If you’re looking for some of the sweetest, firmest, shiniest tomatoes with a long shelf life to boot, you need the small, red, juicy cherry tomato from Pachino, Sicily. Plants are very hardy and will overwinter in mild winter areas. It is also one of the hardest varieties to find as farming conglomerates in Sicily tenaciously guard the distribution of the seeds. Last year plants sold for $25 each, but we were able to obtain enough seed to dramatically lower the price this year and even offer them as grafted plants!

 

The Pachino was first cultivated in 1925 but didn’t become popular until the 1970s. Now it is so treasured that a few years ago, Italy granted IGP status—a designation similar to the D.O.C. designation for wines, which certifies that at least part of the production of a product is from a specific region.

 

Since the 1970's, it has been the tomato of choice for fresh use in salads, or used in pastas, pizzas or vegetable soups. In Sicily, tomatoes are dried in the sun or conserved in oil. The dried tomatoes make great bruschette and tartines. They can be used in pastas, with boiled meats or to flavor sauces. Indeterminate. 70 days.

 

NOTE: Your grafted Mighty 'Mato plants are shipped in 2" plantable paper pots (as pictured on the right). Minimum order is any combination of three vegetable plants. Please note in comment box at time of order, which ship date is preferred: Mar. 15, April 15, or May 15.