Canning Tomatoes

	Heinz 1350 VF TOMATO .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49120 Price:$2.25 Quantity in Basket: none
(vw, fw1, asc, cr) 75 days. (Determinate.) [Introduced 1963. Developed by the H. J. Heinz Co.] Round fruits average 6 to 8 oz., are uniform ripening, and have good crack resistance. 'Heinz 1350' is a productive garden variety with concentrated fruit set and excellent qualities as a processing tomato for canning or cooking. Widely adapted, multi-purpose variety suitable for salad use too. Pkt.
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	Hungarian Italian Paste TOMATO .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49123 Price:$2.95 Quantity in Basket: none
79 days. (Determinate) Highly productive pear-shaped paste tomato with good disease resistance and good holding quality. Fruits weigh 2 to 3 oz. and are borne in clusters of 4. Bears until frost. This is our favorite red paste tomato because of its high yields and healthy vines, plus the fruits make an excellent-flavored sauce. Pkt.
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	Roma VF TOMATO .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49138 Price:$2.45 Quantity in Basket: none
(vw, fw1, asc) 75 days. (Determinate) A very popular, pear-shaped paste tomato. Widely adapted. Fruit ripens uniformly. Productive cropíper best suited to ground culture. Good resistance to disease and to fruitworm. Pkt. "This is the most dependable canning tomato I have ever grown. I have never had a crop failure from it." -Cricket Rakita
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	Roma VF TOMATO 1.5g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49138A Price:$5.50 Quantity in Basket: none
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	Yellow Bell TOMATO .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49152 Price:$2.75 Quantity in Basket: none
60 days. (Indeterminate) [Introduced in 1986 by SESE. Family heirloom from Tennessee.] This yellow paste tomato can be used in salads or for making tomato paste, juice, preserves, and yellow catsup! Heavy-yielding plants produce 5 to 12 fruits per cluster. Fruit shape is similar to 'Roma', averaging 3" in length and 1-1/2" in diameter. Survives cool wet conditions better than other paste tomatoes. Ripens from green to creamy yellow to yellow. Flavor is outstanding, both sweet and rich. Excellent paste tomato for those who prefer yellow tomatoes. Pkt.
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	Yellow Bell TOMATO 1.5g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49152A Price:$5.50 Quantity in Basket: none
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	Pittman Valley Plum TOMATO .08g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49164 Price:$0.00 Quantity in Basket: none
88 days. (Indeterminate) [German heirloom from a farmer Pennsylvania's Pittman Valley. Seed sent to SESE by Merlyn Niedens.] Unusual, elongated, pointy-ended paste tomato. Pink-red fruits are 1-1/4" to 1-1/2 " in diameter and 4-5" long. Nearly seedless 3-4 oz fruits make a wonderful sauce. Should be caged or staked for best results. Has a tendency to drop some ripe fruit, but fruit is rarely damaged and often holds for at least 2 weeks. Pkt.
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	Amish Paste TOMATO .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49197 Price:$2.95 Quantity in Basket: none
(Indeterminate) One of the largest paste tomatoes we offer. Primarily known for producing a sauce with a superior flavor. Coreless fruits often weigh as much as 12 oz. Indeterminate plants yield well. Growth habit is somewhat droopy, so they need more attention to trellising than other varieties do. Pkt. "This tomato makes the best tasting sauce of any I have ever tried. I regret every season that I don't grow this variety for winter canning. The heavy waterless fruits boil down to a thick rich tangy sauce very quickly for such a large fruited variety and they hold their flavor exceptionally through the cooking and canning process." -Cricket Rakita
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	Amish Paste TOMATO 1.5g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49197A Price:$5.50 Quantity in Basket: none
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	Principe Borghese TOMATO, DRYING .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49200 Price:$2.20 Quantity in Basket: none
78 days. (Semi-determinate) Italian heirloom bred for sun drying, this low moisture variety maintains more flavor when dried than do other varieties. 2" fruits are round with small points on the end. Prized in Italian cooking when reconstituted in olive oil, they can also be crushed into small flakes to quickly thicken a thin sauce while adding a rich tomato flavor. Pkt.
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	Long Tom TOMATO .16g seed Code: 49204 Price:$2.75 Quantity in Basket: none
85-90 days. (Indeterminate) [Ben Quisenberry tomato selected in VA by grower Barbara Rosholdt] Long 2x5 inch meaty fruits have few seeds. Their sweet flavor and firm texture serves equally well in a salad or sauce. Very good yields.
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	Black Plum TOMATO .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49205 Price:$2.55 Quantity in Basket: none
70-80 days. (Indeterminate) Russian Heirloom Variety Prolific producer of 2 oz. elongated deep mahogany-brown fruit with a touch of green on the stem end. Black color develops best in hot day weather. The flavor is rich, complex, and full-bodied. Perfect for sauce, drying, or eating out of hand.
