Plum Tomatoes

[1066]

Hi
Mr 1066 has put in an order for next year for Plum Tomatoes (I know I said I would only do cherry toms / tumbling toms!) Does anyone have a recommended variety for me to try? I tried some a few years ago, but have forgotten the variety, and I know I was disappointed with them the skins were very tough and they weren't that tasty (might have been a poor summer). I don't have a greenhouse so they need to be ok for outside on our sunny patio

Thanks
1066

[1066]

[ceres]

I grew Roma outside this year following recommendations on here.  I found that eaten raw, it's pretty bland but cooked it's very good.  It made lovely rich passata.  As I sieved it, I wasn't fussed about the skins.  How wil you use them?

[1066]

good question Ceres! Personally I think plum toms are best for sauces but not sure if they are wanted for eating raw (will have to check that one out)

Thanks

[saddad]

I can do you some Auntie Madge (HSL) I don't have much luck with it but it might prefer a sunny year by the seaside..  :)

[Trevor_D]

I've only ever grown Roma, so I can't compare. But I agree: good for cooking but quite some way down the list when it comes to eating raw. (Probably different results in Italy!)

For salads, I'd go for Black Russian, Marmande, Costoluto Fiorentino & Auriga. (Plus White Queen if you really want a multi-coloured salad!)

[GRACELAND]

money makers were great this year

[elhuerto]

Another vote for Roma here. We've had tons of them, and still going very strong. We've used all ours for cooking, agree they are a bit bland raw but the sauce with a bit of garlic and onions has been superb.

[Tin Shed]

Another vote for Roma - it makes superb passata and sauce for pasta, and we have had a bumper crop this year.

[BarriedaleNick]

Roma is great as everyone has said - reliable and cheap but I wouldn't put em on a plate.  I grew Aviro this year   - Lovely orange fruit - great for sauce, better than Roma on the plate but not outstanding
I am thinking of trying 'Purple Ukraine' from realseeds http://www.realseeds.co.uk/vinetomatoes.html..
Anyone had a bash at them???

[1066]

thanks for the replies
So it seems like a vote for Roma for sauce then  ;D

just checked out that link BarriedaleNick, sounds interesting so will wait and see what others have to say

1066

[chriscross1966]

I'd look at Black Krim beefsteaks for use as a cooking tomato... I find it a bit bland (nice enough though) raw but cooking really brings it out well and it is astonishingly early. THis year the ones in the GH were only beaten to ripe fruit by a day or so by the Gardeners Delight and outdoors they beat them in a friends garden... decent cropper (12x 8-12oz outdoors, 16x 12-16oz indoors). Word of warning they do get all the wierd growth problems of the beefsteak family in spades.... growing blind into trusses, growing blind into leaves, king fruit, forked stems, growing point trnasferring to the end of a truss the whole lot.... one of mine had the full set of those before it had put on two proper trusses....

chrisc

[asbean]

Roma is bog standard - San Marzano is the one most used in Italy, at this time of the year the market stalls are heaving with them.

[1066]

thanks for the info Asbean - I'll look out for San Marzano (seeds that is.....  :D )

[ceres]

Yes, San Marzano are great for cooking too.  Grew them for the first time this year and will stick with them and Roma I think.

[Unwashed]

I'd be amazed if you get them through the blight.  Roma were the last toms I grew and it's still painfull thinking of those ripening fruit going black overnight.

[valmarg]

A plum variety I would recommend is Olivade.  Very prolific fruiter, very flesshy, without many seeds, but definitely a cooker rather than raw.

valmarg

[tim]

We grew Amish Paste for the first time this year.  Indoors, but I see it goes out too.

This give a wider view than most - http://www.thefind.com/food/info-amish-paste-tomato .

[asbean]

I'd be amazed if you get them through the blight.  Roma were the last toms I grew and it's still painfull thinking of those ripening fruit going black overnight.

Yep, with a lot of blighty leaf/tom picking (we only lost about a dozen toms out of 10 plants) the blight seems to have abated and we are still picking.  With this sunny warm weather hopefully they will all ripen. Chutney is not on the agenda in this house (yuck) so we want as many as possible to ripen.

[meg_gordon]

I've been growing Pomodoro Scatolone from Seeds of Italy. Great crop but they are all still green - so still waiting.  Will post later as to the flavour, although I was told they should be used only for sauce and not for eating raw.

Meg