The Best Tomatoes for Sauce: San Marzano Tomatoes

 

Ask any chef and they’ll tell you that San Marzanos are the best tomatoes for sauce.
The flesh of San Marzanos is thicker and meatier than other sauce tomatoes, they have fewer seeds, a bolder flavor, and they’re less acidic. The end result? These tomatoes just melt into sauces.
To prep San Marzanos for sauce, you first have to remove the skin. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Drop in a few San Marzanos (you may have to work in batches) and boil until they’re skins start to blister (about 1-3 minutes). Remove the tomatoes from the water using tongs, a slotted spoon, or a Chinese skimmer and immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, use your hands to peel off the skins.
Next, chop off the tops of the tomatoes and slice away any tough flesh, bruises, or rot spots. To remove the seeds, cut the tomato in half lengthwise and gently scrape out the seeds using a small spoon or your finger. At this point, the tomatoes are ready to be frozen or canned.
Removing the skins and seeds from San Marzanos makes for an extra velvety sauce. Try using San Marzanos in this simple Garlic Tomato Sauce for pasta or pizza. They’re also perfect in ratatouille.
Look for fresh San Marzano tomatoes at your local farmers market. You can also find canned San Marzanos in specialty stores or larger grocery chains. http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2010/08/10/san-marzano-tomatoes-the-best-sauce-tomato/

Blossom End Rot!

 

Here is a picture of a tomato with blossom end rot. (although since peppers are in the same family as tomatoes they can get it as well and just as easy)

Symptoms can occur at any stage of development in the tomato. But it seems most common, when the tomato is one-third or half of its full size. The name sorta says it all, it starts only at the blossom end of the tomato. Starting with small water-soaked spots, which get bigger then turns dark quickly as the fruits develop. The spot may get big enough to cover one third or half of the entire tomato's surface! Basically at that point the fight is over, and that tomato is a goner. I usually pick them and toss them away.
If you have seen this tomato sickness, if you have it or had it last year. You know that it usually does not just effect 1 tomato on a plant. It was probably in the majority of your entire crop, and up to 90% of the tomatoes on each plant. The severity can vary, from very bad to maybe just a few bad tomatoes.
I personally have seen them both. I started out several years ago with just a small problem, but over the years it grew to almost taking my entire crop. That is when I decided to learn all about this disease. And I found a simple solution.

Now I could go over the long drawn out reasons of why, and all of that jazz. But it is just a lot of long words and yada yada. Simply said here is "easy" explanation, which probably wont do the disease justice. Basically the tomato plant is having a hard time getting adequate water and nutrition to the plant. Part of that could be due to clay soil. Soil can always be the culprit. Sandy soils will have the same effect. Could be periods of drought, then lots of water. Could be to much water, or inconsistent watering. But for some reason your plant isn't able to grow a good root system, thus making the plants susteptiable to disease.

Solution-
If you have clay soil can I suggest you add lots of organic material? Clay soil is a common problem in vegy gardens. Clay soil just isn't great for growing, even weeds sometimes. The same can be said of Sandy soil. So add lots and Lots of organic material. Every Year. But that may only just start to solve this problem of Blossom end rot. Although I would hope it would end the problem.
Next make sure that you are consistent in watering. Make a schedule and stick to it. Now, I am not suggesting that you become a Nazi. Just water every other day on a drip system for 15 minutes, simple. In the real heat of the summer, I water every day. But I know lots of people that don't. Just watch your plants, don't let them wilt. (If they are wilting, re-evauate your watering entirely) Other watering suggestions for tomatoes and most all garden plants is, don't water over head. Meaning turn off the rain bird. I will explain more on that in my next post.
If you have taken care of everything else, meaning. Your soil is in good shape, watering is handled and you are taking the opportunity to possibly fertilize with a simple 4-12-4 or 5-20-5 fertilizer, every other week but still have a problem. Add lime. Simple powder lime from the garden department should end this problem entirely. Lime isn't bad for the body (through tomatoes) is organic and just promotes healthy tomatoes. Every year I add 1 tablespoon to the hole that I put my new tomato starts into. I would rather not bother worrying about whether blossom end rot will happen at all.
Several years ago, when I had blossom end rot for the last time. I added lime to the top of the soil next to the tomato, (because I didn't at the beginning of the year) then worked it in around the tomato. Watered as usual. I also plucked all the effected tomatoes off and chucked them. I ended up with a substantially smaller crop because of what I had lost. But everything started to grow 100% rot free after that. I cant promise that will be your experience, but if you remember: Soil, Water, Fertilizer, Lime I think you will have amazing tomatoes every year!
Happy Planting!

  http://gardeninggoodies.blogspot.com/

I am determined to explain

 

 

This will be a short post, but very important. I am putting the SMACK down on my kids with the house today, so I need to put my attention there. But at the same time, this is THEE MOST asked question I get at the greenhouse or at home from anyone about tomatoes!

