Native to Italy, San Marzano tomatoes can be identified easily by their oblong shape and pointed ends. Sometimes they are called "San Marzano sauce tomatoes," because they are fleshy and have fewer seeds than other kinds of tomatoes. Strong and sweet in flavor and less acidic, this old-fashioned tomato is a favorite snack of many gardeners. Fruits grow in clusters of 6 to 8, each about 4 inches long. Buy a plant from a local garden center. Or, if starting seedlings, sow seeds about 8 weeks before the last frost date and a little earlier than other tomatoes, because San Marzanos need about up to 85 days to mature on their vines, which can reach 6 to 8 feet tall.

How to Plant San Marzano Tomato
Transplant seedlings when they are 6 to 12 inches tall. Establish them in a hole twice as wide and the same height as the plant. Set at least two-thirds of the seedling's stem underground and bury it. For stronger growth, dig a trench and bury the plant sideways, situating the tip above the soil surface. Then fill the hole with soil. Tamp the soil down. Water well. Space plants 30 to 48 inches apart. As each plant grows taller, tie branches with twine or strips of pantyhose.

San Marzano Plant Care
Place plants near a wall or fence or offer them a stake or strong cage for extra support. It's best to do this sooner rather than later while the roots are small. Otherwise, you may have to slide it over the tomato plant and disturb its growing foliage. Most San Marzano tomatoes are indeterminate and will grow rather large, so typical tomato cages may be too small or not supportive enough. If you do choose to go the route of a tomato cage, choose one that is extra tall and made of thick gauge wire to support the abundant crop the plant will produce.

Light
San Marzanos prefer full sun, like all tomato plants. Plant them in a location that gets at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily.

Soil
To make a rich soil for San Marzano tomato plants, mix 1/3 organic matter and 2/3 high quality organic soil, or mix together 1/2 regular top soil and 1/2 organic matter such as peat moss, manure, or compost. You can also mix in 1 to 2 cups of garden lime per 10-gallon container. Maintain a soil pH between 5.8 and 7. If needed, raise the pH level with wood ash or more agricultural lime, or lower it with organic matter.

Water
Tomato plants like to be consistently moist. Don't let their soil dry out completely. You can water them with compost tea (made by letting compost or manure sit in water for a while before mixing it). Use this, pondwater, well water, or rainwater to water plants well.

Fertilizer
Within two weeks of planting, use a 5-10-10 fertilizer, which is low in nitrogen, to fertilize foliage enough to keep the plant healthy and focus the nutrition on the fruit bearing. Apply fertilizer in trenches at least 6 inches from the plant's steps to avoid burning any leaves that are low to the ground. Use a water-soluble fertilizer for tomatoes grown in pots.

Here are our San Marzano Tomatoes on 06.25.2022.  We are very excited about these plants as we were able to grow them from seed.  Not the best propagation at first but we did finally have four healthy plants.  As you can see, they are going gangbusters here in the Carondelet Garden!

​Organic, Heirloom
Crunchy, sweet leaves, buttery-green heart, and vigorous growth are a few ways to describe 'Parris Island Cos' romaine. Developed by the USDA and Clemson University around 1950, this nutritional, 10"-12", upright lettuce will soon be a favorite in your garden and your kitchen, full grown or as a baby green in as little as 21 days. Ideal for lettuce wraps. Plants resist tipburn and are mosaic virus tolerant.
 

Growing Sweet Basil
Parsley and cilantro might be high-ranking contestants when it comes to the most commonly grown herb, but sweet basil almost always steals the top spot! There's a good reason for it, too. It is a tender, fragrant, and flavorful herb that is a prized addition to many cuisines.
If you've never planted this popular garden herb, then there couldn't be a better time than now! In this gardening guide, we'll walk through the basics of how to care for this plant. Pesto, bruschetta, and margarita pizzas are right around the corner once you've mastered the easy art of how to care for this herb.

Sweet Basil Necessities
When it comes to growing this plant, there's no "green thumb" required in order to be successful! In fact, you don't even have to have any previous gardening experience to grow a bountiful crop. As long as you keep the following necessities at hand, you'll always have plenty of basil to go around.

​Organic, Heirloom
'Buttercrunch' is a vigorous grower with a creamy yellow interior, buttery flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture, pleasing palates since 1963. Small heads are perfect for a single-serve salad. The compact size makes it a good container variety, and it's also attractive in the flower-garden border. All-America Selections Winner.