Costuloto Genovese Tomatoes

[BOSSHOG]

I am growing a couple of the subject plants from seed. The plants are monsters (growing like Kudzu) and not one tomato on them yet. I also planted Creole tomato plants and they are chock full of maters.

Anybody have any experiences with the Costulotos?? They sure did look purty in the catalog.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

1. I think I grew these one year

Do the fruits have deep lobes on them? When they produce fruits that is. :P

If it's what I'm thinking of they're a mid season tomato and take a bit longer to begin setting fruit.

[BOSSHOG]

2. Thanks for the info

I think you are right based on the picture in the catalog. The plant is incredible and has a slightly different look then your run of the mill tomato plant. Even if it doesn't bare and fruit, which it will if I'm just patient, it makes quite a display in the garden. My creole plants aren't as large but are getting loaded with tomatoes.

[sazemisery]

3. I am growing these and I have blooms

and your right they are monster plants. I am also growing pantano romanesco and they are vigorous growers also. They are both mis-summer tomatoes so be patient. :hi:

[BOSSHOG]

4. Thank You Sweety

and you are right, I just need to be patient. Although my creoles are just producing to beat the band, and they are so good, slightly acidic but godawful tasty. I'm thinking about a second crop of something or other. It will eventually come to me.

Heard ya got a new 19 year old Mayor!!

[sazemisery]

6. Yes and the "old guard" is up in arms!

We had the same debate as the one going on nationally. How can a 19 year old run a town of 40,000.00? We have a city manager form of government and the mayor gets a whopping $1.00 a year salary to promote the town. I live in the county so couldn't vote in the race but his opponent had been a do nothing mayor the first time around. Should be interesting.

[Gormy Cuss]

5. I've grown them twice.

One year the plant was very dense and monstrous and very little fruit appeared. The next year the plant fruited early and often (or at least often for an heirloom, LOL.) I would suggest that you adjust the fertilizer and pinch off a bunch of side shoots to get it into a reproducing mode.

on edit: they are late tomatoes, as sazemisery wrote, but I did have that year with the beautiful foliage and next to nothing in terms of fruit.

[sazemisery]

8. I have been removing the sucker shoots.

Maybe that is why I have blossoms and Bosshog doesn't. This is the first year I am adhering to that method.

[BOSSHOG]

9. I'm cutting

about a bucketful of suckers off every day and have been so for some time. Oh well, I'll get up one morning and find a big old surprise waiting for me.

[sazemisery]

10. I have one other suggestion.

dancing naked among the tomatoes has been known to motivate blooming. :hide:

[BOSSHOG]

11. Great suggestion My Dear

And if my dancing runs off the neighbors to the west I won't care if I get any tomatoes or not. I just went down to look at my Creoles out south and they are literally covered with blossoms. My crop was really pretty lousy last year and I recall that this year I increased the amount of cow manure. Maybe thats it. And so far the weather has been very conducive for tomato growth. We'll just keep an eye out and drink another beer.

I hope you have a bumper crop of whatever you want this growing season.

[jillan]

7. Maybe they'll be worth waiting for.

Keep us posted.