[QUOTE=stevenkh1;448404]San Marzano is the gold standard paste tomato in my opinion, and plants are extremely prolific. They aren't an early-mid tomato tho.[/QUOTE]


Plan on at least 90 days for San Marzano. I grew them last year and they never ripened before frost. We had too cold of a Summer for them to finish. Which was a terrible waste since they were LOADED with lovely LARGE green tomatoes. I was sad to throw them all in the rubbish. I will grow them again this year, but in the high tunnel.

I use a cheap cold frame and got mine out early and the long season tomatoes all ripened and I'm further north than Ohio. Cold frames are pretty cool and work well.

I live in MI and I start seeds in Feb. Last year it was cool but harvested alot of San Marzano toms. Like the other poster noted, they tend to get blossom end more than other varieties but I get so many toms that I just cut off the BER and use them for canning salsas.

[QUOTE=Jwb4707;448566]Anyone else run into the same problems? I was planning on planting a few opalkas.[/QUOTE]

I have been growing Opalka for about five years now and never had any BER. Then again, I don't get BER in any tomatoes. It may be because I heavily mulch the plants and therefore have continuous even moisture. Also my calcium levels are quite high. My problems have been Septoria and late blight, but they hit all of my tomatoes.

TomNJ/VA

I second Romeo. It's a large, dry paste and has really good flavor for fresh eating to boot. It's a stingy seed producer. Well worth growing and one of my favorites.

Another question about romeo, how is the production? is it just fewer, bigger fruits, or would you consider it prolific?

I have grown Opalka for years and don't have a problem with BER. As with all tomatoes, it depends on where you are growing it. There are tomatoes that people rave about that I struggle with or don't care for. Climate has a lot to do with it. Here in Portland I rarely have any disease problems at all with my tomatoes but maybe I am just lucky!

For me, Romeo has been a solid producer with consistently good production every year. Not hyper prolific, but respectable for sure. If you completely dissect an entire tomato I think you will get about 15-20 seeds. They are just about solid meat.

[QUOTE=Jwb4707;448761]Another question about romeo, how is the production? is it just fewer, bigger fruits, or would you consider it prolific?[/QUOTE]

Thoughts on Super Italian Paste? I got seeds from Marsha and will be growing this year.

Looking for a large paste tomato
 

[QUOTE=Jwb4707;448761]Another question about romeo, how is the production? is it just fewer, bigger fruits, or would you consider it prolific?[/QUOTE]


If you go by number of fruit per plant, not prolific, If you go by pounds per plant, yes.

[QUOTE=Worth1;446949]Yes it will but be reminded if you start too early you will have some huge plants to deal with before you can plant them out.

Not a bad thing but you have to be realistic and know what you can deal with.

What it will do is allow you more time with a bigger plant before your killing frost.

Worth[/QUOTE]


Ok, just to elaborate on this, the maturity time starts when it is transplanted, does that count from when it's transplanted into a larger pot, from the seedling tray or the actual garden, and how would it know the difference?

We love San Marzano Redorta. (pic in my Avatar)

WE get ours from seeds of Italy

[QUOTE=Jwb4707;448988]Ok, just to elaborate on this, the maturity time starts when it is transplanted, does that count from when it's transplanted into a larger pot, from the seedling tray or the actual garden, and how would it know the difference?[/QUOTE]


I've always been told/read that days to maturity is the time from fruit set to ripe fruit.

[QUOTE=crazyoldgooseman;449042]We love San Marzano Redorta. (pic in my Avatar)

WE get ours from seeds of Italy[/QUOTE]




Wow! those are impressive.

DTM is from when the plants are set out to first ripe fruit. This can be manipulated by setting out large older transplants which is what I do.
KO