos in another part of the garden. From their first flowers until now at Thanksgiving, these two plants have made oodles of fruit. I think I’ve made four batches of green salsa from them already.
Maybe there are lone tomatillo plants that fruit, but they don’t want to in my yard. Going forward, I will always plant two (or more) tomatillos.
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I planted two tomatillo plants in a large pot. I had so many tomatillos and green salsa to share.
Perfect, Linda!
Reminds me of the thing I try to remember, which is that two plants don’t necessarily need the space of two full-sized plants. You can put them close together and grow them like a single plant.
Now I know why I didn’t get any tomatillos with one plant!
A question on another subject: Do you know how long an apple tree lasts? I have two trees with much decreased production the last couple of years. I checked with previous owner of the property and she thinks they could be 25 years old.
Hi Vickie,
I do know that some apple trees can remain healthy and fruitful for more than 25 years, as I’ve seen such trees, but every tree is an individual. Lots of things can happen to individual trees to shorten their productive lives, such as a period of insufficient water, bad sunburn, borers damage, etc. If you can’t discern any cause of their decline that you are able to correct in order to help them improve, then you might prepare yourself to remove and replace them in the coming years. Or even plant a new tree this winter so it starts producing before your old trees stop.
Yes! Tomatillos went bonkers on our farm in PB this summer. I’m not much for making salsa so… I made green tomatillo cake that has everyone asking for a second piece ☺️
Just find a green tomato cake recipe and use tomatillo instead; moist and you can cut back the sugar a bit, too.
Or make a chopped tomatillo salad with feta, watermelon, and olives. No need for dressing. Sweet and salty!
Next year, more tomatillos please 😊
Thank you for this. I’m going to try the cake one.
I overplanted tomatillos this year (again) sacrificing sun for my San Marzano’s and probably had 40lbs of fruit in a month or so. It was tomatillo overload!! Yes more plants make more fruit!
I’ll give 2 plants a try too. FYI sampled a Fuerte off the old tree last week, and while pretty darn good, it needs until the end of the year for the bigger flavor.