Some varieties are more susceptible to blossom end rot than others.

if it is the first tomato to blush some times the first 2 or 3 will have ber but then it stops as my bush early girl
did, then i got 28 good tomatoes with no ber, good luck.

les

If San Marzano is a paste tomato (I haven't grown it so don't know it), that's probably why it has BER. Paste tomatoes seem genetically inclined to have BER. It may or may not clear up as the weather stabilizes and the mature roots are better positioned to take up water and nutrients.

If it doesn't clear up after you baby it (Google "BER paste tomatoes"), just consider it a lesson learned about that particular variety and try another one next year. I'm growing Opalka, also considered to be a paste. It also has some BER as well as Septoria and probably Early Blight, but it is plugging along. The BER appears to be lessening.

Thanks, this is the second year I am growing from the same seed package. I will try different seed source next year - this one definately seems to be inclined to have BER

A different seed source isn't going to make any difference. As already mentioned most all roma/paste types are much more prone to BER and yes, San Marzano is a paste tomato.

However, just as with any other variety of tomato the causes of BER, all of which are discussed here in great detail as well as in the FAQ, is NOT the tomato itself, it is the growing conditions.

So while less than ideal growing conditions may not trigger BER in some other varieties, it will show up in paste varieties. Once the plants mature and adapt to the growing conditions and assuming the weather cooperates, BER goes away all on its own.

I grow San Marzanos most every year, usually 10-12 plants, and while some early fruit may display BER it disappears by second fruit set.

Dave

Went to check the garden yesterday -- three or four more San Marzanos still green and already show BER

At the same time I am gathering beautiful fruits every day from the other three types - they are just 1 ft away from each other in the same bed!

digdirt
...just as with any other variety of tomato the causes of BER, all of which are discussed here in great detail as well as in the FAQ, is NOT the tomato itself, it is the growing conditions.

Be this as may be, and it's true, but sometimes we don't have a lot of control over those conditions, and the pastes often DO get BER under conditions where other tomatoes right next to the pastes are not affected by it. Some researchers have stated that there is a genetic component involved that determines the tendency to develop BER, probably if conditions favor it.

Here is a link that might be useful: TOMATO FRUIT RESISTANCE TO BLOSSOM END ROT CONTROLLED BY DOMINANT MONOGENIC FACTOR

I love the San Marzano flavor and have tried maybe 6-7 different types of SM. They all had BER in my garden. I dislike the production and fruit size enough that I'm looking for a different paste tomato.

I am about to give up on the Jersey Devil as well. It is my only diseased looking 2010 plant. I was so happy to have a healthy seedling to plant and now the plant looks sick.

One that did well for me last year was the Jersey Giant. I recall it seemed late to produce, the fruit size was really nice for sauce.

It's my understanding that with San Marzano (along with most other paste types) that you can almost be guaranteed that you will see some BER fruits early in the season. I don't tend to grow paste types, but what I have grown parallels the example I gave. Sauce types are finicky, are prone to BER, and generally don't have the intense flavor of a beefsteak type - as far as I know the only real advantage they offer is a little less work for making sauce; Other tomatoes will make a good sauce, just requires a little more effort (more seeding and cook time, depending). It's all a matter of personal preference obviously.

It's my understanding that with San Marzano (along with most other paste types) that you can almost be guaranteed that you will see some BER fruits early in the season.

In general I'd agree but weather plays a definitive role in that as well. Some years I have not 1 BER fruit on my pastes, other years with lots of spring rains - lots of it for the first fruit set. This year for example which has been much drier than last year, my little bit of BER was all on my Homesteads (which aren't a paste) but are in Earthboxes and I have none on any of the San Marzano or Amish Paste plants planted in the ground.

And I'd agree with you on the sauce too - a mix is better. We grow ours for drying not for sauce, and when drying, using pastes makes a BIG difference. Otherwise there is little reason to grow paste varieties IMO.

