Tomato - San Marzano

      Tomato - San Marzano 

      Tomato - solanum lycopersicum

San Marzano tomatoes originate from the small town of San Marzano sul Sarno, near Naples, Italy, and were first grown in volcanic soil in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. One story goes that the first seed of this tomato came to Campania in 1770, as a gift from the Viceroyalty of Peru to the Kingdom of Naples, and that it was planted in the area of San Marzano sul Sarno.

San Marzano tomatoes are widely recognized by top chefs, foodies, Italian cooks and food aficionados as the gold standard for taste, but something makes them so special.  Characteristics of San Marzano tomatoes include a thicker tomato wall, less seeds and less acidity than other tomatoes, making them ideal for authentic Italian cuisine. San Marzano tomatoes thrive in the designated area of Italy because of the Mediterranean microclimate, high water table, and fertile volcanic soil. 

They're considered the Ferrari or Prada of canned tomato varieties, and loyalists say they are well worth the higher price tag compared to other canned Italian tomatoes or domestically produced canned tomatoes. They are ideal for Marinara sauce and so many other recipes.

Truly authentic San Marzano tomatoes from Italy adhere to strict conditions and guidelines in terms of their growing, selection, and processing. Certified San Marzano tomatoes must be obtained from plants of the same ecotype, grown within a specific territory allowed in Italy, and contains characteristics that comply with standards set in Italy.

San Marzano tomatoes have thick meat and fewer seeds than many other tomato varieties and are used for canning (whole, chopped, strained), for pasta and pizza sauces, but also for salads, sandwiches and for many other meals and dishes. San Marzano is a variety of plum tomato, with thinner, elongated and more pointed, meaty fruits than Roma tomatoes. This tomatoes taste is stronger, sweeter and less acidic, considered by many people to be bittersweet, an indeterminate, heirloom plant.

Being heirloom plant, San Marzano is an open-pollinated variety that breeds true from generation to generation, making seed saving possible for any home gardener - keeping the seeds from the best plants, local San Marzano plants tend to adapt to local conditions from generation to generation and evolve as high yield, resilient plants. In order to keep genetic diversity, it is important to exchange seeds with other local gardeners, but also to obtain seeds and plants from distant growers, from garden centers or buy seeds on-line.

These tomatoes are indeterminate and very vigorous plants that produce large number of fruits, thus requiring strong, sturdy and tall cages or stakes. Many plants bear fruits until frost, making these tomatoes especially suitable for growing in warmer climates. Sowing seeds and growing young plants indoors and transplanting them outside when danger of frost is gone has many benefits when growing tomatoes, especially indeterminate varieties like this one. Regardless if grown in warmer or colder climate, San Marzano should be sown early indoors and grown in larger flower pot (for example 25 cm (10 inches) in diameter) - this way when danger of frost is gone, transplanting plants that are at least 50 cm (20 inches) tall, with root ball still not filling entire flower pot.

To prepare soil in the garden, add aged manure, compost and some balanced NPK fertilizer like 10-10-10 or 15-15-15. Tomatoes like nitrogen and with nitrogen in abundance, they will grow fast and huge, but prone to diseases and pests, with limited number of flowers. Many gardeners limit nitrogen when tomatoes start to flower, but indeterminate varieties require balanced amount of nutrients since they grow for a long time.

When planted on permanent location, feed fast growing tomatoes monthly with 15-20g per plant of NPK 10-10-10 - this also depends on the plant size, number of fruits, soil type and condition etc. Soil type - sandy soils have good drainage, but they don't keep nutrients well, while heavy soils have bad drainage. Improve soil by adding aged manure and compost and other organic matter on a regular basis. Decomposing organic matter also makes soil slightly acidic - ideal pH for tomatoes is around 6.0 - 6.7.

In order to avoid root damage, many gardeners put stakes before they transplant tomatoes, or position and fix tomato cages right after transplanting plants. Growing tomatoes in flower pots and containers have many benefits, especially when growing indeterminate varieties in colder climate.  Being large, fast growing plant, San Marzano tomatoes require large pots and containers - around 35-40 l (10-12 gallons) of growing soil is required per plant. Of course, they can be grown in smaller pots and containers, but they must be watered and fertilized more often.

San Marzanos are rather resistant to verticillium and fusarium wilt and being strong plants, can tolerate few bugs and pests. In the case of stronger attack, chemicals must be used, but be very careful during bearing season. It is better to throw away few ill branches/fruits and keep garden chemicals free, than to use the chemicals.

This is the most important industrial tomato of the 20th century. Its commercial introduction in 1926 provided canneries with a sturdy, flawless subject, and breeders with genes they'd be raiding for decades. Though commercial production of the San Marzano variety is most closely associated with Italy, seeds for this variety are available worldwide.

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