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Butalina di Castellamonte Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
Heirloom sauce tomato from Cuneo, in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy from before 1900. Elongated fruit (about 4") with slight lobes, tender skin, few seeds, and plenty of classic tomato flavor great for cooking, canning, or drying. According to Seed and Winnowing Italia, our source of this seed, this variety fell out of flavor over time as San Marzano became cheaper for processors to use for their products.
Days to maturity: 78
Seeds per pack: 25
Germination rate: 96% on 02/21/2024
Planting / harvesting notes
Start seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost and transplant into garden well after the danger of frost. We recommend you prune the suckers that form in the crotches of the branches by the main stem. Water tomatoes at the soil level, keeping the leaves dry. Stake tomatoes so that their leaves and branches are kept off the ground, for good airflow between plants, and for easier harvest. Do not overwater this variety as it will crack.
Seed keeping notes
Tomatoes are generally self-pollinating, though we isolate different varieties by 35-50 feet, in hopes that flying insects will not cross pollinate them unexpectedly. Tomato seeds are ripe when the fruits are ready to eat! Cut the fruit at the equator and squeeze or scrape out seeds from each of the cavities. In a cup or bucket, add a little water (1/2" is probably plenty) to your seeds and pulp to keep them from drying out, and allow them to ferment away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you will stir the concoction every day for 3-5 days. In the end, add more water to fill the vessel, stir one final time, and allow to settle. Pour off the floating material and then strain the seeds through a strainer. Sometimes, you will need to add more water and pour off the floating material several times until the water is clear and you can see the seeds sunken at the bottom. Squeeze dry the strained seeds in a towel, and then lay out to dry on a labeled screen or paper product in a ventilated place away from direct sunlight for a week or two.
