Strong and sweet in flavor and less acidic, this old-fashioned tomato is a favorite snack of many gardeners.
Fruits grow in clusters of six to eight, each about 4 inches long.
These plants prefer full sun and do best with consistent moisture.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
The vines can reach 6 to 8 feet tall when mature.
Note that the green part of the plant is toxic to pets.
Read on for our care guide.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
Establish them in a hole twice as wide and the same height as the plant.
Then fill the hole with soil.
Tamp the soil down.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
Space plants 30 to 48 inches apart.
As each plant grows taller, tie branches with twine or strips of pantyhose.
Plant them in a location that gets at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
it’s possible for you to also mix in 1 to 2 cups of garden lime per 10-gallon container.
Maintain a soil pH between 5.8 and 7.
Water
Tomato plants like to be consistently moist.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
Don’t let their soil dry out completely.
Use this, pondwater, well water, or rainwater to water plants well.
Use a water-soluble fertilizer for tomatoes grown in pots.
Harvesting
Most San Marzano tomatoes will ripen 78 to 85 days after transplanting.
When a fruit is big and still a bit green and yellowish, they are already ready for harvest.
Gently twist the stem or use clippers to harvest.
Pruning
When the plant grows to about 2 or 3 feet tall, beginpruning suckers.
This will signal to the plant to send sugars and nutrients where they are most needed.
Propagating San Marzano Tomatoes
San Marzano tomatoes can be propagated via cuttings.
Grow a smaller variety in a 5-gallon bucket.
verify that there is ample drainage.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Generally, San Marzano tomatoes are free from many pests.
If pests such as aphids do come, use hot water or sticky strips to manage them.
Prevent this rot by adding crushed egg shells or lime to the soil.
Fertilize with a nitrogen-based fertilizer to help reverse the yellowing.
These plants need six to eight hours of sunlight per day.
Without adequate light, they won’t produce fruit.
Yes, in the right conditions and with the right care, they grow quite vigorously.
Depending on the variety, fruits will ripen and be ready for harvest within 75 to 90 days.
Golden San Marzano (Rutgers NJAES).New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.
