Rutgers or rutgers select is one of the best, tried and true good for canning. bill w.

Tony:

There are several things to look for in a good canning tomato. First is relatively high acidity, to fight spoilage and prevent discoloration in the jar. Second is a high flesh-to-juice ratio, so you don't end up with half a jar of tomatoes at the bottom, and juice at the top. Finally, the more modern tomatoes varieties have better disease resistance, and tend to have a much better set of fruit.

One of the newer Roma-type tomatoes is your best all-around bet for canning. Tomatoes like Rutgers are fine, if you are prepared to cook them down an hour or so longer for your sauce, or don't mind the juice at the top. When you pack a jar full of Romas, you end up with a jar full of tomatoes.

As you have discovered, older varieties like San Marzano (or even worse, the old Principe Borghese) are shy bearers compared with newer varieties, and you will soon see the difference in disease resistance, which cuts short the productive life of the plant.

I stopped growing San Marzano years ago for these reasons, and have had the best luck with a newer Roma type of French origin called "Daiquiri", which I buy from Stokes Seeds. There are lots of others in the Stokes catalog, any one of which would be better than what you have. Daiquiri produces basket after basket of perfect plum-type tomatoes, that are excellent for sauce and canning. I know there will be some differences of opinion about "flavor", but that is an ephemeral quality that eludes me in cooked tomato products. They all taste pretty much the same to me when processed.

This year I am growing an Eastern European variety called Druzba for canning and sauce, because of its high acidity. I know there will be more juice than with the Roma types, but we will see just how much more. Druzba lacks much disease resistance, so I am spraying with a fungicide to get the plants up to bearing size before turning them loose on their own. Daconil will really slow the onset of wilt diseases.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Can the San Marzano varietal grow well in central CT?

i'm growing SM and super-SMs this year. the SM is doing okay, some BER (its a plum, what can you do) but looks okay so far otherwise. the SSM is a relatively new transplant so it isn't making fruit right now, but it sure is vigorous. blossoms all over the place. who knows.

i'm in brooklyn, so the point is it they should be pretty cool, but who knows, my plants could all take a big crap on me in the next month or so.

as to canning, i'm also growing some determinate romas for that purpose. can't go wrong with a mess of tomatoes all at once if you're into canning...

Alan,

It's not clear to me if you're looking for varieties for sauce or for canning.

My suggested lists for each would not be the same.

Carolyn

Thanks so much for your repsonses. Jellyman you've piqued my interest with the French varietal.

Carolyn, to your point, I'm game for your list for a good type for both canning and sauce. Because, I'd love to make sauce with some during the growing season and of course can some to use for those many months while we are wait for the next year :)

So please send along your lists!

This forum is great so glad I found it.

Happy growing,
tony