San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

[Mitchamus]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

Keep us posted rossco!

[heliman]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

UPDATE
======

The seeds arrived 2 days ago and I have planted them in a nice sunny spot.

Hopefully I will see some activity in 7-10 days...

Rossco

[heliman]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

UPDATE
======

Good news!!!!!

The tomato plants popped their head up out of the soil this morning.

I have got a really nice sunny spot for them and will add a trellis as soon as needed.

Rossco.

[Mitchamus]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

My little grape tomatoes have come up as well.

No idea what variety they are, I bought some for a salad, they were delicious so I kept one back for seeds...

I'd really like to grow some black Russian toms too.

[heliman]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

Can't beat "growing your own" when it comes to fruit, veg and herbs!!

Those Black Russians sound nice - do you intend using the same method to extract the seeds as you did for the grapes or will you buy seeds?

I sowed the seeds from last years chili bushes and the beds look like they have got grass planted in them with all the chillies popping up. I will be selecting the strongest ones and repotting them as necessary.

I do enjoy cranking up a fiery hot pizza at the end of a baking session. Great to get the blood flowing!!!

Rossco

My little grape tomatoes have come up as well.

No idea what variety they are, I bought some for a salad, they were delicious so I kept one back for seeds...

I'd really like to grow some black Russian toms too.

[Mitchamus]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

I haven't actually eaten a black tomato yet,
so I'll have to buy some seeds.

There are some green ones that look interesting as well.

I have also heard that the variety "Sun Gold" is good too.

(damn it!... where's that spade )

[heliman]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

Update on this one ...

The tomatoes have started forming nicely and are about 3- - 40 cm long. I have a nursery where I have started my seedlings and will use these to make a huge growing area in the back garden. I think the trick is to really go crazy and plant a lot so there will be a plentiful supply when needed for pizzas...

Just found an Oz supplier of canned San Marzano's so will order a few in the meantime while I wait for mine to ripen.

Will post pics of my current crop shortly...

Rossco

[heliman]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

Pics of home grown San Marzanos...

The fruit is actually quite small but I will be planting some seedlings directly in soil (currently in pots), and in a more sunny spot so maybe the results will be different.

Rossco

[cynon767]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

That third picture looks like you might have a little blossom end rot. You could try adding a little calcium to the soil and that might go away.

[heliman]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

Update...

Yes, Jamie you were right - plenty of blossom end rot occurred until I started watering 2 x daily and added some more fertilizer. I ended up throwing away quite a few tomatoes, but now it is all going smoothly.

I found some special tomato dynamic lifter and dug that into the pots. Have been adding liquid fertilizer too which seems to have stabilised the plants and they are producing large bunches of fruit now.

The hydroponic crop wasn't very successful but I have modified the process and think I may have fine-tuned to produce a better crop now... time will tell.

I'll post some new pics a bit later...

Rossco

[Ozark_pie]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

Hmm... anyone tried a topsy-turvey for growing these? My yard has 12 walnut and hickory trees (anyone need 70# of black walnuts??), and so there's little light. I was thinking about using one of these topsy-turvey tomato growers up on my deck, but seems a little gimickey to me.

[factoryrat]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

hey ozark try this link for info on container gardening FR

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/contain/

[factoryrat]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

BER info also here...FR

San Marzano Organic Question: BER Worries - Growing Tomatoes Forum - GardenWeb

[egalecki]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

Hey, ozark- I haven't tried the topsy turvy, but in addition to the light issue you have, those black walnut trees put out a hormone from their roots which causes all sorts of problems for other plants. I think it's called juglone. You'll do better with a container of some sort with "bought" dirt with all those trees around...

[factoryrat]

Re: San Marzano Tomatoes - Grow your own!

good info on the black walnut trees, thanks Elizabeth