temperature.

Try googling Tomatillo blossom drop...

It led to 5 or 6 links to previous posts on this forum about tomatillos with very good info.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatillo Discussion on this forum

Yes, I've done research on my own before posting here, hence the reasons that I've posted what I've tried and also about how I believe that the plants have lived through a wide variety of temperatures since early May.

Not trying to be difficult, but I've posted to see if anybody else had other ideas. I wouldn't have posted until after I've Googled and done some reading of my own :)

No ideas, except to say that I've grown them for three years and TYPICALLY have this happen. This year I am growing them in 2 locations. In one, it's like all the other times -- loads of flowers, no fruit. Last year I didn't get fruit until October.

In the 2nd location I actually have 2 fruit on both plants and have already picked some.

So, I feel your pain and would love to understand more about why this happens.

Thanks, hcoon! I'm glad someone can relate! As tempting as it is to just pull them up since they're taking up a lot of my sunny real estate, I've been planning to keep them through the fall just to see what happens.

The only thing I can possibly think is maybe they're getting TOO MUCH sun. That area in my garden is full sun, all day. But my toms and ground cherries are in the same environment and doing wonderfully.

Can you describe the two areas of your garden that you have them this year? Both the one where they aren't producing well, and especially where they are! Next year I will definitely try them in a few different locations.

That's a good question. Tthe spot this year that's doing well is a new spot. I've been growing them in my yard for 3 years. In containers or the ground. The in-ground spaces were not really well amended.

The new spot is a community garden 2 miles away... I think the soil is better than what I have at home -- lots of compost was worked in -- and it gets excellent sun.

It's been a couple of years since I grew tomatillos, but they only ever seemed to set fruit in late summer, so I always wondered if maybe they were daylight sensitive.

Until this year I thought they only set fruit late in the summer too, but I started seeing the fruit develop in late June this year. Maybe the hot weather here helped, but it hasn't helped the ones I have at home.

When I grow them, tomatillos set no fruit until mid or late August. Then, suddenly, they are loaded. However, a friend has lots of fruit starting on his plants right now.

I suggest patience. I think you will get a crop sooner or later.

Jim

Thanks everyone! I'll practice patience and hope for a crop toward the end of summer or fall!

I have grown them for years. Most people don't know what they are. I let hundreds of them volunteer. Whatever survives weeding either produces good large fruit or others, like yours, grow but don't do anything fruit wise. You might be babying them too much if anything. They love sun & heat, more the bettr. Some produce, others don't. They are soooo good! Best salsa. Don't give up!

An update:

My plants are finally beginning to fruit!

Some things have changed since I last posted...

- It has been slightly cooler lately (mid-high 80's most days)
- I started treating the plants like "weeds", stopped watering them, the only water they get now is from rain.
- It seems like bees are starting to take more notice of them. Up until the last few days, I had never seen a single bee come up to them (I've sat and watched multiple times). But for some reason lately, there are bees pollinating them almost every time I look!

Here's a pic of my biggest fruit so far: http://imgur.com/pvtcp

I still have blossoms dropping, but now there are some fruiting at least!

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatillo fruit