What is the difference between Determinate & In-Determinate Tomatoes? The answer is simple, and I am going to give you a "cheat" so you wont forget.Both of the terms are simply how the tomato will grow and produce. So first ask yourself, "What am I buying this tomato for?" Are you canning, or just eating? This is important when purchasing one of the two different kinds of tomatoes. Here is the reason...
Determinate tomatoes will all grow and ripen close to the same time, within a few weeks. Meaning the plant grows to a certain size, then grows the tomatoes, then they ripen. Pretty much that is the end of that tomato plant. These are the best tomatoes to use if you are canning.
Indeterminate tomatoes grow and fruit and grow and fruit. The plant continues to grow throughout the growing season and produce tomatoes. Never finishing growing, never finishing fruiting. Pretty much that will continue to frost.. These tomatoes will often ripen earlier than Determinate varieties. These are the tomatoes you want if you are just eat'n, mak'n a little fresh salsa & not canning.

Now for the "cheat" I use. I say, the Determinate tomatoes are DETERMINED to all be ripe at the same time. Left over is the Indeterminate and they just don't care. How easy is that?
Next time you head to the Greenhouse to pick a tomato plant, I hope this will help with your selection. I will spent the next few post talking more about tomatoes. I will add my favorite varieties in the coming posts. I get so many questions about Tomatoes, seems like I should spend some time on them. For right now, I think I will head out to my garden, grab a nice juicy tomato and get back to the house.
Happy Planting...    http://gardeninggoodies.blogspot.com/search/label/Tomato

How to Save Tomato Seeds

Image by: wintersown

It's nice to be able to save your own tomato seeds!

You may have brought home a particularly delicious tomato from the supermarket, or gotten an heirloom tomato from a Farmer's Market, or grown one in your own garden that is so wonderful you want to save the seeds from it and grow them next year. Nothing ever tastes quite as good as a home-grown tomato!

So, how do you save the seeds? The method is easy to do....it's a little gloppy, and it's a little funky, but you'll be able to save seeds in a manner that will lesson the occurence of tomato disease while giving you plenty of seeds to germinate, and with left-overs to share or trade. This seed saving process is a process of fermentation.

Select to save seeds from a tomato that has a flavor that you love....if you're a home gardener and saving seeds from tomatoes that are growing in your garden choose tomatoes from the very healthiest looking plants.

Take your chosen tomato and slice it in half across the middle (it's "equator"). With a spoon or your well-washed fingers scoop out the seeds and their gelatinous "goo" into a clean cup or container. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the seeds. Cover the container with a piece of plastic-wrap and then poke the plastic-wrap with a paring knife or pen point to put a small hole in it...this is to allow for air-transpiration. (A little fresh air needs to get in and out of the cup to help foster fermentation.)

Place the container of seeds in a warm location; a sunny windowsill or the top of the refrigerator are both excellent sites to place the container of seeds. Now Mother Nature will take over and begin to ferment the seed and water mixture. This takes about two or three days. Each night remove the plastic-wrap, stir the seed and water mixture, and then replace the plastic-wrap, if you use a new sheet of plastic-wrap then don't forget to put a small hole in it for air-transpiration. The top of the liquid will look "scummy" when the fermentation process has seperated the "goo" from the seeds. It also helps destroy many of the possible tomato diseases that can be harbored by seeds.

Take the container of fermented seeds to the sink and with a spoon carefully remove the scummy surface. Then pour the container's contents into a fine kitchen sieve and rinse the seeds with water several times...stir them while they're in the sieve to assure that all surfaces are thoroughly rinsed. Give a few sharp taps to the sieve to help remove as much loose water as possible from the seeds.

