When to Plant Tomatillos
Tomatillos are a tender warm-season vegetable. Frost damages them, so they go out only after the last spring frost.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost, and plant out 1 to 4 weeks after the last frost. The first harvest comes about 60 to 75 days after transplanting.
Example dates
The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.
| Task | Last frost Mar 15first Nov 15 | Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25 | Last frost May 15first Sep 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start seeds indoors | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 |
| Harden off | Mar 15 – 21 | Apr 15 – 21 | May 15 – 21 |
| Plant out | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Apr 22 – May 13 | May 22 – Jun 12 |
| Harvest | May 21 – Jul 30 | Jun 21 – Aug 30 | Jul 21 – Sep 29 |
Growing tomatillos
Plant at least two tomatillos because they need cross-pollination; pick when the fruit fills its papery husk.
- Spacing: 24 in apart, in rows 36 in apart. In a raised bed, 1 per 4 sq ft at square-foot spacing.
- Days to harvest: 60 to 75 from transplanting, then about 10 weeks of picking.
- Rotation: tomatillos are in the tomato family. Plant them where nothing from that family grew in the last two years. See crop rotation.
Plan your beds with these dates
Draw your beds, tap squares to plant tomatillos and everything else, and get every crop's dates for your ZIP code in one calendar. Free, in your browser.
Open the garden plannerQuestions
When do I start tomatillos indoors?
6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost: with a last frost of April 15, that's Feb 18 – Mar 4. Enter your ZIP code above for your own dates.
Can tomatillos go in before the last frost?
No. Tomatillos are damaged by frost: plant them out 1 to 4 weeks after the last spring frost.
How long do tomatillos take to grow?
About 60 to 75 days from transplanting to the first harvest, which then lasts about 10 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.
More planting dates
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
- University of Maryland Extension: Vegetable Planting Calendar for central Maryland
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Vegetable Planting and Harvesting Times (chart, central Iowa)
- Utah State University Extension: How to Grow Tomatillos in Your Garden