What variety are you planting?

GG

I've been growing the Pineapple var. for the last 3 or 4 years, and saving seed each year. This one usually had an upright growth habit, but last season they were growing flatter to the ground. I don't know if it was fertilizer or sunlight that made the difference, but I did have more sun on the plants where they were, when they were low growing.

GG

Thanks for your input. I had a few volunteer seedlings pop up last year that were upright with nice fruit. I saved some seed and have them started in the greenhouse. Will see what they do.In my case I don't know if it's a sun issue as each year the plants have had an equal amount of full sun. Perhaps a fertility issue? By the way, do you prefer the Pineapple variety over the others? Just curious if you see much difference between variieties.
Thanks again.
Glenda

I had Aunt Molly and Pineapple the first year I ever grew these and I thought the Pineapple was sweeter so I never continued with A.M. JMO.

I had a short row that contained volunteers two years ago and though the plants looked good, they produced less fruit than ones that were started inside and then set out in a row at normal planting distance. If they were thinned they may have been better. I seem to remember that they even bore fruit later than the started ones, so I wasn't impressed with the ones that just reseed every year.

GG

For size and flavor, how would you compare the Goldie to the Pineapple? And Aunt Molly to the Pineapple? Just wondering.

GG

I'm trying the pineapple this year but I like the regular yellow/green variety pretty well-- they even produce in my very cold climate.

K

A taste test made me wish I had been able to sample them in the store before buying the container. They were the worst tasting variety I had ever eaten!! No major sweetness to them at all. I don't know if they were picked a little green for shipping, or what. I know the ones I grow, must be allowed to fall from the bush before they are edible. They just don't ripen anymore if they are picked off the plant. These looked ripe, since the color was a bright orange, even brighter than what I harvest. The odor wasn't unpleasant, just a little fruity smelling. I did try to save some seed from them, in case it turned out to be a really a good variety that had not been allowed to ripen.

It's too bad that produce like this is offered for sale.
I've seen the same thing with peaches early in the season. They are on display, bright red, and still not ripe. They will rot without ever ripening to edibility.

GG

And a strawberry sized basket would be a quart, pint?

Would those be with the husk or without? Those I bought a few months ago were without. It takes forever to pull those off. I wouldn't sell them cleaned, since I don't know of any quick way to remove them. Just wondering, thanx.

GG

Years ago, I started these from seed I'd saved from one plant I'd bought as a transplant (before I learned they reseed like crazy), and I was quite successful ~ I think dang near every one sprouted for me. I don't remember about specifics on how I started them, but I do remember I fermented them when I saved them like you do tomato seed. Maybe that is getting in your way?

Here's a good tutorial on how to do it. I'd bet you could grind up a store-bought tomato that you've removed the seeds from, add the ground cherry seeds to that and proceed as normal. A couple tips to make it easier (now and if you do this in the future on other tomatoes/tomatillos) ~

1. Whir the entire tomato/tomatillo in a blender with a few cups of water for just a second or two (literally a second or two or you'll pulverize all the seeds instead of just a few ~ use the "pulse" setting).

2. Once it's finished fermenting I simply add more water, stir vigorously, let it settle for a few minutes and pour the goo off the top. The healthy seeds settle to the bottom and the nonviable ones float so you'll get better germination from the seeds you do save. And doing it this way eliminates the straining step. Easey-peasey.

I also agree with GPonder that they like things warm, so I'll bet some bottom heat in your climate will really help them.

Abbie

From what I understand, tomatoes self-seed well because the coating you remove during fermentation (the dried gel sac) keeps them from sprouting too soon. It's slowly weathered away over the winter and in spring the seed sprouts. If that protective coating weren't present, the seeds would likely sprout on a warm winter day when it's too early for the seedlings. Since we're collecting the seeds instead of leaving them to the elements over the winter, we have to remove that protective coating or we'll get spotty germination when we do sow them.

If tomatillos are the same (and I'd bet they are), then fermentation probably is the key to success.