Tomato Costoluto Genovese - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds

The Costoluto Genovese Tomato is an heirloom tomato originating from Italy, with traces dating back to the 19th century. The dark red fruits are heavily ribbed, flattened at the top, and exhibit a wide variety of shapes. They are generally medium-sized, weighing between 150 and 300 g. Costoluto Genovese is a beefsteak type tomato - Costoluto actually means steak in Italian - with few seeds or juice but very fleshy. The flavor, which is well-balanced between acidity and sweetness, tends to diminish during excessively rainy summers. It is indeed a variety adapted to dry and sunny climates, although it continues to produce as soon as autumn cools down. This Costoluto Genovese is perfect for grilling, stuffing, or making sauces and juices. It remains very popular among top Italian chefs. This indeterminate variety grows quickly up to two meters. Plan for staking or trellising as soon as it is transplanted into the ground. You will sow your seeds from February to April for a taste from July to September.

The untreated or "NT" seeds come from plants conventionally grown (often with the use of phytosanitary products), but they do not undergo any treatment after harvest. These seeds are allowed in organic market gardening when organic seeds are out of stock.

The tomato originates from South America and Central America. Several varieties were already cultivated by the Incas long before the arrival of the Conquistadors. We are still amazed by the wide variety of this solanaceous plant. The term "tomato" comes from the Inca word "Tomatl" and refers to both the plant and the fruit it produces. There are fruits of all colors (red, of course, but also green, yellow, and even some very rare blue varieties), in all shapes and sizes. Ancient varieties are indeterminate plants and can live for two years. More recent varieties have what is called determinate growth and stop growing at the bush stage, so they do not need to be staked or trellised.

The tomato is one of the many foods that came to us from the New World, along with beans, corn, squash, potatoes, and chili peppers. It took much longer for the tomato to reach our taste buds. For a long time, it was cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities. It was thought to be toxic because of its resemblance to the fruit of the Mandrake, another solanaceous plant. It only became a regular part of our diet at the beginning of the 20th century.

The tomato plant is a perennial herbaceous plant in tropical climates but is cultivated as an annual in our latitudes. It lignifies over time and produces small, insignificant yellow flowers grouped in cymes that will turn into fruits.

It must be admitted that its fruit is very attractive and adds a pleasant color to the vegetable garden. It also has many nutritional advantages. Low in calories like most vegetables, rich in water, it contains a very interesting molecule: lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. And the longer the tomato is cooked, the more lycopene becomes available. It is also rich in vitamin C, provitamin A, and trace elements.

Today, its taste and nutritional qualities are beyond doubt. For the gardener, the tomato is one of the essential vegetables of summer. He just needs to consider what he wants to use it for to guide him among all the existing varieties. Is it for salads, sauces, consuming directly on the spot, cooked, etc.? He will also consider when he wants to harvest it. The answer will of course depend on the average summer sunshine in the region where his garden is located. Rest assured, the choice is vast, and there is a tomato for every situation! And although tomatoes need a lot of sun and heat, they do not necessarily require a lot of space. Therefore, do not hesitate to grow them in containers on your balcony, where you can prioritize small-fruited varieties. Be careful, immature fruits, stems, and leaves contain solanine and should not be consumed.

Harvesting: Depending on the variety, it can take between 50 and 100 days from transplantation to harvest. There is no foolproof trick to determine in advance when a tomato has reached full ripeness. Harvesting should be done when, at the very least, it is fully colored as announced and when its texture, while still firm, shows a slight softening. For better preservation, be sure to pick the fruit with its calyx.

Storage: Tomatoes do not keep as long as their water content is high. They can be stored for a few days in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator or spread out in the open air. To keep them longer, consider culinary methods such as tomato confits, sun-dried tomatoes, sauces, frozen fruits, preserves, jams, or juices. We love to confit them because it's so simple and delicious: cut your tomatoes in half and collect the juice. Place your tomato halves face up on the baking sheet of your oven. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar, then bake at a very low temperature for at least an hour. Remove your tomatoes and consume immediately, or store them in a glass jar and cover with olive oil.

The gardener's little tip: It is recommended to grow several varieties of tomatoes each year to minimize the risk of complete crop loss due to climatic variations or specific diseases. To counteract the phenomenon of "blossom end rot" - not a disease but a calcium deficiency - spray a comfrey maceration rich in calcium on your plants. When transplanting, do not hesitate to bury the stem up to the first leaves. This will stimulate the root system, ensuring a bountiful fruit harvest. Winning combinations in the garden are often the same on the plate. It is a good mnemonic device to remember that tomatoes and basil go well together.