- Variety Info
- Sowing Info
- Growing Info
Variety Info
Days to Maturity: 80-90 Days from transplanting
Family: Solanaceae
Type: Indeterminate, Slicing Tomato (Learn more)
Native: Andes
Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
Exposure: Full Sun
Plant Dimensions: Vines up to 6' or longer
Variety Info: Fire engine red, flattened fruits with glossy skin and deep ribs weighing 6-8 oz. 'Costoluto Genovese' is an indeterminate type tomato.
Attributes: Frost Sensitive
Sowing Info
When to Sow Outside: For mild climates only: 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is at least 60°F.
When to Start Inside: RECOMMENDED. 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting. Transplant when air temperature is 45°F or warmer, usually 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date. Ideal soil temperature for germination is 70°-90°F.
Days to Emerge: 5 – 10 Days
Seed Depth: 1/4"
Seed Spacing: A group of 3 seeds every 24" – 36"
Row Spacing: 36"
Thinning: When 2" tall, thin to 1 every 24" ? 36"
Your hardiness zone is
Growing Info
Harvesting: Costoluto Genovese tomatoes are at the peak of sun-ripened deliciousness when fully red, and have a slight give when gently squeezed. Tomatoes may also be picked at the "first blush" stage, when 50% of the tomatoes' color has begun to change, and ripened at room temperature without decreasing flavor or nutrition. Picking often and early increases yield, and decreases the risk of cracking and pest damage. Ripe fruit left on the vine during rain or watering is more susceptible to splitting. About 1 month before the average first fall frost, clip all blossoms and undersized fruit off the plant, signaling to the plant to ripen what?s left. Pick any unripe fruit before frost, and store them indoors in a single layer away from direct sunlight to ripen.
Special Care: Do not mulch when weather is still cool; the roots of young plants need to be in soil that is warmed by the sun. When the weather warms up and plants are established, mulch to a depth of 2" or 3" with a material such as straw, leaves, or compost, to conserve moisture, reduce weed growth, and keep the roots warm.
- Alex T.Verified ReviewerRated 5 out of 5 stars10/2/25You need this tomato is your garden!
You know how most heirloom tomatoes look amazing on paper but kind of fizzle out once the real heat sets in? Costoluto Genovese has been the total opposite for us. This is our second year growing it, and it’s the only tomato that didn’t throw in the towel here in Texas zone 8a. Even when the heat cranked up and the fruits got a little smaller, the plants just kept on pumping out tomatoes.
And these aren’t just any tomatoes — they’re gorgeous, deeply ribbed, old-world Italian beauties. Flavor is right where you want it too: bright and fresh in a salad, meaty enough for a sandwich, and rich enough that you could cook it down into a sauce. It’s one of those all-around varieties that actually lives up to the hype.
This year we had a single 50-foot row with 25 plants, and next year we’re doubling it to two rows. That’s how much we believe in this one. If you’re after a reliable, hardworking heirloom that doesn’t quit when the sun’s beating down, I’d say Costoluto Genovese deserves a spot in your garden.
Which best describes you as a gardener? IntermediateBIBotanical Interests10/2/25Hey Alex T.,
Thank you SO much for this incredible review and for being such a dedicated Costoluto Genovese grower! Your experience in Texas zone 8a is exactly what other gardeners need to hear - it's one thing for us to say these Italian heirlooms are heat-tolerant, but it's another thing entirely to have a real grower confirm that they keep producing when everything else is calling it quits in that brutal summer heat.
Your description of these tomatoes as "gorgeous, deeply ribbed, old-world Italian beauties" is spot-on, and we love how you've discovered their versatility - fresh, cooked, or somewhere in between, they really do deliver on all fronts. That's the magic of these traditional Italian varieties that have been perfected over generations.
The fact that you're doubling your planting from 25 to 50 plants next year says everything about how reliable this variety has been for you! Your success story will be so inspiring, if your gorgeous photos aren't enough, for other gardeners in hot climates who are tired of watching their tomato plants struggle through the summer months.
Keep on growing 🌻️