What is the best way to water my Tomatillo?
Not only does the Tomatillo have certain preferences regarding how much water it receives, but it also cares deeply about how you provide that water. In fact, if you don't use the proper watering technique, you risk harming your tomatoes. The best way to water Tomatillo is to apply the water directly to the soil in a slow and gentle manner. You should not pour all of the water into the soil at once, and you should not do overhead watering for your Tomatillo. Although you should water slowly, you should also water deeply to ensure that all of the soil in which your Tomatillo grows is sufficiently moist.
What should I do if I water my Tomatillo too much or too little?
If you find that you have overwatered your Tomatillo and you are concerned about the associated risk of disease, you should intervene immediately. Often the best approach for an overwatered Tomatillo is to uproot it from its current growing location. Once the plant is out of the ground, you can allow its roots to dry a bit before planting it in a new growing location. Ensure that the new growing location has soil with good drainage. If you grow in pots, you may also want to move your plant to a pot with more or larger drainage holes. In the case of underwatering, all you will need to do is increase the frequency with which you supply water to your plant.
How often should I water my Tomatillo?
Overall, Tomatillo requires a significant amount of water throughout the growing season. To meet that high water need, you'll need to water early and often throughout the spring and summer. During the earlier parts of the growing season, you should water your Tomatillo about once or twice per week. As the season progresses, you should increase your watering frequency. You may need to water it twice per day or more during summer, depending on the weather. After your Tomatillo have gone through their major seasonal growth phases, you can reduce the frequency of your watering to about once per week until the end of the growing season.
How much water does my Tomatillo need?
Since Tomatillo are incredibly popular, with many professional and amateur gardeners growing them successfully, we have a pretty clear idea of how to care for these plants. That understanding includes specific knowledge about the precise volume of water an average Tomatillo should receive. Generally, Tomatillo will require about 1 - 1.5 inches of water per week. That volume should be dispersed evenly through your weekly watering. As the weather gets warmer, you may need to supply more water, but in most cases, two inches per week is a good baseline amount.
How can I tell if i'm watering my Tomatillo enough?
Underwatering and overwatering can both occur as problems for your Tomatillo, and both these problems can manifest with similar symptoms. For example, foliage discoloration and wilting can both result from either overwatering or underwatering. When your Tomatillo is underwatered, its leaves will be curling and drooping at the beginning. You will see a bunch of leaves turn less vigorous. Underwatering is also likely to cause stunted growth and poor overall development as both the flowers and this plant require a high amount of water. Overwatering is more likely to lead to disease, including rot. Overwatering may also lead to unpleasant smells rising from your plant's soil. The symptoms of underwatering will show up quicker than overwatering. Overwatering can also be evident in soil conditions. Mainly, if you notice a lot of standing water or waterlogged soils, overwatering is likely to occur.
How should I water my Tomatillo through the seasons?
As alluded to above, your Tomatillo's water needs will repeatedly change throughout the seasons. During most of spring and summer, you should water your Tomatillo about once every week. As the heat of summer arrives, you should plan to increase your watering frequency to once or twice per day. In the late summer and fall, towards the end of the harvest period, you can reduce your watering frequency to about once per week. After harvest has ended, you can cease watering as your Tomatillo has reached the end of its life cycle and will require no further soil moisture. The maintenance schedule of Tomatillo will require you to alter the amount of water you provide depending on the plant's current growth stage. Early on, especially if you grow your Tomatillo from seeds, you'll need to provide water often enough to maintain consistent soil moisture, which encourages root development. When the plant becomes old enough to produce flowers, it will likely need even more water. During the fruit development growth stage, your Tomatillo will likely need the most water out of any growth period, at times requiring water more than twice per day. Following that phase, the water needs of Tomatillo will decline significantly.
What's the difference between watering Tomatillo indoors and outdoors?
