Understanding whether San Marzano Tomato is determinate or indeterminate lets you know if you must pick the fruits all at once or one at a time.
So be definite on what type of San Marzona you are growing, and pick the flavored fruits on time.
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What Is The Best Indeterminate Tomato Plant?
Being indeterminate is already the best you can get from a Tomato vine, as you can enjoy the harvest all season.
It includes some vining Tomato varieties like Super Sweet 100, Gardener’s Delight, and Chocolate Cherry with small cherry Tomatoes.
Moreover, the Amish Paste Tomato, Indigo Rose Plum, and San Marzano Roma Pole are indeterminate varieties with elongated Tomatoes.
As for the beefsteak type indeterminate, choose varieties like Big Beef, Henderson’s Pink Ponderosa, and Chef’s Choice.
However, whichever variety you choose, indeterminate is better than determinate varieties if your sole purpose is seasonal yield.
The continuous harvest is because of no upright growth. Thanks to the limitation, the variety extends their vines laterally as long as they want to produce fresh fruits.
Are San Marzano Tomato Plants Determinate Or Indeterminate?
San Marzona Tomato being a determinate is rare as the vine needs support from a trellis to continue its indeterminate growth.
Some indeterminate varieties of San Marzano originating from Italy are Heirloom ‘San Marzano,’ Lungo F1 Hybrid, Gigante 3, and Lampadina.
These varieties grow vigorously and can continue growing in the USDA zone 5-10 for over 5 years.
In a single season, you can get about 100 fruits from one San Marzano plant in a flush of 6-8 Tomatoes.
However, some of the smaller varieties of San Marzano Tomato have originated as a determinate. It includes cultivars like Nano and Golden San Marzano.
These varieties rarely grow up to 3 feet tall and stunt their growth by the mid-season to give cylindrical plum tomatoes.
So ask your seller about the San Marzano variety you bring to know whether you should care for it as a determinate or indeterminate.
How To Grow San Marzano Tomatoes From Seed?
San Marzano Tomato is an heirloom type, so seeds of this variety can produce seedlings true to the parent.
Look at the tips below to grow San Marzano Tomato seeds and get successful fruiting.
- Take a bucket and put soil rich in organic matter in it.
- Add water slowly to make the soil moist enough, not soggy.
- Place the moist soil in the chambers of the seedling tray and tap to compact it. Leave at least a 1/4th inch gap from the top.
- Now, sow one seed per cell and cover it lightly with extra prepared soil.
Remember to start the seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date. It is because San Marzano takes about 70 to 90 days to reach maturity as an heirloom type.
Meanwhile, water the seeds once every alternate day to encourage growth. Place it in a south-facing window for direct sun.
Cover the seedlings with plastic wrap to boost humidity and moisture. Also, it helps to maintain a temperature of around 70-80ºF.
You can expect the seeds to sprout within a month to two. And once they have four sets of true leaves, you can transplant them into the ground or pot.
After transplanting, remember to use a slow releasing 5-10-10 fertilizer, the best fertilizer for San Marzano Tomatoes, monthly.
Look at the video for reference!
From Editorial Team
Extra Tips!
Pruning San Marzano Tomatoes of determinate origin is unnecessary as they already have bushy and limited growth.
However, you should prune a San Marzano plant of an indeterminate type when it reaches 2 to 3 feet tall. Doing so will help to shift the nutrient focus to the fruit.
