skip to main content

Growing Tomatoes

San Marzano tomato seed saving question

12 years ago

I was looking for some paste tomatoes to supplement my own harvest at the farmers market today. At one stand, they had some beautiful looking paste tomatoes so I asked the lady what they were. She said they were San Marzano, not the hybrid kind but the heirloom San Marzano. They look to be about the same shape as my opalka but slightly smaller with a pointed tip, about 4 inches long on average. The color is a deep shade of red and the skin is quite shiny.

My question is twofold. Does this sound like the true San Marzano? And if I save the seeds would next generation be the same?

I am fairly happy with my opalka but I've always wanted to try growing San Marzano. I add a lot of heirloom beefsteak tomatoes to my tomato sauce but it is so much easier to skin and unseed the paste types.

Thanks!!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

digdirt2
12 years ago
There are a couple of sub-varieties of San Marzano and no real way to tell them apart by looking at them except for size and taste. So all you can do it take the lady's word for it. If they are really the original Italian heirloom variety rather than Redorta or Super or 5380 then they will breed true. If not, they will likely revert back to one of the parent stock.

Grow them and see what happens. The odds are in your favor.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: San Marzano pics
mulio
12 years ago
According to a research review on the origin of San Marzano around 1960, there is no real one San Marzano variety. No one source can truly claim they have "the San Marzano". At it's origin, San Marzano was a "type", never a single variety, that was grown in Italy. Plants and fruit varied. Seeds of these different types were widely distributed from different sources in Italy throughout Europe, the US and South America and by 1960 there existed many different ones based on regional preferences. So many different lines are called 'San Marzano'. Those claiming they have the original are probably doing so for marketing purposes or to somehow claim it is theirs.

So if it's something you like go ahead and save it. If it wasn't a hybrid and didn't cross it should come back to that type.
Related Discussions
San Marzano Tomatoes
Q
Comments (1)
Why not post on the California Gardening forum. That way you'll be dealing with folks in California. ;) Dave
...See More
Wanted: San Marzano tomato seeds
Q
Comments (1)
I have plenty of San Marzano! Shoot me an e-mail and we can see if we can get something worked out. Aly
...See More
San Marzano Tomato
Q
Comments (21)
Thanks for the advice, but I use Opera browser and prefer it after many years of using at least five others. I don't use IExplorer at all because Opera is so much better. I did load Firefox but for some reason cannot use it even when I uninstall and reinstall it. (3 times) Nothing will load past the third window, and the window that should show Preferences is a gray blank nothing, no matter how long I wait. I'm NOT going to any more trouble about using another browser just for GardenWeb when Opera is the best browser I've found. And I don't have trouble on any other site, though actually I don't know of other sites that use this kind of advertising. If the tech people will make the Opt Out apply to Opera, I'll be happy. Otherwise, I'll asterisk words when I know they'll be underlined.
...See More
San Marzano Tomato a Love & Hate Relationship
Q
Comments (3)
I am growing the following that I bought as plants from a local grower. I chose the San Marzano Lungo (slightly later than San Marzano) because it's a newer selection and supposed to be a heavy producer. But I chose Vilms because it is a 2-3 bite tomato that I wanted to dehydrate. It's also a late season here in NH. I need to check my garden to see what the heck is happening with Cuor di Bue (70 days) which is considered a standby paste tomato in Italy and Grandma Mary's (also early season) that is supposed to produce even during cold summers (which this one isn't). · 1 Cuor di Bue · 1 Grandma Mary’s · 1 San Marzano Lungo · 1 Vilms I grew a Hog Heart (1) and several Opalka from seed because I liked the large size for sauces and canning. They are ripening and showing some evidence of BER. The plants started off looking healthy but are starting to look spindly, possibly because of our drought situation. I have a plastic high tunnel which houses a few tomato plants. I have found the plants are much healthier and larger in the high tunnel. Even with the sides rolled up, temperatures get over 100 during the day. I use an oscillating sprinkler to water. I've been haphazard about documenting which tomatoes we like best. Right now I have 4 plants in a bed that despite duplicate growing conditions, are vastly different. Asia Yellow cherry tomato is producing a lot but the plant is extremely spindly. Another cherry tomato is very healthy, heavy with fruit and bushy with leaves. A second cherry tomato in a different bed is also large and heavy with fruit. Basically, with the paste tomatoes I found that I liked a small paste tomato for dehydrating and large ones for sauce. But I have a long ways to go in figuring out how to prevent some of the diseases. The drought has helped keep blighty diseases down.
...See More
ikea_gw
Original Author
12 years ago
I picked the largest ones at the farm stand, and they average about 4.2 ounce and a bit over 4 inches long. Only difference I can see between these and the photos Dave linked to is that my tomatoes are "curvier." They start out straight down from the shoulder but have a pronounced "hip" half way through. The shape really reminds me of opalka. Although I think the smaller ones at the farm stand have less of a curve.

I think I will save the seeds and grow a couple out next year. Nothing to lose here I guess. I will still grow my opalka for sure.
John A
12 years ago
I recieved San Marzano seed in a trade last winter and expected them to be similar in size and texture to Opalkas. Now that they're ripening I'm very disappointed to see that they are more like Dave's 1st 2 photos and about the size of Romas. I'll definitely drop those next year and stay with Opalkas and Big Mamas.
John A
ikea_gw
Original Author
12 years ago
John, how big are the San Marzano tomatoes you grew? 2 or 3 inches long? How is the flavor?

Related Stories

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard

KITCHEN DESIGN 9 Questions to Ask When Planning a Kitchen Pantry

By Susan Redman

Avoid blunders and get the storage space and layout you need by asking these questions before you begin

GARDENING GUIDES No-Regret Plants: 5 Questions Smart Shoppers Ask

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Quit wasting money and time at the garden center. This checklist will ensure that the plants you're eyeing will stick around in your yard

SAVING WATER 6 Reasons Why You Should Save Your Rainwater Now

By Falon Mihalic

Collect and store during the rainy season so you’ll have water ready for irrigation when you need it

LIFE The Top 5 Ways to Save Water at Home

Get on the fast track to preserving a valuable resource and saving money too with these smart, effective strategies

MOST POPULAR Summer Crops: How to Grow Sunflowers

By Marianne Lipanovich

Savor snack-tastic sunflower seeds once the radiant blooms have faded — if the birds have saved you any, that is

FARM YOUR YARD Houzz Call: Home Farmers, Show Us Your Edible Gardens

By Stacy Briscoe

We want to see where your tomatoes, summer squashes and beautiful berries are growing this summer

SAVING WATER Houzz Call: Are You Letting Go of Your Lawn?

By Annie Thornton

Many facing a drought are swapping turf for less thirsty plantings. If you’re one of them, we’d like to hear about it

BEFORE AND AFTERS See 6 Yards Transformed by Losing Their Lawns

By Annie Thornton

Wondering whether a turf lawn is the best use of your outdoor space? These homeowners did, and they found creative alternatives

GARDENING GUIDES California Gardener's June Checklist

Update your hydrangeas, catch up on tomatoes and more ways to enjoy your California garden in June

Sponsored

More Discussions

Has anyone heard of a storage tomato? Looking at Giallorosso di Crispi

4

"Purple" tomatoes?

4

What tools and materials for planting tomato

0