← Plant Guides

How to Grow Sessanta Giorni

Wikimedia Commons

Sessanta Giorni

Solanum lycopersicum 'Sessanta Giorni'

vegetable

Sessanta Giorni is an Italian heirloom tomato variety prized for its exceptionally fast maturation, living up to its name meaning 'sixty days' in Italian. This determinate bush tomato produces small to medium-sized, deeply flavored red fruits with a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. It's ideal for short growing seasons and is a favorite among gardeners who want quick harvests without sacrificing taste.

When should you plant Sessanta Giorni in your zone?

Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.

Get my Sessanta Giorni timeline →

Example Sessanta Giorni timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

  1. Plant Sessanta Giorni

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Sessanta Giorni

    Around Jun 16

    ≈ 60 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Sessanta Giorni dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily (8+ hours preferred for best flavor)
💧
Water: Consistent moisture, 1-2 inches per week; water at soil level to avoid fungal diseases. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged, especially during fruit development.
📏
Spacing: 18 inches
📅
Days to maturity: 60-70 days from transplant
🌱
Planting depth: 0.25 inches for seeds; plant transplants with first true leaves buried (they form roots along buried stem)

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil rich in organic matter
pH: 6.0-6.8
Amendments:
Compost Well-rotted manure Perlite or sand for drainage Calcium (crushed eggshells or lime to prevent blossom end rot)

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 4-9; excellent for cooler climates and short seasons

3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b

Sign up free to see if Sessanta Giorni grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.

Get my Sessanta Giorni timeline →

Growth Stages

1

Seedling

3-4 weeks

Tiny plants with first true leaves appearing 1-2 weeks after germination; still fragile and light green.

Keep soil moist but not soggy. Provide bright light (grow lights 2-3 inches above seedlings) for 14-16 hours daily. Maintain 65-75°F for optimal growth.

2

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks before transplanting

Stocky transplants developing multiple leaf sets; plants are 4-6 inches tall with robust stems.

Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing to outdoor conditions over 7-10 days before transplanting. Plant deeply in garden, removing lower leaves.

3

Establishment & Early Growth

2-3 weeks

Plants recovering from transplant shock and establishing roots; new growth appears within 1-2 weeks; reaching 12-18 inches tall.

Water consistently but avoid overhead watering. Apply 2-3 inches of mulch around plants. Consider early staking or caging as this determinate variety stays relatively compact.

4

Flowering

2-3 weeks

Yellow flowers appear in clusters; plant is bushy and 18-24 inches tall with dense foliage.

Maintain consistent watering and calcium levels (calcium deficiency causes blossom end rot). Light fertilizing with balanced or phosphorus-rich fertilizer supports flower production. Avoid excessive nitrogen.

5

Fruiting & Harvest

3-4 weeks until first harvest; 1-2 weeks total harvest window

Small green fruits develop rapidly and mature to red within 3-4 weeks. Because it's determinate, most fruit ripens simultaneously.

Water deeply and consistently as fruits develop. Stop heavy pruning to allow foliage to protect fruit from sunscald. Begin harvesting when fruits are fully red and yield slightly to pressure. This variety's speed means you may harvest the bulk of the crop within 2-3 weeks.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Basil Parsley Carrot Onion Marigold Nasturtium Borage Cucumber

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) Fennel Dill Potato Walnut

Common Pests

  • Spray with strong water stream; use insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs.

  • Hand-pick early; use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray; encourage parasitic wasps by planting nectar-rich flowers.

  • Ensure good air circulation; avoid overhead watering; spray with sulfur or potassium bicarbonate; remove infected leaves.

  • Remove lower leaves after flowering; mulch to prevent soil splash; spray with copper fungicide at first sign; space plants for airflow.

  • Yellow sticky traps; spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap; reflective mulch deters them.

  • Increase humidity; strong water spray; neem oil; sulfur dust if infestation is severe.

Uses

🍳

Fresh eating and salads

Culinary

Sessanta Giorni's balanced sweetness and acidity make it excellent for fresh eating straight from the vine or sliced in salads. The relatively small, manageable size is perfect for whole tomato consumption. [source]

🍳

Italian cooking and sauce

Culinary

True to its Italian heritage, this tomato is ideal for making traditional pasta sauces, marinara, and tomato paste. Its concentrated flavor develops beautifully when cooked down. [source]

🏠

Quick-season gardening

Household

The 60-day maturity makes Sessanta Giorni perfect for gardeners with short growing seasons or those starting late in the season. You can often get a full harvest before fall frosts. [source]

💊

Nutritional benefits

Medicinal

Like all tomatoes, Sessanta Giorni is rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant associated with heart health. Its intense flavor suggests high nutrient density. [source]

🎨

Seed saving

Craft

As a stable heirloom variety, Sessanta Giorni can be easily saved for seed, allowing you to maintain this fast-maturing line year after year. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Harvest when fruits are fully red and yield slightly to gentle pressure (usually 60-70 days from transplant). Because this is a determinate variety, most fruit ripens together, allowing for a concentrated harvest. For best flavor, pick in early morning. Tomatoes can continue ripening indoors if harvested at the breaker stage (when color just begins to change from green to red).

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 The name 'Sessanta Giorni' literally means 'Sixty Days' in Italian, referring to its remarkably rapid maturation from transplant to ripe fruit—making it one of the fastest-maturing tomato varieties available.
  • 🌱 This is a determinate (bush) variety, meaning it flowers and fruits all at once in a concentrated period, making it excellent for canning or sauce production since the entire harvest comes in at roughly the same time.
  • 🌱 Sessanta Giorni is a traditional Italian heirloom from northern Italy, selected for centuries to produce reliable harvests in cooler, shorter growing seasons, making it ideal for gardeners in northern climates or those with late spring plantings.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Full Sun Germination Heirloom Mulch pH Transplant True Leaves
Shop Sessanta Giorni plants and related plants at Plant Addicts →

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized Sessanta Giorni planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Sessanta Giorni seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.

Get my Sessanta Giorni timeline →