The tomato variety 'Costoluto Genovese' convinces with its large fruits in an unusual shape. Here you can find out what you should consider when growing and caring for Costoluto tomatoes.
The 'Costoluto Genovese' tomato is reminiscent of summer holidays in Italy, of sun-warmed, large red beefsteak tomatoes and their fruity taste. We present the classic 'Costoluto Genovese' in this profile and give tips for cultivation in our latitudes.
Costoluto Genovese: Profile
| Fruit | Beefsteak tomato; red |
| Flavour | fruity, mild, slightly sour |
| Maturity | late |
| Growth | Stick tomato, up to 180 cm |
| Location | Greenhouse, sheltered outdoor area, tubs |
Origin and history of the tomato
The large-fruited 'Costoluto Genovese', which roughly translates to 'Genoa Ribs', comes from Piedmont, north-west of Genoa. It was probably already known in the 18th century and has been preserved in the gardens to this day. There are other ribbed beefsteak tomatoes in Italy that are named after their region of origin, such as 'Costoluto Fiorentino' or 'Costoluto Cantanese'.
Flavor & Characteristics of Costoluto Genovese Beefsteak Tomato
With an average weight of around 200 grams, the bright red tomato variety 'Costoluto Genovese' is one of the smaller beefsteak tomatoes. Your plants usually grow to about 180 centimeters in height. The fruits are often heavily ribbed and ripen in clusters of four to six tomatoes from the end of August until the end of the season. The yield of this beefsteak tomato is high and reliable. The taste of the 'Costoluto Genovese' tomato is fruity, slightly sour and mildly sweet. The historic variety is seed resistant, so you can easily win tomato seeds yourself and sow the 'Costoluto Genovese' again next year.
Growing tipsand Care of Costoluto Genovese
'Costoluto Genovese' is quite robust and not very susceptible to disease. It is suitable for cultivation in tubs, in greenhouses and in protected outdoor areas. The tomato variety that needs warmth benefits particularly from a warm house wall and rain protection. From the beginning of May, plant the 'Costoluto Genovese' in the greenhouse, from mid-May after the ice saints in pots or outdoors. When planting, fill the planting hole with a special substrate, such as our Plantura organic tomato and vegetable soil, and place the young plants in it. The high compost content and the nutrients already contained supply the 'Costoluto Genovese' until the first fertilization and promote root growth. After planting, support the 'Costoluto Genovese' with a stake and tie loosely.
The 'Costoluto Genovese' is easy to care for and can be grown with two shoots. To do this, you have to pinch out all the side shoots of the tomato, except for one deep-seated shoot. This is pulled up as the second shoot, is best given its own support and is connected separately. Clusters of flowers and other fruits soon form on this shoot. From June it will be time for the first fertilization, because tomatoes, as heavy consumers, need a particularly large number of nutrients in order to produce a rich yield. With an organic liquid fertilizer, such as our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable fertilizer, fertilizing tomatoes is effortless. The plant-based NK fertilizer is added to the irrigation water about once a week.
Harvesting and using Costoluto tomatoes
The large beefsteak tomato 'Costoluto Genovese' is ideal sliced for on bread or in a salad. The large fruits are productive and tasty in soups and sauces, they are generally good for processing.
The oxheart tomato also reminds us of summer days and colorful farmers markets in France and Italy. We introduce you to these specially shaped tomatoes and the best varieties in our article on the ox heart tomato and give tips on growing and using them.