What soil temperature do Tomatillo need?

Tomatillo germinate best when soil temperature is between 21°C and 28°C.

What are the best Tomatillo varieties for Sydney?

Recommended varieties for the Warm Temperate zone include: Verde Puebla, Toma Verde.

What grows well with Tomatillo?

Good companion plants for Tomatillo include: Basil, Marigold, Capsicum, Coriander.

When to Plant Tomatillo in Sydney, Warm Temperate Guide

Sow September to January. Right now in October you can sow.

Grow Tomatillo in your space

Add to my garden (free)Plan my space from a photo

Planting window: Start seed in trays from September to November, plant out from October to January, or sow direct in November and December.
Days to harvest: about 11 weeks
Sunlight: Full sun (minimum 6 hours)
Water needs: Moderate. More drought-tolerant than tomatoes once established.
Spacing: 60cm apart, 90cm between rows
Soil pH: 6.0-7.0

Published 17 February 2026 · Last reviewed 2 October 2026 · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Tomatillo guide is written for the Warm Temperate zone, which takes in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Tomatillo is uncommon but rewarding in Australia, essential for authentic salsa verde. Produces green or purple fruit inside papery husk. CRITICAL: tomatillos are NOT self-fertile. Need at least two plants. Limited variety availability in Australia; some states have Physalis quarantine restrictions.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Planting Calendar for Warm Temperate

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
T	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	S	S/T	S/T/D	T/D

S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow

Want a nudge when it is Tomatillo sowing time in Sydney?

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Warm Temperate zone right now, Tomatillo included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 18.5°C (optimal range: 21–28°C) ✗ Outside optimal range

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Sydney), not a live sensor.

What this month normally looks like

In October the Warm Temperate zone normally runs 24°C by day and 13°C overnight, with about 66 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -1.5°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 153 postcodes, SILO.

How to Grow Tomatillo in Warm Temperate Australia

When to Plant

Start seed in trays from September to November, plant out from October to January, or sow direct in November and December.

Soil: Well-drained, moderately fertile. Less fussy than tomatoes.
pH Range: 6.0-7.0
Sunlight: Full sun (minimum 6 hours)
Spacing: 60cm apart, 90cm between rows
Watering: Moderate. More drought-tolerant than tomatoes once established.

Companion plants: Basil, Marigold, Capsicum, Coriander

Avoid planting near: Fennel, Brassicas

Grow before, grow after

Tomatillo belongs with the nightshades, the fruiting crops turn of a four turn bed rotation.

Grow before it: Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
Grow after it: Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)

Give the bed 3 turns before nightshades go back in. Tomato, capsicum, eggplant and potato share wilts and blights that live on in the soil.

Warm Temperate Growing Tips for Tomatillo

Recommended Varieties

Verde Puebla
Toma Verde

Key Challenges

Slow germination
Limited varieties

Pro Tips

Start seeds 6-8 weeks early
Treat like tomatoes
Cage to keep fruit off ground

Harvesting Tomatillo

When ready: Husk turns papery, splits open. Fruit fills husk completely, feels firm. Green types harvested green.

How to harvest: Twist gently from plant. Leave husk on for storage. Peel and wash sticky residue before eating.

Preserving: pressure canning

1 tested pressure-canning recipe for Tomatillo: 1 where it is the crop being canned. Each one comes from published home canning guidelines. The conversion to Australian units is ours, with psi beside every kPa. Always follow your pressure canner's manual.

Recipes in this set

Tomatillos in water

The full recipe details are for members on a paid plan: jar sizes, headspace, process time, the pressure for a weighted or dial gauge at your altitude, the ingredients, the preparation steps and the safety notes.

See the plans

Common Tomatillo Pests in Warm Temperate Zones

Insect Damage, risk: MODERATE (score: 52/100)

View all pest alerts →

Where to next

Also worth sowing in the warm temperate zone this October: Lemongrass, Beetroot, Chilli Peppers and Cucumber.

Get the Full Interactive Guide

Track your garden, get real-time pest alerts, and plan around your zone's weather.

Open the planting dashboard Join GardenBuddy.au

Common Questions About Tomatillo

When do you plant tomatillo in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jul
Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Feb, Aug to Dec
Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan, Sep to Dec
Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Dec
Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Dec
Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Feb, Aug to Oct, Dec
Mediterranean (Perth): Jan, Sep to Dec

Does tomatillo grow all year round in Sydney?

No. In the Warm Temperate zone the planting months are Jan, Sep to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Warm Temperate zone, Sydney is its reference city.