This is a complete guide on growth habits, plant care, and applications of Campari tomatoes.
Contents
What Are Campari Tomatoes?
Are you looking for sweet and flavorful tomatoes with a balanced taste profile? If yes, then you may choose Campari tomatoes. Fresh off the vines, these tomatoes are my favorite for their taste profile.
Campari tomatoes are deep-red, globe-shaped, hybrid tomatoes that are preferred for their juiciness and sweetness with low acidity. Also, they are known for their distinct texture with a lack of mealiness and balanced acid-sugar taste. They are an indeterminate and disease-resistant type.
They were developed by a Dutch seed company but are now owned by Mastronardi Produce Company of Ontario, Canada.
They were marketed as ‘tomato lover’s tomatoes’ and brought to the mainstream market in the 1990s.
Summary Profile Table for Campari Tomatoes
| Campari Tomatoes | |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Solanum lycopersicum ‘Campari’ |
| Growth habit | Indeterminate |
| Variety | Hybrid |
| Taste profile | Balanced sweet-acid taste |
| Planting zone | Greenhouse or outdoors in USDA zones 3-11 |
| Sunlight | 6 to 8 hours of sunlight or grow lights indoors |
| Days to harvest | 70-80 days |
You may go through this video on Campari tomatoes for additional information:
Growth Habit
Campari tomatoes are an indeterminate variety meaning they will bear fruit all season long. They reach about 6-8 feet and mature in 70-80 days.
They grow on the vine in clusters and may be available all year round. There may be occasional short gaps in availability.
You may notice them as tomato-on-the-vine in the supermarket as they are usually shipped with the vine attached. They ripen from the top of the cluster down.
Size And Planting Zone
Campari tomatoes are cocktail tomatoes that are larger than cherry tomatoes but smaller than plum tomatoes. The average fruit size is about 32 g.
They are usually grown indoors. Also, you may plant them outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 3-11. Like other indeterminate varieties, provide them cages or stakes for support. They need three to four feet of space surrounding them.
Take care as they may not survive frost conditions. You may harvest them once they develop deep red color.
Campari Plant Care
Campari tomatoes are easy to grow from seed or starter plants. They require at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. If grown indoors, they may be placed near a sunny window. Else, you require grow lights.
Like all tomatoes, they grow well in moist and well-drained soil with a pH of 6. I prefer a soil mix of 1/3 parts peat moss, 1/3 parts sand, and 1/3 parts loam for my Campari. One significant advantage is that they don’t require pesticides during their growing season.
They may be susceptible to cracking due to irregular watering or Calcium deficiencies. They prefer temperatures between 60-95oF.
They are quite a drought-resistant type. Also, they are resistant to diseases and Tobacco Mosaic Virus.
But, they are prone to garden pests, including worms and mites. It is important to get rid of the plants immediately to save them plant.
With proper care, you can enjoy these flavorful tomatoes in your home.
Uses
Campari tomatoes can be served both raw and cooked. I often serve Campari tomatoes over salads and meat dishes for their inherent sweetness.
You may try roasted tomatoes on pizza, sandwiches, and pasta. Also, they pair well with basil and garlic on bruschetta.
Summary
Hopefully, this guide has thrown light on one of the hybrid tomato varieties, Campari tomatoes.
Let me know suggestions if you have grown Campari tomatoes in your garden.
Please do share the guide with your friends and family to help them out too!