Anney - I should have qualified that from "not the tomato itself" to "not the variety itself". The implication was that San Marzanos were more BER prone and they aren't anymore so than any other paste type is. However, even with those varieties that are more prone to BER it isn't guaranteed. The growing conditions (which includes weather, soil, moisture levels, ambient temps, nutrient levels, etc.) are still the primary contributing factor when it comes to triggering that genetic pre-disposition. Agree?

Dave

hm, maybe I should just plan to make sause out of other tomatoes; the other three types are already producing and taste great, while SM are still all green -- lots of fruits, but not a single one ready to eat

And maybe, for the sake of last effort and final test, I will grow few of San Marzano and few of some other paste - Amish sounds like a good option, and then I will compare how bad either of them get BER - will report next year ;-)

digdirt

Yes, we're agreed on the conditions that trigger BER.

Maybe we'd all be better off to grow the best-tasting tomatoes we can and use those for sauces, which a lot of us, including me, have shifted to. I really wish the sauce tomatoes were more productive (without having to throw away so many of the fruits because of BER). I am, however, finding that my Opalkas are really holding up under some difficult conditions, though I don't think they'll last all season long. But with a mixture of them and the other delicious tomatoes I've been freezing, we should have some really good sauce this winter.

I'll be able to purchase a food mill in a couple of weeks to remove seeds and skins from the ones that are in the freezer. Then cooked in a slow oven overnight and frozen in their final form!

hm, maybe I should just plan to make sause out of other tomatoes; the other three types are already producing and taste great, while SM are still all green -- lots of fruits, but not a single one ready to eat

Good plan. ;) Sadly many think they must grow paste types to make sauce. Where that idea came from I can't say. But even better sauce and juice and salsa is made from a wide diversity of varieties than just mere paste types.

Dave

I am growing opalka and amish paste for the first time this year. While opalka has so far not been very productive and suffers from BER quite a bit, amish paste is going crazy with fruit production with just a couple of BER fruits per plant. Although I have to say that my amish paste fruits are wider than I expected. They almost look like heart shaped tomatoes, and the fruits are giant! I will report back on the flavor when they are ripe.

Dave - can I pick your brain again? I posted my pictures here

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0709324212787.html?1

The thing is, only the cherry Sweet Million has a distinct tomato taste. The other two are so-so. Nothing is extremely wrong with them, and I will most likely plant them again next year. They are fine, fruit is not cracking, no bad taste, but not 'wow tomato' taste or smell. So what can I do to improve that taste/flavor? If I were to make a soil test now, what elements would I should be looking for to improve in the future?

jollyrd - how many plants do you have room for?

The other two are so-so. Nothing is extremely wrong with them, and I will most likely plant them again next year. They are fine, fruit is not cracking, no bad taste, but not 'wow tomato' taste or smell.

Then why grow them again and waste the space? And why paste types if taste/flavor in fresh eating is your goal? Like mentioned above, paste types aren't grown for fresh eating (except maybe Opalka) or even flavor but for their thick sauce abilities to which lots of seasonings are added OR, in our case, for drying.

While soil tests are very beneficial and nothing beats well amended soil for growing, and growing conditions can cause BER and other problems, TASTE is a whole other issue.

Tomato fresh-eating flavor comes primarily from the variety you choose. So if that is the goal - fresh eating flavor - then you need to focus on some very different varieties. Primarily beefsteaks and so-called slicing tomatoes. No yellows IMO and no cherries except maybe Sun Gold and Black Cherry and no paste types.

You will find literally tons of recommendations here on best flavor as it is a very personal taste-bud thing. So all I can do it list some of the many varieties we routinely grow for fresh eating (and also for canning). They are a mix of hybrids and open-pollinated varieties, all are indeterminates, and not necessarily in order, ok?

Arkansas Traveler
Giant Belgium
Champion
Jet Star
Supersonic
Beefsteak
Rutgers
etc. (there are many more)

Then get your soil test and add what it recommends and you'll be good to go. ;)

Dave

Thanks. I want to grow for both purposes - eating and preserving. I can grow 12-16 plants, so this year I have 4-5 plants of 4 types. Between the two of us, we cannot eat all that we get, even if I give away some produce. At the same time, I dont feel like starting only 1-2 plants of each.