Whether you grow Tomatillo indoors or outdoors can also play a role in how you water them. Tomatillo that grows outdoors may receive water from natural rainfall, which will reduce the amount of supplemental water you should supply. However, it is incredibly rare for rainfall to adequately replace your watering entirely. Plants that grow indoors, along with any Tomatillo that grows in a container, will need to be watered more frequently than those that grow in the ground outdoors. If you choose this route, please make sure that the plant gets enough water by checking the soil moisture within your pot often to keep your Tomatillo healthy.
How much sunlight should Tomatillo get per day to grow healthily?
You must expose the plants to at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily. They prefer more exposure to the morning light, especially in the summer. The Tomatillo needs full sun and more sunlight that it can get. The more light these species get, the more they can manufacture food, produce beautiful blooms, and survive.
What type of sunlight does Tomatillo need?
The Tomatillo grows best under full sunlight. It's best not to crowd them together so they can get exposure to the sun evenly. The leaves shouldn't be starved with sunlight. If planted in pots, try to expose the herbaceous flowers in windows with direct sun and ensure they receive full sunlight regardless of the months. They don't tend to do well in partial or filtered light as this will not produce strong stems and healthy flowers. It's best if the Tomatillo is always exposed to the sun.
Can sunlight hurt plants? How to protect Tomatillo from sun and heat damage?
When the temperature rises above 90℉(32℃), the Tomatillo can get damaged by extreme temperatures, especially if they are exposed to many hours of sun. It's always ideal for providing some shade from the light in the afternoon in the summer. It's always important to keep in mind that the sunlight in the summer is stronger than the one in the winter. Sunlight exposure is also 50% longer in the summer than in the winter. If the Tomatillo is too stressed with sunlight, you might want to keep them fully hydrated. Water them when the top of the soil is about 2 inches dry, and move the plants indoors if it's too hot outside. This is the case if they are planted in containers. It can be normal for the plant leaves to wilt during the day. Generally, they can recover at night. However, when you notice that the Tomatillo is still drooping, this means that the plant is losing water fast, and you need to water them.
Should I protect Tomatillo from sun exposure?
The Tomatillo does not need any protection from the sun. In fact, they love the sun, and some species are heliotropic. Plant them in south-facing gardens whenever possible so they can be exposed from morning to afternoon. While the sun can benefit them, some may experience a sunburn. You might offer protection from the afternoon and midday sun through a shade of a tree or a wall. Growing the Tomatillo in shady areas is impossible because the larger flowers would require a lot of energy to grow and produce. Always provide the lighting conditions and set them in an area with full sun for best results.
What will happen if Tomatillo gets inadequate sunlight?
When the Tomatillo does not get adequate sunlight, or they are not placed in full sun locations, it's worth noting that the photosynthetic process will slow down. A lack of sunlight will cause the stems to become more leggy since they become thin and long since they tend to seek too much sunlight. They will not bloom and produce seeds in the shade. Inadequate sunlight will also mean that the older leaves can die, the color of the new ones is lighter than the old foliage, and the new growth is smaller than the last ones. The Tomatillo indeed loves the sun so much. However, they can wilt when exposed to excessive heat and ultraviolet light during the extreme summer months, so be careful. You might want to cover them with a net that has a green shade, especially in the summer, to prevent the leaves and the flowers from scorching. When they are indoors, reduce the heat with the help of a fan.
Does Tomatillo need special care about sunlight during its different growth stages?
When the Tomatillo is growing, they need more light than their mature counterparts. The younger ones should receive adequate light, but they might not be prepared for sudden full sunlight, especially if they are grown in a nursery. They can be more sensitive to the summer sun, so the lighting should be gradual and slow.
How much light does Tomatillo need for photosynthesis?
During summer or late spring, the Tomatillo needs 6 to 8 hours of direct light every single day. This is whether they are planted outdoors. If the Tomatillo is planted in pots or you're growing them in the winter, they need direct fluorescent lights that help them grow better. Make sure to place them in an indoor area where they are facing south or east so they can have enough sunlight for photosynthesis.
Are there any cautions or tips for sunlight and Tomatillo?
