Trimming Tomatillo Plants

Question

Will it help to trim back my tomatillo plants? Right now, there are way more buds than I will ever need. If I trimmed back some of the branches, would the remaining fruits do better? Last year, I ended up with not one decent fruit – they never got big enough. They get water every day, and I have my drip system watering them for 30-90 minutes per day, depending on the weather. I am in California, average high temp 80-90 degrees, and they are in full sun.

Answer 1

They are more determinate than tomatoes, so I wouldn’t prune them. However, as with tomatoes, this is more of a personal choice so you could prune them, but it will reduce your harvest. You may also want to explore the use of a trellis or cage to help make the plant less unwieldy. Most people find it easier to simply allow the plant to sprawl.