The right Tomato for cooking

[croixflats]

The last few years Ive been planting different tomato's in the garden for cooking. I started with Roma's then went to Sam Marzano and I found they didn't have much flavor.

This year I tried Polish Linguisa. And boy I think I found the tomato I was looking for. Shaped like a poblano pepper and just a bit smaller 4 to 6 inch in length. Lots of meat and few seeds, not hallow like a roma can be. And the flavor is very good. Excellant for sauces, salsa's and chili. Be planting more next year for sure.

Whats your thoughts on a good cooking tomato.

[Swill]

I planted about 14 plants, and for cooking, I like the romas. But that is true about the hallow insides. Where did you buy the Polish Linguisa? Did you start them from seed?

I use 90% of my tomatoes for cooking. Once they are blanced, I remove the skin and seeds, then food save them for later.

[croixflats]

The Polish Linguisa tomatoes I got at small local garden center called Blacks Nursery on the east side of the cities. Great little garden center carry all kinds of tomoto's and peppers over a hundres verieties got to be.Try to ignore the blight it starting to effect my tomotos this year. I think i'm gonna have replace the soil.

Here a picture of these odd lookin tomato's not ripe you get the idea.

[Swill]

They look like peppers. Very nice....

I too had major tomato blight this year. If you have the space,I heard if you rotate your crops to another tomato bed, or new location, it should fix the problem.

Thanks for the pic, I loved seeing them, and I will have to plant those next year.

[KEN W]

Those are interesting.They really do look like peppers if not for the leaves.I'll have to try that one next year.I like the fact that it is not a hybrid so I can keep the seeds from year to year.

[art321]

I get blight every year. I do rotate over a 1300sq/ft garden and it happens every time. Anyone know what else to do. I can't very well replace the soil and I'm trying to stay totally organic. I've heard mulching with straw works.

[UncleKes]

I've had good luck with Big Boys the past few years but I have to admit they don't have a lot of flavor. They tend to be too sweet for using in a spaghetti sauce (my opinion) and I have been thinking for some time about switching to a new variety next year so your post came at a good time.

Where exactly is this Blacks Nursery! I live in Fridley just north and a little west of St. Paul and due north of Minneapolis. I am about a mile from where University Avenue intersects with 694.

Thanks for the info. by the way.

Regards;

Uncle Kes

[croixflats]

I had a feeling I was going to get it so I planted a couple bradywines in seperate pots with fresh potting soil as you can see their doing great.

This fall I'm digging out the soil 18 inch down and replacing with compost dirt sand mixture and spray soil with fungicide before I add new soil. I might line the side of garden with plastic for added measure.

[croixflats]

I was just out your way getting my trolling moter fixed I'd say 35 to 45 minute drive depending on traffic.

Blacks Nuresry is located on frontage road next to Highway 94 in lakeland just before you get to wisconsin and cross the St.Croix. The land use to be Rays truck stop before 94 went to 3 lanes. In the spring fish the Croix in morning then hit Blacks on the way home. It sits on top of hill on the south side across from the weight station. They are only open 3 months in the spring.

[blueroof]

I get blight every year. I do rotate over a 1300sq/ft garden and it happens every time. Anyone know what else to do.

I ran a market vegetable farm selling at farmers markets for 6 years, grew over 100 different types of tomato over the years. The key to keeping blight from taking over your plants is to water the soil without wetting the foliage of the plants. The best method is to use a plastic poly tunnel (hoophouse) to keep them dry and drip irrigate. I know this is harder in a backyard of a city lot, but it can be done fairly economically. My mom has a tiny poly tunnel at her house she put up for under $100, keeps her in tomatoes all year. Usually I have tomatoes by June 1st out of my tunnels.

The Polish Linguista is very similar to Long Tom and Sausage seeds offered by Seed Savers Exchange. They are a paste form of Roma tomato. Many Romas form hollow spaces, but not all. My favorite cooking tomato is the Amish Paste offered by Seed Savers, they are generally solid.

Here's a picture of various tomatoes I grew a couple years ago.

[croixflats]

Awsome idea Bleuroof going to do that for sure next year. And thanks for the descriptions and other verieties. GREAT LOOKING TOMATO'S

For watering Ive been thinking about drip iragation.

My design would be;

3/4 inch plastic iragation pipe, hose end on one end and capped on the other, with 1/8inch tubing taped in to 3/4 pipe running to each plant with drip emitters on them.Sounds like a lot of work but on small scale like 12 to 14 plants I think it would work well especialy with the cones.

[BLACKJACK]

I get blight every year. I do rotate over a 1300sq/ft garden and it happens every time. Anyone know what else to do. I can't very well replace the soil and I'm trying to stay totally organic. I've heard mulching with straw works.

Mulching will help keep the blight down. Without mulch, when you water from overhead the dirt splashes up on the tomato plants, spreading the blight. Use leaves (gathered and bagged from last fall), lawn clippings, or weedfree hay or straw. Put it fairly thick - 6-8 incyhes - when the plants are two feet high. Another advantage of mulch is they keep the weeds down and the soil moist. Try it. Two bales will mulch my 12 tomato plants. If I could find enough hay, I'd mulch the whole garden, lots less weeding!!! Then in the fall I till in the compost, helping your soil. Mulch is a win, win, win addition to the garden.

[Swill]

That must be my problem. I installed a drip irrigation system, but did not like the flow, so I punched a bunch of holes in the line. Well since I punched the holes in the line, water is shooting everywhere, so that must be why I have so much blight this year.

I think I need to redo that part of my garden, and also improve the soil with compost.

What about soil nutrients? I took a soil test last week near my tomotoes and I was very low in Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)

[hoggs222]

What about a soaker hose for the garden? Would that help?

[blueroof]

Soaker hose is a great way to water. Only issue I've found with the stuff is that for me it doesn't last longer than two seasons without developing holes that create spray. Best bet is to use soaker hose or drip tape and put that under your mulch like BlackJack suggests. That way, if the hose cracks, you don't spray the plants. You'll probably bore some holes in the soil, but the holes won't hurt too much unless it is directly on the root system.

Swill, Regarding soil nutrients. Did you perform the test yourself, or did an extension service do them? I ask because Phosphorus deficiencies are pretty uncommon in most of MN. Tomatoes do best with lower N levels, if you get too much you'll produce foliage at a detriment to flower and fruit set. For soil improvement your plan of using compost is the best start, just make sure to get it mixed into the ground early enough so you don't get a forest of leaves. I use the gambit of seed meals and mined rock products for balancing out the NPK and Ca/Mg ratio once the soil has been improved through compost and organic additions.

One product I highly recommend is Drammatic One, it is a fish emulsion product mixed with kelp and is further fortified with sugars and other goodies to increase the nutritional value (brix) of your food. It is generally applied as a foliar spray, but can be used as a drench for the soil if required. JRJohnson supply right off county road C near 35W/280 sells the stuff.

[Tom Linderholm]

Awesome info guys, especially the polish linquisa (never heard of that one).

I just wish my garden was as ready as yours is.

[Down2Earth]

Add a table spoon of salt to the plant and it should take care of the blight. best done before you get it. I know I add one once a month. I water with a regular sprinkler, no mulch, no straw, no grass, and i never get blight.