Line an open plate with a piece of waxed paper or a large automatic-drip coffee filter. Place the rinsed seeds onto the wax paper or coffee filter and spread them about so they are in a single layer. Place the plate in a safe location where the seeds can dry for a few days. Stir the seeds a few times during the drying process to assure that all their surfaces are evenly dry. Spread them out again into a single layer after each time you've stirred them. Tomato seeds are thick and can take up to a week to dry thoroughly. If you're having a rainy week that drying time may lengthen by a few days.

How do I know when the seeds are dry? Dried seeds move quickly and easily across a plate, they do not stick to each other.

How do I store them?

I like paper packets or some folks like plastic. Whichever envelope style you choose is a matter of personal preferance. If you choose to store your seeds in plastic the seeds must be BONE DRY....otherwise any moisture in the seeds will be transferred to all seeds inside the plastic packet, it will foster mildew and rotting and the seeds will be ruined.

How do I label them?

Tomatoes are generally self-pollinated so there is rarely a chance of cross-breeding. If you save and trade your seeds you might wish to describe your trade offering as "open-pollinated" tomato seeds. That way the trader knows that Mother Nature was solely involved in the fertilization of the flower which produced the tomato that you have saved seeds from.

Onto the packet write the tomato variety name (if you know it) or a very good description if you don't, add the term "open-pollinated" if you're sharing or trading your tomato seeds, and also add the current year to the packet description.

And that's that! Do enjoy saving tomato seeds and growing your own tomatoes at home from them. Home-saved tomato seeds are a wonderful gift to tuck into a holiday card for when you want to add a "little something extra", or to share with friends and neighbors.

Trudi Davidoff   http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/seedsave/2002084456024410.html

How do I save tomato seeds?

Saving tomato seeds is not difficult, but you need to use open-pollinated varieties (as most heirloom tomatoes are) in order to have them grow true to type.
1. Start by taking the best tomatoes from a number of plants of that variety will give you a good genetic mix. They needn't be rotten, just ripe.
2. Cut the fruits in half at their waistlines, and squeeze their seeds into a labeled container such as a glass jar.
3. Add several inches of water to the jar and set it aside, out of direct sunlight but in a warm spot. A flotilla of fungal matter will form after a few days, but you may cover the jar to avoid the smell, deter fruit flies and prevent a tidy family member from throwing out the whole thing. Keep the lid loose, though, to encourage the fermentation that is the key to this little operation. The gel coating that has kept the seeds from germinating will break down, and any good, viable seeds will sink to the bottom. Stir from time to time.
4. After no more than five days, spoon off and discard the moldy debris on the surface, and pour off the water. Add fresh water to the seeds, stir and let them settle again. Do this until the seeds are clean, then drain them well in a fine strainer and spread them on a screen or a plate so that they'll dry quickly, out of the sun.
5. When they are absolutely dry and are easily separated with your fingers, they can be stored in an airtight jar or plastic bag and will keep for at least five years.
Source: Barbara Damrosch  http://kitchengardeners.org/questions/how-do-i-save-tomato-seeds

Charlie says… Eat Orange Tomatoes for Lycopene

 

'Tangerine' orange tomato has higher levels of the anti-oxidant lycopene than red tomatoes.

We've all seen the studies saying red tomatoes contain high amounts of the anti-oxidant lycopene. Lycopene has been shown to protect cells and essential fatty acids from breaking down in the body and contributes to better health. While tomatoes, specifically processed red tomatoes, were originally thought to contain the highest amounts of lycopene, researchers at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service in Davis, California have now found that orange is a good color for health, too.
Researchers asked 21 men and women not to eat any tomato products for a one month period. They then fed the participants chili made either with a common red tomato variety or with 'Tangerine' orange tomatoes for one week and then tested their blood afterward. They found those who ate the chili made with 'Tangerine' orange tomatoes had higher lycopene levels in their blood. They concluded that 'Tangerine' is a better source of lycopene than red tomatoes. It seems the lycopene in the orange colored fruits is better absorbed in the body.
So mix up your colored tomatoes this summer in the garden, growing some orange ones like 'Tangerine' to keep your body at optimum health.  http://www.garden.org/ediblelandscaping/?page=201104-charlie-says

Expert Tips for Tomato Ring Culture Supergrowth

Tomato Ring Culture

The ring culture of tomatoes or ‘tomato ring culture’ is now widely practised. It is a method which provides controlled conditions of nourishment and water supply. It was first practised at the Tilgate Horticultural Research Station in Sussex.

