Siccagno is a wonderful Italian heirloom from Southern Italy (Sicily). It has brilliant red, squared-shaped fruits. It is easy to grow, small (2 ft), compact and doesn’t need to be staked. And high yielding. In Southern Italy, Siccagno tomatoes are used to make sauces and preserved for winter use by drying and canning.
Traditionally, it is grown using low-irrigation methods (dry-farmed).
Siccagno tomatoes are registered on the ‘Slow Food Ark of Taste’ (Italy). Here is the write up about Siccagno tomatoes on the Slow Food website:
In the villages of inland Sicily, no family would start the winter without a stock of tomato passata, either preparing it on their own or with the rest of the community. The Siccagno tomatoes would be processed at the height of summer. The tomatoes were cooked immediately after harvesting, then spread out on boards made from woven reeds, cannizze, which were covered with a cloth and set out in the sun, in the street or in a courtyard. Every so often the women and children would stir the tomato paste. Once it had dried, oil-greased hands were used to form it into balls, called astrattu, which were stored in jars.
Link to the website: https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/slow-food-presidia/bilici-valley-siccagno-tomato/
Our seedstock comes from a seed saving organization in Italy.
How to Plant: Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Plant seed 5mm (¼ inch) deep. Keep moist. When true leaves appear, transplant to a larger container if needed. Transplant outside after the danger of frost has passed/later spring.
