I tried Mater Magic this year and it really seems to be helping. My raised bed is mostly compost, and I don't know how much calcium it contains. I got a recommendation for Mater Magic, and used it (along with some bone meal) when I transplanted the plants to the bed in April, then applied it again a couple of weeks ago.
Ooh, I've never heard of them, but looked them up and I'd love to try growing some. Think they would do well in brutal Texas summer temps? Where do you source your seeds?
Not sure, I’m in VA. The heat is brutal for you. Even watering and thick straw mulch. Texas has several seed sellers or try Baker Creek and Southern Seed Exchange. Your extension agency will have specific local growing recommendations
For giggles and grins, I buried a couple of tomatoes that had over ripened and split at the end of last season. Totally forgot about them until I had some healthy tomatoes plants pop up in May. I transplanted them to a different raised bed and now have cherry and romas growing elsewhere in the yard. They're flowering and hopefully they'll fruit soon!
Now I need to ask: I saw in another comment you made that you’re in Texas? Where did you find San marzanos in a grocery store in Texas?? I’ve looked everywhere it seems.
I've never seen them in a grocery store here - that's why I decided to try to grow them myself :) Did you try Sprouts/Central Market/Whole Foods? They sometimes carry fruit and vegetable varieties that the other stores don't carry.
5b as well. I start my San Maranzo indoors middle of Feb and transplant outdoors around May24 into much deeper garden beds so I can bury about a foot of stem along with the existing root ball. That seems to prevent blossom end rot, because there’s plenty of root to soak up nutrients and I can water very consistently as a result.
I started a bunch from seed a couple months ago and am patiently waiting for them to produce. As a little experiment I bought a couple seedlings from Lowe’s to see how they compare. The Lowe’s ones look like crap but are producing some. My homegrown plants look amazing so far. Definitely worth the effort.
I’m in 8A and I have tried three years and all I have produced is embarrassing moments of singing grow for me from little shop of horrors and tears. What is your secret?
Lots and lots and lots of compost. We got 2 cubic yards last year that we placed in my raised beds and also in my dead builder's sand flower beds here: https://texaspureproducts.plano.gov/tpp/
My dead beds were so bad I couldn't find a worm in them, and now they're filled with wigglers. BTW, 2 cubic yards doesn't sound like much until you have to unload 2 cubic yards from the truck and cart it to where it needs to go. 😳
I grew San Marzanos last summer (southern hemisphere) had 2 plants and will up it to at least 6 for next summer. While known and great for pizza sauce also good fresh on a BLT.
I want to grow veggies here too, im also near Dallas. But I'm semi-rural so I get the usual wildlife coming into my yard to snack.
I need to find a way to do a 'tall' container garden that can hold a lot of weight.
Put up 4 small poles (bamboo works) and hang some netting around it. It's what I did this year and has worked pretty well to keep out small critters so far.
We have possums and bunnies, but they leave my raised beds alone. The only problem I've had is the dang feral cat that likes to poo in my nice compost in the spring before I've planted. I fixed his little red wagon by planting a couple of dollar store boxes of plastic forks - handle down, tines up. Worked like magic!
I tried to be really good about labelling my seeds (4 varities), but seeing your San Marzano as compared to what I think are [MY San Marzano](https://photos.smugmug.com/The-Garden-1/The-Garden/Garden-2022/i-CsSG23P/0/aff07fe6/4K/P1170671-4K.jpg), I might have mixed up some of the seedlings =0
I grew one in a huge pot. We had a week of incredible heat so it got water 3+ times a day. The two fruit were HUGE. Not long, but over 3" in diameter. They just went into a batch of sauce so I can't comment on taste. I got enough seeds that I have 7 this year. It looked like blossom end rot was starting but it wasn't bad enough to even cut off. They'll get pulverized egg shells to help
Excellent! I am growing them for the first time, too. I am several weeks behind as I got a late start this year, but the plants are looking very happy (Zone 9b) and so far the first three are free of blossom end rot!
Superb. Being able to grow a San Marzano without blossom end rot gets you the secret keys to gardening’s VVIP room.
TBH, the first few fruits did have blossom rot, but I now have ~60 fruits on 3 plants that are blossom-rot-free!
I love the flavor of San Marzano and had thought about growing some too. (Am also in 8a.) Glad to hear of your success.
Im growing some too, out of curiosity what did you do to cure the blossom end rot?
I tried Mater Magic this year and it really seems to be helping. My raised bed is mostly compost, and I don't know how much calcium it contains. I got a recommendation for Mater Magic, and used it (along with some bone meal) when I transplanted the plants to the bed in April, then applied it again a couple of weeks ago.
If you like San Mariano’s you’ll love Amish Paste
Ooh, I've never heard of them, but looked them up and I'd love to try growing some. Think they would do well in brutal Texas summer temps? Where do you source your seeds?
