mom2goldens said:I've grown Super Sauce (a Burpee hybrid) and they were amazingly large, meaty and good flavor. I've also grown Polish Linguisa--great flavor, but not as much yield (although that certainly could have been our growing season). Trying San Marzano Redorta this year.

I looked at SuperSauce when I was buying seeds but passed as I felt I already had too many tomato seeds. But if I do well on my seed starting this season then I will get seeds for next year. I simply can't believe the size of those and they do look so good.

I grew San Marzano's this past season but didn't see anything special about them so I have planted seeds of San Marzano Retorta this time around. I got a good strain from Seeds of Italy so I expect they will be very good.

tveguy3 said:I second the vote for San Marzano Redorta. I didn't grow any last year, and I really missed them. I'll have to fix that for this year. I did can a lot of them both in sauce and as whole tomatoes, and I'm still enjoying them.

Tom, your the one that got me to wanting to grow the SMR. Since no way to do that but get seeds, I got seeds. Since I got seeds I decided I could do some other varieties from seed also and now I have gone completely overboard. I say this is all your doing!

All right so I was outside looking at my tomato bed set up earlier today and planning. I got lots done as far as set up last fall so I can plan good for this spring. My bed for paste tomatoes is set up. I intend to plant all my paste ones there. I have it set up for 11 plants and that will be it.

I planted 18 cells. 6 Black Icicle, 3 Yellow Icicle. 6 San Marzano Retorta, 3 Speckled Roman. That is if they all come up.

So I am thinking put out 3 Black Icicle, 2 Yellow Icicle. 4 San Marzano Retorta, 2 Speckled Roman. Should be plenty and make plenty of tomatoes.

Tomato envy!!!

Once I saw those Black Icicle at Baker Creek Heirloom seeds I just had to try them. The color is just increadable. I sure hope they taste really good although they claim that they really do taste marvelous.

Rita,
You have to let us know how all of them taste! 11 plants sound like plenty but I don't know how much you can. I need to figure out what will do for the two of us. I still want to can whole tomatoes and I'm assuming paste is what you use because regular tomatoes all turn to stewed in the jar.

Well, I had decided on those San Marzano Retorta's because they came so highly recommended here at ATP by those that grow them. Last year I found the regular just plain San Marzanos in seedlings locally so bought and planted them. Of course one simply couldn't get SMR so I had to make do. But I really wanted them so got seeds which is what started me on my path of starting my own from seed.

I expect great things from the SMR.
Then when I was looking at seeds at Baker Creek I just flipped over those Black Icicle tomatoes pictured. I Had to have them. So I sure hope they taste good. The write up sure claims they taste good.

I don't can anything. I do make stewed tomatoes in the crockpot and yes, they need to be paste types in order not to have too much liquid.

I give lots away to neighbors and friends. People always tell me the sauce they make from my tomatoes is the best ever. That is because home grown tomatoes always taste much better than store bought.

I make a nice tomato soup with stewed tomatoes.

Like all the other grown from seed little seedlings my paste or sauce varieties are doing well. I should have extras but around here there are not many that actually grow tomatoes.

Oh, that's one of mine that didn't germinat, San Marzano Redorta! I got one plant. the silver lining is, I can save seeds from it but I won't have enough for sauce this year. I'll have to mix and match tomatoes that aren't paste.

abhege said:Oh, that's one of mine that didn't germinat, San Marzano Redorta! I got one plant. the silver lining is, I can save seeds from it but I won't have enough for sauce this year. I'll have to mix and match tomatoes that aren't paste.

Oh now that is the pits!!!

Last year I bought plants of San Marzano. I really wanted SMR but there are no such plants to be had. I decided I had to have it and bought seeds. I am afraid it all started because of those seeds. I figured if I was growing them from seed I might as well grow a "few" others from seed also.

As far as sauce, back when I did make my own sauce I would use whatever tomatoes I had. All the split and blemished tomatoes got used for sauce and mixed with common Romas.

I also use whatever tomatoes I have on hand to make sauce. It's usually a paste tomato, several meaty beefsteaks and whatever else is riped/blemished,etc. If it's a little to thin, I just cook it down for a bit. It always tastes great! I think mixing/matching makes for a better flavor.

@mom2goldens.

I agree, too! I'd like to try making some sauce or juice from just the Aunt Ruby's German Green and the Golden Girl tomatoes...

Lots of blemished tomatoes are just prefect for sauce. I agree, just cook it down some more of it needs it.

The idea of a green or yellowed colored sauce is really interesting.

The only thing I don't like about the green and yellow idea is the fact that it is our football team's rival colors!!

Anderwood said:The only thing I don't like about the green and yellow idea is the fact that it is our football team's rival colors!!

Anderwood said:The only thing I don't like about the green and yellow idea is the fact that it is our football team's rival colors!!

We go Green Bay!

I made a green tomato salsa and canned it last year--it works well in for enchiladas verde suize, and can substitute for tomatillos in recipes. We just had so many green tomatoes at the end of our growing season last year, I couldn't try to ripen them all so decided to try the green salsa. Definitely would do again.

It sounds yummy!!