Kitchen Garden Forum

I've decided to grow one or two of these, amongst others, as I've read they're a good variety for cooking with. Can anybody tell me something about their habit and size. I presume they're a variety which need staking? And how big are the tomatoes compared with a variety like Ailsa Craig, Alicante, etc? The picture on the packet shows a plum-type shape but says nothing about the size of the fruit.

A highly productive variety with delicious fleshy, plum-shaped fruits. Ideal for sauces and soups - may need some support. 375 seeds per gram. Fruit: red, plum, 50-70 grams.

Hi, Primrose

I have decided to have a go with these as well , I have never grown them before either, so perhaps we could swap notes as the season progresses

I've tried them several times and always found them a waste of time and space, though I confess others swear by them.

There are a lot of other varieties with a better flavour.

Primrose

As the name suggests, Roma is an Italian variety. Italian plum tomatoes are almost always grown for cooking. It's many years since I tried Roma so I can't remember its taste, though I seem to recall it didn't grow well. I now grow San Marzano, a much larger and tastier plum variety, which we use for cooking. The taste raw is nothing special, but cooked it is one of the best.

Thanks for all your comments. The seedlings have now germinated and it's probably a bit late to start again with another variety so I'll have to make a mental note of San Marzano for next year.
Does anybody know what variety/ies are used in the canned varieties? I often find them quite acidic and wonder whether that's a feature of the tomato or the fact that they're sometimes canned when a little under ripe?

Primrose

Italian tinned tomatoes are usually San Marzano type. If canned ripe they are not acidic. I suspect the cheaper brands are often the poorer fruits, probably underripe.

try adding a small amount of sugar to the canned ones about a sm teaspoon works wonders

I'm with Alan on this one. I've grown several types of plum tomato for cooking with and I preserve loads each year, but I only grow San Marzano for this now as it is the one the Italians use for tinned tomatoes.

thanks. I bought a packet of these seeds today so will be all set to try them next time round.

all tinned tomatoes have citric acid added... (hopefully someone will tell me i'm wrong )....which may be why they taste a bit acid..
i also tried roma years ago but now grow san maranzo which do well, both outside as bushes but if they grow well a few stakes to stop them collapsing is a good idea.

another vote for san marzano here. I get mine from seeds of italy, who also sell a passata machine, which is very worthwhile if you want to make sauces with them.
The fruits are quite dry inside, not very juicy, but when pulped, there is very little waste. I'd say they are between 3 and 4 inches long each fruit. They taste like summer, just a bit of garlic and basil and you're away!
(the green ones make great chutney too at the end of the season!)

richard p wrote:all tinned tomatoes have citric acid added... (hopefully someone will tell me i'm wrong )....which may be why they taste a bit acid..

OK Richard - you're wrong
Just had a look at some tins of Sainsbury's organic tomatoes: ingedients - tomatoes and tomato juice. Napolina organic tomatoes have citric acid. Pays to read the label

thanks alan, i knew that would be the quickest way of finding some without the citric acid , only problem is i never go to sainsbury's, guess i might have to change my supermarket