TWENTY-ONE VEGETABLES - Start a Community Food Garden - page 134

Tomatillos and ground cherries belong to the nightshade family. Both grow in an inedible paper-like
husk, though their tastes are different. Tomatillo fruit is about the size of a walnut, and has a tart flavor.
Ground cherries are bite-sized snacks with a sweeter flavor. Tomatillos grow upright up to 4 feet tall,
while ground cherries sprawl.
Start Tomatillos and ground cherries need a long growing season with plenty of sun and heat. Start with
seedlings purchased from a nursery.
Grow Set plants 2 to 3 feet apart in well-drained, warm soil. The plants are self-infertile and must have
another plant close by to pollinate. If you are gardening intensively, plant ground cherries on a corner
or edge of a raised bed so they can sprawl. Tomatillos take up a lot of room so account for 2 to 4 square
feet for the mature plant. Also, tomatillos are very prolific so you might share one plant with several
friends and free up space for more crops that way.
Harvest Pick tomatillos while they are deep green and the husk has changed from green to tan, or when
the fruit busts through the husk. Left to ripen on the vine, they will turn yellow or purple with a bland
taste. Ground cherries ripen from green to yellow-gold.
Store and Serve Tomatillos will keep for months in a cool spot with good ventilation. Spread them out
in one layer without removing the husks, and do not store in a plastic bag or they will spoil. Canning is
another way to preserve tomatillos.
Tomatillos are a tart-tasting staple of Mexican cooking, used in salads, tacos, and sandwiches.
Ground cherries are used raw as a dessert, though they are more commonly used for jam, baked into
pies, or cooked for a sauce on cakes and puddings.
TOMATOES
Lycopersicon esculentum
Due to their mass popularity, tomatoes are considered the king of garden vegetables. Tomato shapes in-
clude oblong, ruffled, plum, bite-sized cherries, and fruit that can weigh up to a pound. Tomatoes come
in many colors: red, white, yellow, orange, green, purple, and striped.
Start Tomatoes need a long, warm growing season with full sun. They are best started in the garden as
transplants.
Grow For optimal instructions, see page 149 . You can also dig a hole twice the size of the root ball and
put in a handful of compost. Plant up to the top set of leaves. Be ready with stakes or cages to support
the fast-growing plants and keep them off the ground. Pinch off side shoots of indeterminate plants. You
will place one plant per square foot if you are gardening intensively and plan on pruning and supporting
your tomatoes. If you are going to let them go wild, leave more space.
Harvest Promptly harvest ripe fruit to relieve stress on the plants. Ripe tomatoes are deep in color and
firm to the touch. Large beef-steak and plum varieties are good for sauce. Both ripen later than other
varieties.