{"id":7177,"date":"2026-11-05T13:29:43","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T13:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/?p=7177"},"modified":"2026-11-05T13:29:43","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T13:29:43","slug":"pisanello","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/pisanello\/","title":{"rendered":"Pisanello Tomato Review & Photos: Tuscan Ribbed Mini-Pumpkin Heirloom"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\ud83c\udf45 Quick take:<\/strong> Pisanello<\/strong> (Pomodoro Pisanello<\/em>) is a classic semi-indeterminate<\/strong> Tuscan heirloom from the countryside around Pisa, Italy. Vines produce small-to-medium, heavily ribbed red fruits (2-4 oz \/ 60-120 g) that look like miniature scalloped pumpkins or flattened pucks. Dense, meaty, and low in free-flowing juice, it is a traditional Mediterranean canning and bruschetta tomato, though some northern growers warn that it can be temperamental and drop blossoms if grown in acidic or peat-heavy soils. | Full summary \u2193<\/a><\/div>\n

Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 4-6 Experience)<\/h2>\n
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Lidiya (Lidiya) \u2b50 Pro Grower (16,152 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Pisanello: heavily ribbed, flattened, firm flesh, solid red, on the smaller side. Grown outside in the garden.Edited October 28, 2013 by Lidiya<\/em><\/p>\n

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Esme (Galina) \u2b50 Pro Grower (5,701 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
In my garden bed, it topped out at barely 3.5 ft (1.1 m) tall, even though it is officially listed as an indeterminate. Mid-season. Flavor is good, standard classic tomato taste.Almost forgot to mention: these were authentic pedigree seeds straight from an Italian packet.<\/p>\n

Edited October 28, 2013 by Esme<\/em><\/p>\n

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Lidiya (Lidiya) \u2b50 Pro Grower (16,152 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Galina, mine came right out of your seed stash! Thank you!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Esme (Galina) \u2b50 Pro Grower (5,701 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Lidiya, it is always fun seeing how the exact same seed line behaves under different garden conditions. Maybe a few other growers will chime in with their results.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Galina P. (Galina P.) \u2b50 Pro Grower (37,710 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Chekhov District, Moscow Region, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Is this variety better for whole-jar canning or for fresh table eating? And how was the overall yield?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Danko (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (10,117 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Mine came out as neat little ribbed hockey pucks weight-wise, and the vine grew just over 3.3 ft (1 m) tall.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Lidiya (Lidiya) \u2b50 Pro Grower (16,152 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Esme said:<\/strong>
\nLidiya, it is always fun seeing how the exact same seed line behaves under different garden conditions…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Galina, yours and mine look completely identical! We just ate ours fresh at the table, never got around to putting them up in jars.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Canning Suitability, “Mini-Pumpkin” Shape, and Blossom Drop Issues<\/h2>\n
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Danko (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (10,117 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Galina P. said:<\/strong>
\nIs this variety better for whole-jar canning or for fresh table eating? And how was the overall yield?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Galina, I canned mine whole! They are small enough to slip easily into standard jars, and the yield was quite respectable, especially considering Galina’s seeds started from commercial retail packs \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Galina P. (Galina P.) \u2b50 Pro Grower (37,710 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Chekhov District, Moscow Region, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Another one going straight onto my wish list! \ud83e\udd7a<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Esme (Galina) \u2b50 Pro Grower (5,701 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Galina P. said:<\/strong>
\nIs this variety better for whole-jar canning or for fresh table eating? And how was the overall yield?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Galina, yield was about average. I never put any in jars, but the interior flesh is definitely not watery. I checked my seed count and only managed to save a small batch, even though I had my doubts I would get any seed at all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Tomatanya (Tatyana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (10,247 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Sinyavino-2, Leningrad Region, Russia (USDA Zone 5)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Inside my greenhouse, it climbed to 5 ft (1.5 m) and was completely loaded with little ribbed mini-pumpkins. I canned a batch whole, but haven’t cracked the jars open to taste yet. Adding photos from home later.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Sweet (Svetlana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (8,792 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Belgorod Region, Russia (USDA Zone 5\/6)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Mine grew in the greenhouse, reaching about 5 ft (1.5 m). It dropped blossoms on nearly every single truss, and I never could figure out why. In the worst of the summer heat, all my plants struggled a bit, but Pisanello dropped flowers from opening day right through the end of the season: when it was warm, when it was blazing hot, and even when cool autumn weather set in.The plant itself is very tidy and attractive, both as a seedling and as a mature vine. But I ended up with maybe five tomatoes off the entire plant.<\/p>\n

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Galina P. (Galina P.) \u2b50 Pro Grower (37,710 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Chekhov District, Moscow Region, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Such a stunner! \ud83d\udc4d \ud83d\udc4d \ud83d\udc4d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Sweet (Svetlana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (8,792 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Belgorod Region, Russia (USDA Zone 5\/6)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Galina, the fruit really is gorgeous. Forgot to add: one seedling didn’t fit inside the greenhouse, so I planted it right outside against the wall. It had the exact same flower drop issue, so I pulled it early. Maybe it just despised my peat-heavy soil.Cannot speak on the flavor since I never got to taste one. The skins almost looked translucent on the vine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Tomatanya (Tatyana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (10,247 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Sinyavino-2, Leningrad Region, Russia (USDA Zone 5)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Here is Pisanello performing in my greenhouse:\"Pisanello<\/a>
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Full Summary: Plant Habit, Ribbed Anatomy, Canning, and Soil Quirks<\/h2>\n