Standard Tomatillo
Rio Grande Verde is a standout heirloom tomatillo bred for serious production. Its determinate plants stay compact and need no staking, yet produce enormous yields of globe-shaped, apple-green fruit that averages 3-4 ounces per berry, remarkably large for a tomatillo. You'll harvest ripe fruit in 85 days under full sun, and because tomatillos require cross-pollination, planting at least two plants ensures you get the heavy crops this variety is famous for. The sweet, tangy flavor works beautifully in fresh salsa verde.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-11
?in H x ?in W
Annual
Moderate
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Rio Grande Verde bears some of the largest tomatillo fruit on the market, each globe reaching 3-4 ounces, yet the plants themselves stay manageable and determinate. The yields are exceptional, and the apple-green hue signals perfectly ripe, ready-to-harvest fruit. Its compact growth habit eliminates the need for staking while maximizing productivity in even modest garden space.
This variety shines in fresh salsa verde, where its large fruit provides substantial yield for processing and preserving. The sweet, bright flavor profile makes it the go-to choice for homemade salsa verde preparation. It's equally suited to fresh market sales thanks to the impressive fruit size and consistent quality.
Sow seeds indoors 1/4 inch deep in warm soil. Seeds sprout in 7-14 days under ideal conditions around 75-95°F. Start seeds 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date, then transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening off once soil temperatures consistently reach 60°F or warmer.
Harden off seedlings gradually over 7-10 days by exposing them to increasing outdoor light and wind. Transplant into garden soil after frost danger has completely passed and soil has warmed. Space plants 24 inches apart in full sun.
Harvest fruit when the husk splits open and the fruit falls to the ground at full ripeness, typically around 85 days from transplanting. The ripe tomatillo will feel firm and fill out the papery husk completely. You can also pick slightly firm fruit directly from the plant if needed, though allowing them to fall signals peak ripeness and sweetness.
No pruning is necessary. The determinate growth habit keeps plants naturally compact and bushy, and staking or pruning will only reduce the heavy yields this variety is bred to produce.
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