Tomato 'Costoluto Genovese' (Lycopersicon lycopersicum)

Tomato 'Costoluto Genovese'
Lycopersicon lycopersicum

ripe Costoluto Genovese on the vine

That looks yummy, pass the salt!

This is one of the best tomatoes I've ever grown! They fruit rapidly and are beautiful at every stage of growth...and talk about prolific! All I can say is, "Try it, you'll like it!"

Amen Sequee

Okay, I am convinced to try this one next year! Where did you all get seeds?

Got mine from Reimer seeds. They are also available at Tomato Growers Supply.

Thanks gman.

I got my seeds from tomatobob.

http://www.tomatobob.com/

They are growning now in Alaska. No ripe ones yet but lots of green tomatos.

alaska_rick, In a greenhouse. Right?

I have three plants. One is in a 5 gal ceramic pot that is on my porch. I can bring it inside to a sun room when the weather gets snotty. I had it in the sun room for a while but it seemed to do better and set fruit better outside on the porch. The porch is south facing and get quite a bit of heat gain from the reflected surfaces with no glazing at all.

The other two are planted in a planter box adjacent to a concrete wall. The wall is painted dark brown to absorb heat and radiate it at night. I built a cold frame with aluminum and *polycor*
https://www.farmtekcatalog.com/lg_display.cfm?page_number=172

over the tomatoes that is hinged so I lift it up for really hot days ( yes we had a hot spell this year believe it or not). I also wired the ground with heating cable but I have not yet plugged it in this year.

I was in a hurry so I did not even finish one of the sides so there is really good air circulation. The tomatoe are overgrowing the cold frame so I think I may have to look at some kind of determinate variety until I build a real greenhouse. If anyone is interested I could snap a photo or two and post them when I get home tonight?

This month I plan to tighten and seal everything up and turn on the juice to heat it for September and October.

I spent a few years near Delta Junction, in the interior 90 mi. se of Fairbanks. You coud do it fairly easly there in greenhouse. I tried growing a few outside but, summers there while warm, are not long enough to ripen them. The locals told me to wrap the green ones individually in newspaper. Put them in a dark place and they will ripen. And sure enough they did! I was able eat home grown tomatos! Others would grow them outside in containers. Bring them inside then bring before a frost, put them near a south facing window (but, not to close or they'd freeze) and have fresh tomatoes (now & then) til breakup.

Would appreciate seeing your pictures! Southeast is beautiful and not brutally cold but, to soggy for me. So they say! Every time I was there the weather was great. Do you plan to stay? I get so homesick for Alaska sometimes.

Yes it rains. It only rained once last month. It hasn't stopped yet. I just lost my biggest tomato. Rotted right through it. Yuck.

I have been here since 1987. I just started tomatoes here this year. I am sending a few photos I don't know how they will come through. I am new at the DG forum.

I have Costoluto Genovese, Caspian Pink and the only ones that have ripened so far, Stupice. I have eaten about 10 so far.

I have kids and grandkids and small cherry and plum orchard, so I will probably stay for the duration here.

One more photo. This is one of the cold frame. I have 7 tomato plants in it. I probably did not allow enough room for each plant.

A suggestion to Alaska_Rick: You can cut off the top growth, which is not going to have time to set fruit and is coming outof the top of your cold frame. This will cause the rest of the plant to direct more energy into making bigger tomatoes and ripening them faster. You can root the cuttings and start over with smaller plants, too.

alaska_rick, I agree with Toxicodendron 100%. Those smaller plant(s) can then be brought inside for the winter. They end up looking pretty ragged inside but, who knows, maybe you will eat homegrown maters in January. Fun to try!

Thanks everyone. I will do that.

Rick

I've found that the best Heirloom Tomato seed source is TomatoFest in California. The don't offer growing tips, etc., on their seed packets which is a little annoying, but I've gotten 100% germination from every pcket I've purchased through them. They also have a fabulous web site with great photos of every tomato seed they sell. If your looking for seedlings, Laurel's Heirloom Tomatoes are great, though a bit pricey @ $3.95 each + s/h. Her plants tend to be prolific and "true", so seed saving makes the little darlin's more of a value.

Krackin Premium Plants sells seedlings @ $2 ea, but their varieties are somewhat limited.