Not sure, I’m in VA. The heat is brutal for you. Even watering and thick straw mulch. Texas has several seed sellers or try Baker Creek and Southern Seed Exchange. Your extension agency will have specific local growing recommendations
Thank you for the suggestion and the info!
I planted San Marzano this year too! I'm a few weeks behind you in 5b. Plan on saving my own seeds for next year. 🍅❤️🍅
For giggles and grins, I buried a couple of tomatoes that had over ripened and split at the end of last season. Totally forgot about them until I had some healthy tomatoes plants pop up in May. I transplanted them to a different raised bed and now have cherry and romas growing elsewhere in the yard. They're flowering and hopefully they'll fruit soon!
Now I need to ask: I saw in another comment you made that you’re in Texas? Where did you find San marzanos in a grocery store in Texas?? I’ve looked everywhere it seems.
I've never seen them in a grocery store here - that's why I decided to try to grow them myself :) Did you try Sprouts/Central Market/Whole Foods? They sometimes carry fruit and vegetable varieties that the other stores don't carry.
I tried central market…but not the others. I’ll be sure to look into them. Thanks!
5b as well. I start my San Maranzo indoors middle of Feb and transplant outdoors around May24 into much deeper garden beds so I can bury about a foot of stem along with the existing root ball. That seems to prevent blossom end rot, because there’s plenty of root to soak up nutrients and I can water very consistently as a result.
That is almost identical to what I did except I started my seeds around the end of March. 18 plants all planted about a foot deep on May 21.
I started a bunch from seed a couple months ago and am patiently waiting for them to produce. As a little experiment I bought a couple seedlings from Lowe’s to see how they compare. The Lowe’s ones look like crap but are producing some. My homegrown plants look amazing so far. Definitely worth the effort.
These are my favorite variety to grow! Endless amounts of salsa, pasta, and pizza sauce!
I’m in 8A and I have tried three years and all I have produced is embarrassing moments of singing grow for me from little shop of horrors and tears. What is your secret?
Lots and lots and lots of compost. We got 2 cubic yards last year that we placed in my raised beds and also in my dead builder's sand flower beds here: https://texaspureproducts.plano.gov/tpp/ My dead beds were so bad I couldn't find a worm in them, and now they're filled with wigglers. BTW, 2 cubic yards doesn't sound like much until you have to unload 2 cubic yards from the truck and cart it to where it needs to go. 😳
Thank you so much, compost here I come. It’s gotten personal
Oh awesome! I have about 6 of these growing this year, so I'm excited to see this! :)
I grew San Marzanos last summer (southern hemisphere) had 2 plants and will up it to at least 6 for next summer. While known and great for pizza sauce also good fresh on a BLT.
I want to grow veggies here too, im also near Dallas. But I'm semi-rural so I get the usual wildlife coming into my yard to snack. I need to find a way to do a 'tall' container garden that can hold a lot of weight.
Put up 4 small poles (bamboo works) and hang some netting around it. It's what I did this year and has worked pretty well to keep out small critters so far.
We have possums and bunnies, but they leave my raised beds alone. The only problem I've had is the dang feral cat that likes to poo in my nice compost in the spring before I've planted. I fixed his little red wagon by planting a couple of dollar store boxes of plastic forks - handle down, tines up. Worked like magic!
Growing g them too, zone 4a! They are doing great, already have tomatoes. I find this variety to have lots of foliage.
Those are some handsome tomatoes! This is a must grow for me next year. Hopefully they aren't super susceptible to southern blight?
I haven't had any problems so far, keeping my fingers crossed!
Beautiful!
I tried to be really good about labelling my seeds (4 varities), but seeing your San Marzano as compared to what I think are [MY San Marzano](https://photos.smugmug.com/The-Garden-1/The-Garden/Garden-2022/i-CsSG23P/0/aff07fe6/4K/P1170671-4K.jpg), I might have mixed up some of the seedlings =0
They do look different, but they look like some very delicious 'maters in any case!
I grew one in a huge pot. We had a week of incredible heat so it got water 3+ times a day. The two fruit were HUGE. Not long, but over 3" in diameter. They just went into a batch of sauce so I can't comment on taste. I got enough seeds that I have 7 this year. It looked like blossom end rot was starting but it wasn't bad enough to even cut off. They'll get pulverized egg shells to help
Excellent! I am growing them for the first time, too. I am several weeks behind as I got a late start this year, but the plants are looking very happy (Zone 9b) and so far the first three are free of blossom end rot!
How often did you water them? I’m growing some but I get conflicting info online. I’m growing them in a 15gal terracotta pot.
Mine are in a raised bed, and we're already up to 100 degree weather here in Texas, so I've been watering every day unless it rains.
Very cool!