I bought 4 San Marzano plants from a grocery store nursery. I plan on raising them in containers or pots since the soil in my yard isn't viable for them. What kind of fertilizer/soil? Am I able to bring them inside for the winter to continue getting fruit? I was SO excited when I saw them because San Marzano are very hard to come by where I am (no seeds or plants, only canned). I'm so excited to make passata and sugo with them that it would break my heart if I accidentally killed them!
Sorry for the poor quality photo btw
by Salty_Cap5912
5 Comments
They like water and sun,full sun. This is going sound gross, but horse or chick poo for a little boost.
Get some large pots, though they like room or one long pot for the window. Also, don’t forget some sticks to hold the plant up.
What sort of climate and hemisphere are you in? I know what I would do with them on my Polish balcony but it might not help you:)
Generally though, you want acidic soil, a good compost in the planters and lots of water, they’re a thirsty plant. Assuming you don’t have a greenhouse, they should go outside after the last frosts, which in much of the northern hemisphere is about now, but that could vary for you. Grow bags are great for tomatoes, especially once they’re about the maturity in your picture. Easy to make sure they’re getting enough water and big enough to deal with how huge the plants can get. Really can’t recommend them enough – where I am you can get ones tailored for tomatoes with the right pH and compost, hopefully the same exists for you.
One thing to bear in mind if you have pets – the plant is toxic to cats and dogs. Bees absolutely love it though, so outside is good if you can manage that.
For fertilizer, less nitrogen is best. Once they start flowering, you can get a specific tomato plant food, which you should add to the grow bag/planter every week or so. Ask at your local garden shop for help on that, I don’t know what it would be called for you. Keep watering, always, the flowers and buds like a spray just before dawn if you are up by then, otherwise at night is fine. Obviously only if it’s not too damp where you are, you don’t want to breed a fungus.
Good luck!
Calcium to prevent blossom end rot. San Marzanos get it.
Most tomato varieties are perennials, meaning they can live for several years. In most parts of the world, however, tomato plants are grown as annuals since they cannot survive frost. So while most tomato plants are perennials, they are usually only grown as such in their native tropical regions.
People usually remove the plants entirely after harvesting them and then plant new tomatoes again in the spring as soon as there is no risk of frost.
When the plants have grown a little, remember to cut the branches at the bottom. This “pruning” serves to strengthen the trunk of the plant and the tomatoes will be much more beautiful and larger.