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	Striped Roman TOMATO .16g seed Code: 49211 Price:$2.55 Quantity in Basket: none
80 days (Indeterminate) [Developed by Seed Savers Exchange member John Swenson.] Highly popular variety -- orange and red stripes run the length of this long, pointy-ended Roma type. 7-oz fruits, thick flesh, great flavor.
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	Illini Gold TOMATO .16g seed Code: 49225 Price:$2.50 Quantity in Basket: none
75 days [A chance cross of Dad’s Sunset and Bisignano #2, selected by Merlyn and Mary Ann Niedens] Indeterminate plants bear lots of 4-6 oz bright yellow/orange paste-type tomatoes. Attractive in salads, or makes a rich, sweet golden sauce. Pkt
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	Roma VF, Virginia Select TOMATO .16g seed Code: 49235 Price:$2.50 Quantity in Basket: none
Neighboring farmer and Growing for Market writer Pam Dawling has been saving this locally adapted strain since 2001, selecting for high, early yields and resistance to Septoria Leaf Spot. 4-5 oz fruits. Pkt
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CULTURE: Sow seeds 6 weeks before the last frost date for your area. Plant seed 1/4 inch deep in shallow flats and maintain soil temperature in the range of 75-85oF (24-29oC) for good germination. When the seedlings have produced several leaves, transplant to 3” pots to promote root growth. After transplanting, keep seedlings at a lower temperature at night, 50-60oF (10-13oC), to promote earlier flowering in some varieties. Day temperatures should rise to 75-85oF (24-29oC) to promote rapid growth. Expose plants to light and air currents to harden the plants and to encourage stockiness. Water sparingly, but do not allow the growth to become checked. Fertilize with complete, soluble fertilizer or fish emulsion if leaves become yellow and/or purple. Keep phosphorous levels high. Too much nitrogen will delay fruiting. For transplanting to the garden, average soil temperature should be 60-65oF (16-18oC). SPACING: Staked plants should be spaced about 18 to 24” apart. Caged plants should be spaced about 24 to 36” apart. DISEASES: Plant disease-resistant varieties for a sustained harvest. Leaf blight diseases such as early blight and alternaria begin to appear about mid-July, and plants are more susceptible once fruit production begins. To reduce disease problems, use resistant or tolerant varieties and rotate tomatoes to different parts of the garden each year, using a three-year rotation. Fusarium wilt (race 1), a disease caused by a soil fungus, is common in the Mid-Atlantic region during mid- to late-season. Fusarium races 1 and 2 are present in southern regions. Where fusarium wilt is present a six-year rotation or use of resistant varieties is recommended. Do not plant eggplants, peppers, or potatoes in wilt-infested soil during the rotation period. Avoid planting tomatoes near walnut trees to avoid “walnut wilt”. Early blight and anthracnose are common in the Mid-Atlantic region, and are favored by hot, humid conditions. Late blight is more common in inland regions at higher elevations, especially during the spring and fall. Blossom-end rot is prevented by ensuring an adequate level of soil calcium, and steady moisture. PESTS: Tomatoes planted in healthy soil will generally have few severe pest problems. FLAVOR: Type of fertilizer used has an effect on flavor. Highly flavored tomatoes are sometimes subject to “off flavors” under certain growing conditions. Avoid placing freshly harvested tomatoes in the refrigerator because refrigeration will destroy much of the delicate flavor. Tomatoes are best stored at a temperature above 50oF (10oC). SEED SAVERS: Isolate varieties of L. lycopersicon by a minimum of 35’ for home use and 75’ to 150’ for pure seed. Isolate varieties of L. pimpinellifolium species from all other tomato species by a minimum of 150’. MATURATION DATES: Days to maturity are the number of days after transplanting. PACKET: Seed size varies considerably, 0.08 to 0.16 g (about 40 to 83 seeds, depending on variety, average 64 seeds) sows 100’. SEEDS/OZ: 7000 to 15,000 seeds/oz. (average 11,500) sows 3/4 to 1-1/2 acre of transplants at 18” spacing in rows 4’ apart.

DETERMINATE AND INDETERMINATE VARIETIES: Determinate varieties are short-vined plants that seldom need staking. Blossoms and fruit develop about the same time. Indeterminate varieties are long-vined plants that bear fruit continuously. These varieties should be caged or staked. Some varieties are semi- determinate. MULCHING: Too much mulch on the soil in the spring may delay growth by preventing soil temperature from rising enough to support active root growth. Starting at the end of June, apply a deep mulch around plants to conserve moisture and increase yield. YIELD: Too much nitrogen after transplanting will delay flowering. High levels of phosphorus are necessary to produce good yields. Pruning and staking increases earliness to fruiting at the expense of yield. Indeterminate varieties may be pruned if necessary. Pruning of determinate varieties should be kept to a minimum. For largest yields, cages 2’ wide by 5’ tall are recommended for indeterminate varieties.