never heard of that.i planted two and i still have two.they do get big and a very nice looking plant.

Volunteer tomato plants?

Ok,

Here are some pictures of the two plants in question.

the top two are the good tomatillo, one is the plant the other is the flower.

The bottom two are the "volunteer" plants.

Are these the same thing? Talked to neighbors today too, they have never seen these in the area either. Then again they never heard of tomatillos too.

James.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatillo Pictures

This is the 3rd year for me growing the Toma Verde and the first for Purple Milpa. I have only had the branches take root if left on the ground. I have not had new sprouts show up like you say you have. You said transplant so that rules out spilling seed.

Yes, they're tomatillos. I grew 2 plants last year in a container on the edge of the deck, and found that a few fruits that escaped me have managed to reseed themselves between the deck and the fence. Pulled them out as there are still bags of them in the freezer. Surprising really, I didn't think that anything here would reseed itself, especially heat lovers like tomatillos.

They're kind of like ground cherries in that regard - if you drop a fruit, or they get blown around by the wind, they'll take over your yard.

Like salsa?!

I am part of a shared garden space in my condominium complex and a neighbor recently planted tomatillo plants in a nearby garden area. Although they have yet to bear fruit, I have had a several "volunteer" tomatillo plants sprout up all over my garden area. I have pulled some of them out, and kept a few.

I can understand volunteer tomatillo plants that appear the next year from the berries that dropped the preceding year, but I can't understand two new plants being planted in an area that has not been planted with tomatillos in the past showing volinteers in the same season that new plants have been planted.

Tomatillos are only remotely related to tomatoes. They are in the genus Physalis which is one of over 100 different genera in the family Solanaceae. They are most closely related to those decorative chinese laterns that many use for fall decoration.

Carolyn

Well the volunteer tomatillo plants MAY have come from a slightly distant neighbor. He saw my plants growing and came over to ask if I had any extra fruits as he FORGOT to plant his this year. My garden area is probably the most open dirt in the general area and thus the volunteer plants. I guess I have my answer. Thanks all for your posts.

Today we finally were able to pick some and have a salsa planned for this weekend. Two plants yielded us aprox 5 lbs of tomatillos. there are probably 20 other pods growing.

Now if only my tomatoes would ripen up... Weird weather this year.

James.

Anyone know how to get rid of tomatillos for good??? We are building an house and have HUNDREDS over several acres. Cleared the land a year ago and didn't have any until several months ago. We did not plant any and don't have any neighbors close to us so have no idea how they popped up unless it was somehow something the crew ate (they throw their food and garbage all over). HELP! We have been pulling them up but want to ensure they do not and cannot come back.

Wow - a 14 year old post comes back to life!

Tomatillos grow wild in Mexico and reseed themselves easily. It may take years to completely get rid of them. If you don't let them fruit then they can't reseed themselves but the existing seed bank on your property may last a few years yet.

My sister had never grown tomatillos, and didn't know what they were. This spring, she has about 8 volunteer plants in a flower bed that are putting my purposefully planted specimens to shame. I think they are even more resilient/pervasive than cherry tomatoes. Probably similar to ground cherries, though not necessarily related. They make great salsa.

Mice loves tomatillos - at least in my garden. They will pick a fruit, scurry off to a safe place and munch happily (i presume). They have their favourite spots and I get clumps of tomatillo seedlings all over the place - a lot of it quite a distance from the tomatillo beds. i leave some of these to mature and fruit so that i can at least have a larger share of the varieties I grow and like.

These plants have taken over my garden all well. I was actually wondering if they could voluntarily come up like cross pollinated tomatoes produce cherry tomatoes here in Tennessee the next year. I feed my chickens tomatoes that go bad or are eaten by horned worms. I use the manure the next year..... Thought this could be the cause perhaps?? I really do not know.