(Lycopersicon esculentum) This might be the most consistently enormous tomato we’ve ever grown, occasionally topping out over 3 pounds (field grown in northwest WA, no less!). An innkeeper and gardener in the village of Vernazza (one of the five villages that make up the “Cinque Terra” on northern Italy’s Ligurian coast) shared some seeds with a friend during a visit in 2017, and we planted them for the first time several years ago at the home farm. I wouldn’t have guessed you could ripen a tomato like this in northwest Washington, but while it certainly wasn’t early, we were delighted to harvest a respectable haul. Flattened in shape, they have a lovely deeply scalloped edge and, at 2 pounds per fruit, could be easily mistaken for a decorative pumpkin. This is the type of giant tomato you’d expect to be a bulging, cracked, cat-faced mess, but they were shockingly uniform and tidy! Thick, very fleshy interiors with excellent flavor. Hilariously few seeds per fruit necessitate a smaller packet size.
Indeterminate. 90 days. UO

Packet: 10 seeds

[split]

Growing Info

SOWING:

Sow 5-8 weeks before your last frost date.

Transplant out after danger of frost (45+F nighttime temps).

Note: Don't start too early or plants will be leggy and root-bound! Tomatoes do well in clay to loam soils.

PLANTING DEPTH:

1/8-1/4"

SPACING:

18-30" spacing in rows 5' apart.

EMERGENCE:

5-10 days @ soil temp 70-85F

LIGHT:

Full sun

FERTILITY:

Medium-Heavy. Prefers well-drained, well-balanced fertile soil with a pH between 6.0-7.0. Note that excess Nitrogen will encourage foliage, not fruit! Low calcium and irregular watering will result in blossom end rot.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Row cover may be used for extra warmth and possible earlier fruit set.

Irregular watering can result in blossom end rot. Even watering and supplemental calcium can help prevent this.

Plant deeply to encourage healthy root structure.

Indeterminate varieties may benefit from pruning suckers to encourage airflow, plant health, and energy towards plant top and fruit.

Determinate varieties do not need pruning.

Trellis Indeterminate varieties! We really like the Florida weave.

Tomato, 'Vernazza'