Because of indifferent crops then being produced, it was decided to grow greenhouse tomatoes in some large bottomless earthen ware rings or containers. These rings were filled with compost and planted in the usual way. By chance some of the rings had been placed on a tiled floor such as found in old conservatories and growing rooms, and some or part of the floor which had been covered with ashes from a coal fired boiler.
It was found that the plants standing over the ash grew much more freely and cropped much more heavily. Since all plants were grown in the same compost and had the same attention no answer could be at first found for their greatly differing results.
When the rings were moved it was discovered that it was the plants which had grown over the ash base that had fruited so heavily. They had made a strong secondary root system in the ash layer which had remained damp allowing the roots to spread out widely. The plants standing over the tiles had their roots restricted to the rings.
Rings of widely varied materials have been used, and apart from weathered ashes, many other materials have been employed on which to stand the rings. These layers are known as aggregates, and among those now used are small grade clinkers, sand, crushed ballast and peat. Gravel can be used but is not so moisture retentive as the other materials. The same applies to stone chippings and very coarse clinkers. The depth of the aggregate is not important except that it should not be less than 10cm although there does not seem any advantage in going beyond 15cm.
Although not essential, where there has previously been trouble from disease or eelworm, an effective way of isolating the aggregate layer from the greenhouse soil is to first provide a layer of polythene, or even concrete for a more permanent separation. In either case some provision must be made for the escape of surplus water, although the aggregate must be kept constantly moist so that the lower zone of roots never dries out. Any possibility of water-logging resulting in unhealthy root action must be avoided.
Where there is sufficient height, tomatoes can be grown in rings on greenhouse benches, for provided shade is given, the plants can be trained to the roof There is no problem in growing tomatoes in rings in the open ground, although it is best to select a south facing site. If the aggregate layer is raised a little above the surrounding soil it prevents compost being washed into or rain beaten, over the aggregate. Alternatively boards can be placed round the aggregate to keep it intact.
The John Innes Compost No. 3 was used in the initial trials and properly made, it is not so liable to dry out as ‘ordinary’ composts which are often too light, depending on the type of loam used. This perhaps is not so important once the secondary roots in the aggregate are working well. When they are not and the feeding roots in. the rings dry out, the foliage may wilt and some of the flowers fall before they set.
Here perhaps is the place to mention the size of the rings. It is now possible to buy a number of types of bituminised cardboard and similar material. A good size is 20cm deep with a top diameter of 23cm. Having made a 5 to 8cm layer of compost firm on the bottom of the ring (placed on the aggregate) the tomato plant should be taken from its pot and placed firmly in the ring pressing the soil closely around the ball of roots without damaging them. Bring the soil to within 4cms of the top of the ring this space being left for watering and then for feeding. Then give a good watering so the roots settle in their new compost. After about ten days, apply water close to the plant stem, (this is ball watering) and make the aggregate wet and keep it so.
After a month or so roots will be penetrating the aggregate and ball watering should cease, all moisture then being drawn through the secondary root system. By this time the nutrients in the rings will be almost exhausted and feeding into the rings at seven day intervals should be commenced.
Do not water into the rings after feeding until it is evident that the compost is becoming dry. Lack of free moisture in the container causes the foliage to droop a little and lose its fresh lively colour. It is always best to feed in solution, since with the comparatively little watering into the rings there is less opportunity for the solid feed to be carried to the fibrous roots.
The fertiliser first used on tomatoes grown in the tomato ring culture method, ie in rings, was known as 667 from the analysis of 6% each of nitrogen and phosphoric acid, and 7% potash, which provides the necessary magnesium for good colour. Once the first truss has set, liquid organic fertiliser should be given at seven day intervals. It is now possible to obtain a number of really good non-forcing organic fertilisers with a similar analysis.
You must bear in mind that plants in rings do require more feeding than those in the border. Otherwise they become half-starved, growth is indifferent, and the quality and quantity of the fruit poor.
The removal of side shoots and general attention needed by tomatoes grow in the tomato ring culture method is the same as that required by plants grown under the usual method.

  http://www.gardeninginfozone.com/expert-tips-for-tomato-ring-culture-supergrowth