Not San Marzano?

HudsonValley · August 10, 2016

I am growing several varieties of paste/plum tomatoes for sauce-making. Some are struggling after last month's heatwave (Rio Grande, Napoli), others are ripening their fruits and will soon die off (Roma), and one is just starting to ripen (Costoluto Genovese). The real winner of the bunch is a "San Marzano" plant (quotation marks intentional).

Here's the thing -- these "San Marzano" tomatoes are tiny, weighing under 1 oz. apiece. I was expecting 3- or 4-oz. fruit, but I'm not at all disappointed. The plant was totally unfazed by the heatwave, has almost none of the issues plaguing my other plants despite its lush foliage, and is COVERED with hundreds of tomatoes in trusses of up to 20 fruits. They are ripening over time, not all at once, and the plant is still growing and blossoming; it's currently a little over 6 feet tall. I regret that I only grew one! The tomatoes make great sauce and fit in a Kitchen Aid food mill attachment without slicing. They taste good in salads, too.

I did find one variety that looks/sounds similar -- an indeterminate "San Marzano Nano" listed on the TomatoGeeks website: http://tomatogeeks.com/product/san-marzano-nano-tomato/

A Google search suggests that there are actually multiple "San Marzano Nano" tomatoes out there, and that most of them are dwarf and/or determinate. Mine is definitely not a dwarf, and it seems to be indeterminate. I will have to take photos and add them...

In case you're wondering, a friend purchased the "San Marzano" seeds from Urban Farmer Seeds. (I know, I know... Two friends and I bought and shared seed to keep costs down; not all of us chose our sources carefully.

)
Any ideas what I'm growing? I've been bagging lots of blossoms in the hopes of sending seeds for the MMMM, but I have no idea how to label them.

HudsonValley · August 10, 2016

Photos:

Father'sDaughter · August 11, 2016

They actually look like the San Marzano Nanos I'm growing this year for the second time.

The size of the fruit and shape is the same, the clusters look the same, and last year I harvested over 100 fruit from one plant which laughed at all the issues that plagued it's neighboring plants. And yes, it continues to set fruit over the entire growing season, and the fruit ripens gradually, not all at once.

The only difference is the size of the plant, but I've only grown them in grow bags. Mine are about 3 1/2 feet tall. If your are growing in ground, it could explain the plant size difference. But from what I'm seeing, I would say you probably have the Nano.

Next year I'm considering giving a couple of plants a coveted in ground spot just to see what they'll do if the roots have more room to spread.

HudsonValley · August 11, 2016

Thanks, Father'sDaughter! I am growing in a raised bed. This is a terrific tomato plant!

August 10, 2016	#1
HudsonValley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a Posts: 626	Not San Marzano? I am growing several varieties of paste/plum tomatoes for sauce-making. Some are struggling after last month's heatwave (Rio Grande, Napoli), others are ripening their fruits and will soon die off (Roma), and one is just starting to ripen (Costoluto Genovese). The real winner of the bunch is a "San Marzano" plant (quotation marks intentional). Here's the thing -- these "San Marzano" tomatoes are tiny, weighing under 1 oz. apiece. I was expecting 3- or 4-oz. fruit, but I'm not at all disappointed. The plant was totally unfazed by the heatwave, has almost none of the issues plaguing my other plants despite its lush foliage, and is COVERED with hundreds of tomatoes in trusses of up to 20 fruits. They are ripening over time, not all at once, and the plant is still growing and blossoming; it's currently a little over 6 feet tall. I regret that I only grew one! The tomatoes make great sauce and fit in a Kitchen Aid food mill attachment without slicing. They taste good in salads, too. I did find one variety that looks/sounds similar -- an indeterminate "San Marzano Nano" listed on the TomatoGeeks website: http://tomatogeeks.com/product/san-marzano-nano-tomato/ A Google search suggests that there are actually multiple "San Marzano Nano" tomatoes out there, and that most of them are dwarf and/or determinate. Mine is definitely not a dwarf, and it seems to be indeterminate. I will have to take photos and add them... In case you're wondering, a friend purchased the "San Marzano" seeds from Urban Farmer Seeds. (I know, I know... Two friends and I bought and shared seed to keep costs down; not all of us chose our sources carefully.) Any ideas what I'm growing? I've been bagging lots of blossoms in the hopes of sending seeds for the MMMM, but I have no idea how to label them.

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August 11, 2016	#3
Father'sDaughter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: MA/NH Border Posts: 4,917	They actually look like the San Marzano Nanos I'm growing this year for the second time. The size of the fruit and shape is the same, the clusters look the same, and last year I harvested over 100 fruit from one plant which laughed at all the issues that plagued it's neighboring plants. And yes, it continues to set fruit over the entire growing season, and the fruit ripens gradually, not all at once. The only difference is the size of the plant, but I've only grown them in grow bags. Mine are about 3 1/2 feet tall. If your are growing in ground, it could explain the plant size difference. But from what I'm seeing, I would say you probably have the Nano. Next year I'm considering giving a couple of plants a coveted in ground spot just to see what they'll do if the roots have more room to spread.