I undertand now that I dont have to grow 'paste' type to get the paste. Check that.

I like the yellow 'roma' shape - for the variety of color. Last year I grew yellow cherry type. I am just a beginer gardener, my second season - so I have little 'record' / history of my own preferences.

I will buy seeds of some varieties for next year and see how I like the taste.
FWIW, I do my own compost and add it in early winter and do soil test with local university lab

FWIW, I do my own compost and add it in early winter and do soil test with local university lab

That is worth a great deal! ;) You can't beat homemade compost as a soil amendment.

If you like the yellows for color that's fine but most of them are relatively bland in taste with Sun Gold Cherry being 1 exception I can think of. Consider those. Golden Jubilee is a beefsteak yellow that many like so its another possibility. But roma shapes? - well you already know the problems common to them.

My only concern with only 16 plants is that it doesn't give you too many options for variety - even if you only did 2 of each. So that IMO would be even more reason to skip the roma types - the returns are minimal on them. But of the ones I listed above I would strongly encourage you to find the space for at least 2 Rutgers and 2 Jet Stars for next year with an eye toward using them for both eating and canning.

Hope this is of help.

Dave

Just a suggestion: if you go to the website Winter Sown, for a very small donation, you can get a large selection of heritage tomato seeds. They will send you just a few seeds of each variety.

That's perfect to try many different varieties without spending a fortune. Once you know which ones you like, you can concentrate on those. Also, since they are heritage tomatoes, you can collect seeds and not have to ever buy tomato seeds again.

I like to grow 1-2 favorites and then try 2 new varieties each year. That way, once I've tried them all, I will know which ones are the best.

well, Tomato Growers have all listed all suggested names. I am leaning towards:
Rutgers
Bush Champion
Arkansas Traveler
Golden Jubilee

Problem is, I already ordered black Paul Robeson and Bush Beefsteak from them. Should I order all four listed above and just try them all, or should I narrow it down? Decisions decisions....

For what it's worth; This is my first year growing San Marzano, and I've not seen a single fruit with BER yet. I have only harvested about 10 fruits so far. I have maybe a dozen more starting to show some color.

I did Romas last year, which was my first year gardening, and no BER with them either. Maybe I've just been lucky so far, but there are definitely instances where one might not get BER at all.

I am using SFG (square foot gardening) methods, and my 'soil' is a mix of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat, and 1/3 vermiculite. I have mulched the plants both years, and I loosely keep track of rainfall and water when needed to assure about 1-1.5 inches of water per week.

And for what my experience is worth......my San Marzanos (first year for me) have not ripened yet, but there is no BER and , Omigosh, I have never seen so may tomatoes on a plant. I am planting in a bed amended with compost, seaweed, and this and that (I garden like I cook). I like the more compact habit of the SM too. I plan to dry and freeze for sauces and brushetta which should bump up the flavor a notch.
Karen

Growing paste tomatoes in containers practically guarantees that I will see BER. In the ground, not so much.

Despite my zone and location, I've never had any BER on Roma , which I grew for a number of years in the past (simply because my mother likes it and it would volunteer every year).

This year's Canestrinos in the ground have set plenty of fruit without one speck of BER.

Last year, however, I tried San Marzano and Canestrino in containers and every single fruit had BER. Every. Single. One. :-)

Of course, last year was the late blight year and all the plants were destroyed by mid August, so it's difficult to tell if things would have changed. Still, none of the container-grown pastes yielded one non-BER tomato by early to mid August in 2009 before the plants had to be destroyed. But 2009 was also a dreadful weather year.

There has been absolutely no BER on all but one of the ground-dwelling plants this year. The Green Zebra, also in the ground and in the same bed as most of the other tomato plants, has had a number of fruits with BER. Not a lot, but those fruits that set a couple of weeks ago were showing BER. The older fruits were fine, and subsequent fruits are good so far, but there was apparently something going on for fruits that developed during one particular time period. I can't figure out what the difference was.

Why only that variety when there are other varieties growing under the same conditions -- varieties that you expect will get BER (and didn't)? Why only during a particular fruitset period?

It can be frustrating and unpredictable.