The ˈDatterinoˈ tomato variety bears many small, date-shaped red fruits. Find out where the strain came from and how to grow, care for and use it here.
The shiny red small fruits of the ˈDatterinoˈ variety hang on long panicles. In this tomato portrait, we introduce you to the snack tomato and give tips on growing it.
Tomato ˈDatterinoˈ: profile
| Fruit | cocktail tomato; red, shiny |
| Flavour | aromatic, very sweet |
| Maturity | early |
| Growth | Stick tomato, up to 180 cm |
| Location | Greenhouse, sheltered field, pot |
Origin and History
The red date tomato originally comes from Sicily and is particularly popular in Italy. There are regionally different Datterino tomatoes, all of which have a date-like shape and a sweet taste. This is exactly what the name means, namely "little date". There are now also some Datterino hybrid varieties, which then carry the suffix "F1" and are not seed-proof. There are also green-red tabby varieties such as the ˈDatterino Tigrato F1ˈ.
Flavour and properties of the date tomato
Datterino tomatoes grow indefinitely as stem tomatoes and reach a height of around 1.80 metres. They only branch a little and instead set many panicles with typical yellow tomato blossoms. The fruits develop after flowering in long panicles and when ripe they reach a length of 4 to 5 centimeters and a weight of 20 to 30 grams. The variety ripens early and produces many bright red and shiny date tomatoes from July. The taste of the ˈDatterinoˈ is aromatic and extremely sweet, which makes it a popular tomato variety for children and all other sweet tooths. The classic Datterino tomato is seedproof and can be propagated from its own seeds. However, hybrid varieties such as the ˈDatterino Tigrato F1ˈ cannot be propagated from their seeds, but have to be bought again and again.
Cultivation and care of the Datterino tomato
The ˈDatterinoˈ thrives in a greenhouse, outdoors and also in pots on the balcony or terrace. Outdoor rain protection effectively prevents many tomato diseases, such as gray mold (Botrytis cinerea), and fruit cracking caused by irregular water supply. Young ˈDatterinoˈ plants are planted in the greenhouse at the beginning of May, outdoors and for pot cultivation only after the ice saints in mid-May. For pot culture, we recommend using a nutrient-rich potting soil such as our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil. In contrast to many other potting soils, it does not contain any peat, which is harmful to the climate, and stores moisture thanks to its high compost content. At the same time, it already contains many important nutrients that will take care of your young plants for the first time after planting. Choose a planter with a capacity of at least 10 liters and fill it halfway with soil. In the field and greenhouse, dig a deep hole in the ground. The young plant of the ˈDatterinoˈ is placed in it, leaves that are too deep are removed. Now fill up with substrate, press lightly around the plant and then water vigorously. A wooden or metal stake should also be added to support the tomato plant when planting.
The first tomato fertilization should start in June. At this point, the nutrients contained in the soil are slowly but surely used up and the exhausting flowering period with subsequent fruiting begins. An organic liquid fertilizer, such as our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable fertilizer, makes fertilizing much easier. It is added to the irrigation water in a dosage of 15 to 25 ml per 5 l about once a week and applied when watering. The nutrients it contains reach the plant roots directly and can be absorbed quickly. Even acute deficiency symptoms - such as yellowing of the lower leaves due to a lack of nitrogen - can thus be easily remedied.
ˈDatterinoˈ doesn't branch out as much as other varieties, but exhausting the tomatoes is still an issue here. First of all, ˈDatterinoˈ can also be grown very well with three to four shoots. For this purpose, low-lying side shoots remain on the plant, and those above are removed from the leaf axils. This creates more shoots on which flowers and finally sweet date tomatoes form.
Tip: OneA layer of mulch made from plant materials such as lawn clippings or leaves in beds or pots significantly reduces evaporation in summer and saves liters of water in midsummer.
Harvesting and using ‘Datterino’
From July to October, the harvest season for the plentiful Datterino tomato lasts. The small, sweet fruits remain quite firm even when fully ripe and are therefore ideal for the lunch box as a snack in between. However, the ˈDatterinoˈ is best eaten straight from the bush - hardly any fruit even makes it into the kitchen.
The date tomato can also be dried well and thus preserved for the cold season. To do this, cut the fruit in half and dry it in the dehydrator or in the oven at 60 to 70 °C for a few hours. You should then store the dried tomatoes in an airtight and dry place.
Date tomatoes are very trendy, as they usually bear many handy and aromatic-sweet fruits. They come in every imaginable color, from red to orange, yellow and even purple. We present a portrait of the nicely coloured, date-shaped tomato variety ˈIndigo Kumquatˈ.