When transplanting the plants, they should not be exposed to sudden sunlight. Give the Tomatillo to grow and mature before transplanting outside. Some species of herbaceous plants can grow taller and might cast a shade on other young plants. Allow between 80 to 100 days of growing season before planting another batch to ensure that every plant receives more than enough sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. Make sure that the Tomatillo receives the best light possible, especially if it's planted in a nursery. These are sun-loving plants, but too much sunlight with a very hot temperature is also detrimental to their growth. Indoor lights should be replaced with natural sunlight as much as possible since these species crave this every day.
What is the optimal temperature for Tomatillo?
The best temperature for Tomatillo depends on the time of year. There are two primary seasons to discuss for temperature: the growing season, and the dormancy season. During the growing season, once Tomatillo has begun to sprout, the ideal temperature range should be anywhere from 65~80℉(18~27℃). Any colder than 15℉(-10℃), and the plant will suffer; its leaves may brown and wilt, but if this is a short cold snap, then Tomatillo may be able to survive with some help. During the warmer parts of the year, Tomatillo will need to be similarly protected from temperatures that are too high. 95-105℉ (35-40℃) is the top of this plant’s temperature range, and anything above that will compromise the integrity of the foliage and blooms of Tomatillo. Hotter temperatures can cause wilting, drooping, and even sunburn on the leaves, which can be difficult for Tomatillo to recover from. There are quite a few ways to combat this issue that are quick and easy!
Temperature requirements for first year or seedling Tomatillo
If this is the first year of your Tomatillo outside as a new plant, then it may need a little extra tending during the coldest months of the year. Not only can frost more severely damage a first-year Tomatillo, but it can also prevent it from growing back as a healthy plant come spring. This plant needs to be kept at 40℉(5℃) or above when they’re not yet established, which can be done either by bringing your Tomatillo inside for a month or two, or putting up mulch or fabric barriers that protect from frost damage. It’s also a good idea to plant Tomatillo in a shadier spot during the first year or two, as smaller and weaker plants have a more difficult time maintaining their own temperatures in the heat. First-year Tomatillo should receive no more than five hours of direct sunlight per day, particularly if the ambient daytime temperature gets above 80℉(27℃). Shadecloth and frequent watering or misting are the keys to summer heat control.
How can I protect Tomatillo from extreme temperatures?
If cold temperatures (below 15℉(-10℃)) do occur during the growing season, there are a few measures you can take to help protect Tomatillo from frost or cold damage. If you’re growing Tomatillo in a container, then the container can simply be brought inside in bright, indirect light until the temperatures rise up over the lower threshold again. Another option that’s better suited for ground-planted Tomatillo is to use mulch or horticultural fabric to create an insulated barrier around the plant, which will protect the plant from frost and cold wind. For temperatures that are hotter than 80℉(27℃) in the shade during the day, be careful to only expose Tomatillo to six hours or less of sunlight per day, preferably in the morning hours. Putting up shade cloth, or a fine plastic mesh, can help reduce the amount of direct sunlight that hits the plant during the hottest parts of the day. You can also install a misting system that allows for a slow release of cooling mist around the base of the plant during the day to lower ground temperatures.
Dormant season temperature recommendations for Tomatillo
During the cold winter months, Tomatillo needs a certain measure of cold in order to stay in dormancy until it’s time to sprout. Sprouting too early, that is before the danger of the last frost has passed, can be fatal to Tomatillo, especially if it’s already had a head start when the frost hits. Winter temperatures should ideally stay below 32℉(0℃), but if they get up to 40℉(5℃), everything will be just fine. An unexpected warm spell during the cold months, which can happen in more temperate climates like woodland rainforests, can trigger a premature sprout from Tomatillo. In this case, if there’s still imminent danger of frost, you may want to try covering it with clear plastic on stakes so that the cold has less of a chance of damaging the new sprout. This setup can be removed when the danger of frost has passed. Occasionally, Tomatillo will be able to resprout at the correct time without any help, but this method increases the chances of a successful second sprouting.