San Marzano tomatoes are particularly aromatic old variety. The tomatoes owe their name to the characteristic shape. From February you can grow the tomatoes for your garden.
San Marzano tomatoes are also called San Marzano tomatoes because of their elongated shape. Like all tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes belong to the nightshade family.
The classic variety is resistant to common tomato diseases and is considered particularly high-yielding and flavorful. It is also known for its firm flesh, which contains particularly few seeds.
The San Marzano tomato is an old variety from Italy. It is often used to make ketchup or tomato paste. However, because of its firm flesh, it is also excellent for tomato salad, as it does not water and accepts dressing well.
In this article you will learn what you need to consider so that the aromatic tomato variety also thrives in your garden.
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San Marzano tomatoes in your garden
San Marzano tomatoes reach a height of one to two meters and are considered particularly vigorous. In order to grow them successfully and harvest them in abundance, you should follow these tips:
Location:
- Like all tomatoes, the San Marzano tomato needs a sunny and wind-protected place. A south-facing house wall is particularly suitable. The more sun the tomatoes get, the more aromatic the fruits will be.
- The variety thrives especially well in a greenhouse.
- Even though the tomato is considered vigorous, it should still be protected from rain.
- You can also plant San Marzano tomatoes in a large tub on the balcony. Since the tomatoes grow very large, the diameter and depth of the pot should be at least 50 centimeters.
Soil:
Tomatoes are heavy growers and need lots of nutrients to produce aromatic fruit. It is best to enrich the soil with plenty of humus or mature compost before planting.
Make sure that the soil is permeable to avoid waterlogging. In a container, a drainage system of small stones and sand is suitable.
Planting:
Beginning in early February, you can start preplanting tomatoes on a bright windowsill.
When the plants are about ten centimeters tall, you can prick out the tomatoes. You place the plants at a greater distance from each other so that they can grow better. When the night frost is over, you can transplant them into their beds or into a suitable pot.
The tomatoes need a suitable climbing aid right from the start. In addition to commercially available climbing aids made of metal, straight branches or bamboo sticks are also suitable.
Caring for and harvesting San Marzano tomatoes
San Marzano tomatoes are resistant to the most common diseases that affect tomatoes. Therefore, they are easy to grow and usually very productive. The following tips on care and harvesting you should still follow:
- Especially in the hot summer months, tomato plants need sufficient water. So that the soil does not dry out so quickly, you can cover the soil with green cuttings or some straw. This saves water when watering and provides the plants with valuable nutrients.
- Fertilize your San Marzano tomatoes every two months with organic fertilizer. Nettle manure, compost or manure are optimal.
- Clear the bed of weeds regularly.
- In order for the plants to bear good fruit, it makes sense to weed out the tomatoes. This involves removing young shoots from the leaf axils. In this way, the plant is less branched and can use its energy on the existing flowers and fruits.
- From July to the end of August you can harvest tomatoes regularly. You can tell that the tomatoes are ripe by their deep red color, and the flesh gives slightly.
- If the temperature drops in autumn, it is worth harvesting unripe fruits as well, because they ripen later.
- Store tomatoes in a linen bag at room temperature. They will keep for several days. Tomatoes should never be stored in the refrigerator.
- In addition to tomato salad, the variety is particularly suitable for tomato sauces, such as passata and sugo, because the fruits retain their intense flavor even when cooked.