With the help of garden experts, weve rounded up the seven best companion plants for tomatillos.
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If you love pesto like he does, Weiss recommends that you plant Genovese basil as a tomatillo companion.
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Basil alsoattractsbeneficial insects, says Lucie Bradley, a gardener at Easy Garden Irrigation.
Duplicate growing conditions when growing basil with tomatillos, adds Bradley.
Both plants will need sufficient space to grow.
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Ideally, leave an 8- to 12-inch space between plants.
Carrots
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Companion plantsaren’t always about deterring pests or attracting beneficial insects.
Another thing they do is improve growing conditions for other plants.
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And that’s why carrots work so well as companions for tomatillos, Bradley says.
Grow carrots by planting them between rows of tomatillos or alongside them.
Leave enough space for both plants so they can grow without overcrowding.
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Seeds should be about 2 to 3 inches apart and about 1/4-inch deep.
Tip
Because companion planting means plants grow in close quarters, theyll need a little extra nutrition.
Periodically add some nitrogen-basedfertilizerto stimulate growth and keep everything thriving, Weiss suggests.
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Cilantro
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Cilantrotastes delicious when used in recipes with tomatillos, Rubens says.
Cilantro also helps pollinate the tomatillos to help them produce more fruit.
Planting cilantro as a companion plant will help naturally deter those pests.
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Cilantro also attracts beneficial predators, like hoverflies, lacewings, ladybirds, and hoverflies.
Grow cilantro by planting the seeds every inch or two apart.
If planting cilantro as plants, space them about every foot apart.
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Cilantro requires about six hours of direct sunlight per day.
“They thrive in cool weather and benefit from the shade the tomatillo plants provide.”
The softer summer heat extendslettuce’s harvesttime, resulting in fuller, richer-tasting leaves.
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Corn, cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes are excellent shade-providers for leaf lettuce.
Marigolds
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Marigolds are anothermust-have companion near tomatillo plants, Weiss says.
“Besides adding vibrant color, theyre a staple pollinator, boosting fertilization.”
Marigolds are simple to grow and easy to maintain.
They can be grown in all types of soil and need full sun to flourish.
“Like tomatillos, marigolds are sun worshippers,” Bradley says.
These pollinators feed on marigolds' pollen and subsequently help fertilize tomatillos, says Bradley.
Nasturtiums repel whiteflies, beetles, and cabbage loopers.
Avoid mounding up soil around or above the bulbs; they must have partial access to air and light.
Like tomatillos, onions need plenty of sunlight.
Most onion varieties need at least six hours of full sunlight per day.
Loose, loamy soil is best, and it needs to drain well.
Sandy soil even works well for onions.
Fertilize the onions with high-nitrogen fertilizer every few weeks to encourage bulb growth.
