Tomatillo is an annual grown for its fruit, ready to harvest about 75 days after planting. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 11 and stands up to deer. Its flowers are a modest draw for native bees, even though the fruit is the prize. As a nightshade, give it a fresh bed each year — away from where its relatives just grew — so the soil-borne pests and diseases of the family never get a foothold.
Zones
3-11
pH Range
5-8
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
75
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What Tomatillo is
Tomatillo grows as an annual and reaches around 3.5 feet at maturity. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Tomatillo
Tomatillo grows in USDA zones 3 through 11 and is ready to harvest about 75 days after planting. Tomatillo does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5 to 8, on well-drained ground. It needs around 2,300 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 80 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
3-11
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Tolerance
46.4°F
The lowest temperature it shrugs off — below this, expect damage without cover.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Days to Maturity
75 days
Tomatillo; from transplant.
OSU-PNW; UMass-Veg
GDD Required
2300+
Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
3.5 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
80+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant tomatillo in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Tomatillo prefers pH 5 to 8 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at maturity
Tomatillo is ready about 75 days after planting (OSU-PNW; UMass-Veg). Pick when the fruit is full-colored and parts easily from the stem.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — tomatillo is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Tomatillo offers low value to bees and other pollinators.
Before you harvest tomatillo, know your soil
Anything you grow to eat takes up what's in the ground it grows in, so it's worth knowing what's documented near you before you plant tomatillo for food. Our free screen reads 9 federal source types across roughly 1.8M indexed sites and shows which sit near your address and which way they drain. It's a screening estimate from public records and proximity — not a soil test — so a nearby record means a soil test is worth it, not that your soil is unsafe.
Where Tomatillo thrives
On hardiness alone, tomatillo grows across most of the country — its range (USDA zones 3 through 11) is unusually wide. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 3–11·Where Tomatillo growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Tomatillo can grow in these states:
See if Tomatillo will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether tomatillo actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Tomatillo in my zone?
Tomatillo grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 11 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
How long does Tomatillo take to grow?
Tomatillo is ready to harvest about 75 days after planting (OSU-PNW; UMass-Veg). Your local frost dates and soil temperature move that window earlier or later.
When should you plant Tomatillo?
Most growers plant tomatillo after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 80-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Tomatillo need?
Tomatillo needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Tomatillo need?
Tomatillo prefers soil pH 5 to 8, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Tomatillo attract pollinators?
Yes — tomatillo's flowers are a modest nectar source for native bees.
Is Tomatillo safe for pets?
Tomatillo is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)