Pile of Purple Coban Tomatillos on a white background.
Purple Coban Tomatillos arranged on pine needles on the hood of an oxidized pick-up truck.
Purple Coban Tomatillos arranged on an old wooden background.
A handful of Purple Coban Tomatillos at the Baker Creek trial farm in California.
Pile of Purple Coban Tomatillos on a white background.
Purple Coban Tomatillos arranged on pine needles on the hood of an oxidized pick-up truck.
Purple Coban Tomatillos arranged on an old wooden background.
A handful of Purple Coban Tomatillos at the Baker Creek trial farm in California.

Tomatillo Seeds,
Purple Coban

4.39 ReviewsSKU: #TL103Min. seed count: 15
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Description

A delicious and beautifully blushed tomatillo from Guatemala. Fruit average 1 inch in diameter and are green with a dark purple hue that deepens as the fruit mature. Very popular in Guatemalan cuisine; we collected this heirloom at Coban, Guatemala, a beautiful mountain town. For fruit production, be sure to plant at least two tomatillo plants, as they are not self-fertile.

Growing Tips: Start indoors 6-10 weeks before last frost. Heat mat helps to warm soil and speed germination.

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Physalis ixocarpa
Life Cycle
Annual
Sun Requirement
Full sun
Days to Germinate
7–14
Days to Maturity
70
Planting Depth
¼ in.
Plant Spacing
24 in.
Ideal Temperature
75–95°F
Frost Hardy
No

When to Grow

Purple Coban came to us from a mountain town in Guatemala, but it still wants a full, warm summer here. Sow 1/4 inch deep indoors 6 to 10 weeks before your last frost date and set the flats on a heat mat; the warm soil speeds germination, which runs 7 to 14 days at 75-95°F. Plant out deep once the weather has settled, since tomatillos root all along a buried stem, and leave about 24 inches between plants. The inch-wide fruit starts coming in around 70 days, and its dark purple hue deepens the longer it hangs on the plant.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Start seeds indoors 6-10 weeks before the last frost.
  • Using a heat mat helps to warm the soil and speed germination.
  • Seeds germinate in 7-14 days.
  • Seeds germinate at 75-95 F.
  • Sow seeds ¼ inch deep.

How to Grow

  • Grown much like a tomato, but it is a lighter feeder.
  • In order for the tomatillo flowers to set fruit, you must grow at least two tomatillo plants.
  • Tomatillos like fun sun and rich, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic to neutral.
  • They are moderately drought tolerant but do best with an inch or so of water a week.
  • Like tomatoes, tomatillos should be planted deeply, as they produce roots all along the stems.
  • Set plants about three feet apart, giving them plenty of room to spread out. They will grow to be 3 to 4 feet tall.
  • Plants should begin producing fruit in about 75 to 100 days. They are incredibly prolific and fruit nonstop until killed by frost.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Flea beetles are a common tomatillo pest. Trap plants, such as bok choy, horse nettle and datura will take on a good bit of the flea beetle damage for you, but be sure to manage their seeds carefully. Some people also use sticky traps.

How to Save Seeds

  • Fermentation is not necessary for saving seeds.
  • Pick the fruit and allow it to ripen for a week or longer. Remove the husks and choose the ripest ones to save for seed.
  • Place the fruit in a blender or food processor and just enough water to cover them. When totally blended, empty the contents into a large bowl. Add enough water to double the mixture, stir vigorously and allow the good seeds to settle to the bottom. Gently pour off the water and debris. Add more water and repeat the process until only clean seeds and water remain.
  • Pour through a strainer, making sure that the holes are small enough to capture the seeds. Remove as much moisture as possible from the bottom of the strainer and place the seeds in a glass bowl or container to dry.
  • Store when completely dried in a cool, dark, dry place. They should remain viable for three years.

FAQ

My plants are flowering but not setting fruit. Why?

Purple Coban, like all tomatillos, is not self-fertile. You must grow at least two plants together for the flowers to set fruit.

What soil and water do they want?

Grow them in full sun in rich, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic to neutral. They are moderately drought tolerant but do best with an inch or so of water a week, and they are lighter feeders than tomatoes.

How do I save seed from this Guatemalan heirloom?

Because tomatillos are not self-fertile and are bee-pollinated, every seed is a cross, so grow only one tomatillo variety for seed, isolate by about half a mile, or cage two plants of this variety and move pollen between them by hand. Fermentation is not necessary. Let picked fruit ripen for a week or longer, remove the husks, and blend the ripest fruit with just enough water to cover. Empty it into a bowl, add enough water to double the mixture, stir vigorously, and let the good seeds settle; pour off the water and debris and repeat until only clean seed remains. Strain, dry completely, and store in a cool, dark, dry place, where the seed should remain viable for three years.
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