Tomato recommendation

[AnnaRaven]

DH hates San Marzano tomatoes. (Note - DH grew up in Bologna, Italy and also hates tomato-based sauces!) He discovered this summer that he's okay with heirloom tomatoes. He prefers the slightly-crunchy texture more than the pastiness of the San Marzano, and that they don't taste like the San Marzano. He discovered this at work of course so I have no idea what kinds of tomatoes.

Now I'm trying to figure out what kind of heirloom tomatoes to try growing in my zone 15 garden this spring. Any suggestions? I know that I've enjoyed brandywine in the past for salad and saw the Anna Russian (?) tomatoes that looked yummy. What would you recommend for a sauce tomato that *doesn't* taste like San Marzano? I only have room for about 3 or 4 plants and I'd like a couple to be tomatoes that I could use in sauces. (DH is okay with a *little* bit of tomato in a sauce.)

ETA: DH prefers tomatoes that are tangy/tart rather than sweet.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Hi Anna! Welcome to TEG!

I would recommend staying away from Anna Russian since its sweet and that's not what you're looking for.

On the other hand, other "Russian" varieties might be up your alley. I've been on a black tomato kick, some I'm going to recommend Black Trifele, which is the opposite of sweet but almost salty and smokey.

Costuloto Genovese is another great variety that produces well for sauces and slicing, and is not too sweet or "typical tomato" flavor. And their beautiful!

Research more black varieties, and yellows.

 

[AnnaRaven]

Thanks for the suggestions. They sound great. I'll check them out.

I may try the Anna just cuz of the name and if DH doesn't like it, I'll eat them with DS.

 

[digitS']

AnnaRaven, my climate is quite a bit different from yours and I think you are lucky to have an experienced tomato grower like OaklandCityFarmer here for advice. The only thing I can add is that you may want to take a look at TomatoFest.

Look along the left side of that page and click on "Cool Climate Varieties." They are really talking about tomatoes for your part of the world rather than mine . . .

I am assuming that you are in Sunset Zone 15 (which is not all that far from Oakland). Yeah, you see I am Sunset zone 3 and almost zone 2.

Count up a vote against San Marzano! I don't care much for paste tomatoes either but it is primarily because I'm planning on fresh use for my tomatoes, not much cooking. Tart or sweet, isn't an absolute to me but DW prefers sweet and mild!

OaklandCityFarmer has spoken highly of Amish Paste but I see that TomatoFest has an "Amish Red!" This might be the one for me. The difference in maturity dates is important in my zone 3, almost zone 2. Those 6 days between a 75-day variety and an 81-day variety can run to weeks if the plants can't ripen before a big cool-down at the end of August . . . and then frost shows up on September 10th :/.

Best of Luck and I hope you have some fun looking at TomatoFest. They are in Mendocino County, by the way.

Steve

 

[AnnaRaven]

AnnaRaven, my climate is quite a bit different from yours and I think you are lucky to have an experienced tomato grower like OaklandCityFarmer here for advice. The only thing I can add is that you may want to take a look at TomatoFest

Look along the left side of that page and click on "Cool Climate Varieties." They are really talking about tomatoes for your part of the world rather than mine . . .

I am assuming that you are in Sunset Zone 15 (which is not all that far from Oakland). Yeah, you see I am Sunset zone 3 and almost zone 2.

Count up a vote against San Marzano! I don't care much for paste tomatoes either but it is primarily because I'm planning on fresh use for my tomatoes, not much cooking. Tart or sweet, isn't an absolute to me but DW prefers sweet and mild!

OaklandCityFarmer has spoken highly of Amish Paste but I see that TomatoFest has an "Amish Red!" This might be the one for me. The difference in maturity dates is important in my zone 3, almost zone 2. Those 6 days between a 75-day variety and an 81-day variety can run to weeks if the plants can't ripen before a big cool-down at the end of August . . . and then frost shows up on September 10th :/.

Best of Luck and I hope you have some fun looking at TomatoFest. They are in Mendocino County, by the way.

Steve

Hi Steve:

I'm from Minnesota, zone 4a, so I understand the whole "short season thing. Planting anything before Memorial Day was fraught and anything that didn't ripen by Labor day - forget it.

Now that I'm living here in California, zone 15, I really am pretty lost. Feel like I'm starting all over again. Someone was telling me about planting "winter crops" and I laughed. I just have *no* clue about planting in this area.

So yeah - thanks for the link to the TomatoFest. I'll take a look. And be back with more questions - like, "when do I plant tomatoes in zone 15"?