The Principe Borghese tomato brings authentic Italian sun-drying tradition to your garden with its distinctive grape-shaped fruits and remarkably low moisture content. This compact heirloom produces abundant clusters of 1-2 ounce plum tomatoes in just 70-75 days, making it perfect for gardeners in zones 3-9 who want to create their own sun-dried tomatoes and rich sauces. Though sources disagree on whether it's determinate or indeterminate, this Italian treasure stays manageable at 18-36 inches tall while delivering exceptional flavor and meaty texture.
24
Full Sun
Moderate
3-9
36in H x ?in W
—
High
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What sets Principe Borghese apart is its legendary sun-drying capability, thanks to dense flesh with few seeds and minimal juice. The small grape-shaped fruits with pointy ends pack incredible flavor that intensifies when dried, making them prized for authentic Italian cooking. This pure Italian heirloom offers remarkable disease resistance including Fusarium Wilt, Late Blight, and Tobacco Mosaic Virus, while producing heavy yields in a compact space perfect for containers and small gardens.
Principe Borghese excels at sun-drying and sauce-making, where its dense, meaty texture and concentrated flavor truly shine. The low-moisture fruits with minimal seeds create exceptional sun-dried tomatoes that can be stored for winter use, while fresh fruits make wonderfully rich sauces. Their intense flavor also makes them valuable for specialty culinary products and fresh market sales.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 6-10 weeks before the last expected frost date, planting 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep in warm, moist seed-starting mix at 75-95°F. Germination occurs in 7-14 days, and seedlings can be transplanted after 6 weeks when they reach 3-4 inches tall with 1-2 sets of true leaves.
Transplant outdoors after all frost danger passes and daytime temperatures consistently exceed 60°F, though Principe Borghese can tolerate nighttime temperatures as low as 45°F. Remove lower leaves and plant deep, leaving only the top set of healthy leaves exposed, spacing 24 inches apart with 36 inches between rows.
In warm climates, direct sow seeds outdoors once frost has cleared and soil temperatures reach at least 50°F for germination.
Harvest Principe Borghese tomatoes when they turn bright red but before the skin becomes too soft, typically 70-75 days from transplant. Gently pull the fruit from the calyx while supporting the stem with your other hand. As a determinate variety, expect concentrated harvest over just a few weeks before the first frost.
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“This treasured heirloom carries the authentic heritage of Italian sun-drying traditions, developed specifically for the Mediterranean practice of preserving tomatoes through natural dehydration. Baker Creek offers pure Italian seed, ensuring gardeners receive the genuine variety that has been carefully maintained through generations of Italian growers who perfected this tomato for its exceptional drying qualities and concentrated flavor.”