Best plum/paste varieties

[tam91]

Now that I'm starting from seed, I'm supplying seedlings to some of my friends. They're learning about the glories of heirloom/OP tomatoes.

However, one of my friends will still be buying a bunch of plants elsewhere, since she wants the basic 'ol plums for drying and sauce. That's not my thing, so I don't have any of those.

I do have Ludmilla's Red Plum, and I will give her one to try. But I thought that was more of an eating tomato. Is that right?

Next year, I figure I can start some plum plants just for her. Probably doesn't matter if they're hybrid or OP - can anyone recommend varieties?

Edit: I suspect she's wanting some kind of Roma, right?

[fortyonenorth]

Carolyn has introduced a few that come immediately to mind. Heidi is very good - productive, tasty and relatively compact. The others that I'm thinking of are Martino's Roma and Tony's Italian, which I'm growing for the first time this year. Striped Roman is supposed to be very good as well.

[carolyn137]

Just b'c plum is part of a variety name it doesn't mean that it's a paste tomato, far from it, actually.

And yes, Ludmilla's Red Plum is a great eating tomato but not one for sauce as in too juicy to be called a paste variety.

If you HAVE to have some varieties for sauce, and I don't agree with that actually, here are a few that seem to do well for many folks and these are paste types, meaning dry flesh, few seeds and in general don't have as wonderful tastes as others and also are often more susceptible to BER and Early Blight ( A. solani)

So:

Heidi
Mama Leone
Opalka
Martino's Roma
Tony's Italian
Malinowyi Rog, not enough seeds to put in the seed offer in Jan but a new one that Andrey picked up in the Tula market, hope to have more seeds
Kenosha Paste, just offered in last seed offer
Kukla's Portuguese Paste, great new variety, should have enough seeds for next seed offer

..... for starters

And almost any heart variety b'c they almost all have dense flesh and few seeds as well, and for sure I have my fave hearts, and same for some beefsteak varieties that have those traits. Just cook the sauce down a bit more and there you go. And there are many here who just throw into the pot any variety they have around and make some great tasting sauce.

[tam91]

Thanks so much.

I personally don't want any pure paste varieties, I just want to grow some for my friend who wants them, so she doesn't have to purchase plants.

But I am growing several of the hearts you've mentioned this year, and I will be giving my friend a heart or two to try this year, so maybe she'll decide she'd rather have those than plums next year.

[texasweed]

Amish Paste
Sam Maranzo
Cody Russian Plum, note must have a long season

[brokenbar]

I only grow tomatoes for drying so I primarily only grow paste tomatoes. They are all pretty much drier fleshed, few seeds and zingy tasting so are usually fine sauce tomatoes as well. iIn addition to those mentioned in other posts, the following:
Federle
Chico Grande
Romeo
Carol Chyko
Chinese
Sausage
Cow's Tit
Howard's German

You should also considered many of the numerous oxheart heirloom tomatoes. They are usually dry and less seedy as well and many have a more piquant flavor than many of the paste types. I also agree with Carolyn, "plum" does not necessarily translate to "sauce" tomato and many are much to moist.

If you are talking just sauce, then I go with Costoluto Genovese.

[tam91]

Oh hey, there's the drying tomato expert! Thank you, I was hoping that you too would answer. Your list is saved.

I'd love to try Coltuloto Genovese myself, perhaps next year. I pretty much grow mine to eat fresh, but one for sauce (especially such a pretty one) wouldn't be bad.

[Mark0820]

Two additional pastes to consider are Sarnowski's Polish Plum and Andine Cornue (Andes Horn). I am growing both for the first time this year, but they are highly recommended by several people.

[mdvpc]

Carolyn

what about wuhib?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Mark0820

Two additional pastes to consider are Sarnowski's Polish Plum and Andine Cornue (Andes Horn). I am growing both for the first time this year, but they are highly recommended by several people.

Mark, I totally forgot to list Sarnowski Polish Plum in my list above and thanks for reminding me. It's great for fresh eating and IS a paste tomato as well.

Michael, either Wuhib or Tadesse would be just fine as paste tomatoes, cleverly named by me for Tadesse Wuhib who brought them back to me when visiting his parents in Ethiopia and got them at the farmer's market in Addas Ababa. And thank you for reminding me of those two.

Tadesse graduated from the college where I was teaching at the time, spent a year in South America studying medicinal plants then went on to get his MD from Jhn's Hopkins then joined CDC then was appointed head of pediatric medicine for the country of Armenia. Has back in the states for a long time, still with CDC and I must try to locate him.

On the day he graduated he introduced me to his uncle who was the Bishop of Ethiopia.

One of the more interesting students I ever taught b'c he was a great cook as well as a concert pianist as well as exceedlingly bright, humble,and spoke with that low modulated voice common to those from Ethiopia.

Just to note that the variety Heidi mentioned above came to me from Heidi Iyok, another student of mine, who brought the seeds back from Cameroon after flyting home for Christmas. A terrifi variety if I do say so myself, and I just did.

[MikeInCypress]

Carolyn,
I have never seen Tadesse offered commercially. I am not a member at the SSE so maybe it is listed there. I really enjoy Heidi and Wuhib. Do you know of a source for Tadesse? Thanks

[brokenbar]

Originally Posted by tam91

Oh hey, there's the drying tomato expert! Thank you, I was hoping that you too would answer. Your list is saved.

I'd love to try Coltuloto Genovese myself, perhaps next year. I pretty much grow mine to eat fresh, but one for sauce (especially such a pretty one) wouldn't be bad.

Tam, I should have mentioned that Federle, Carol Chyko and Howard German are late but I grew all three in Wyoming and most years got a crop. Howard German was iffy but is was a great paste tomato when it ripened. Of those, Carol Chyko is the best for fresh eating IMHO and they are BIG.

[mdvpc]

I have never seen Tadesse offered either. I am growing Heidi, Martino's Roma and Wuhib side by side now. All 3 are very vigorous plants, all have set fruit-Martino's is a few days ahead of the other two.

[dice]

Korney's excellent list:

"I've included some excellent heart varieties too.
Some listed are great canners as well:"

BISIGNANO #2--70 DAYS--Large spreading Indet.
vine, to 14 oz. prolific, variable shape,(globe to
plum) on same plant. Great flavor, juicy and
seedy, a great all purpose tomato. Sturdy, rampant
vines, set out four different fruit shapes; oval,
globes, plums, and large heart shapes. All are
thick walled and meaty, deep orange-red with full,
rich tomato flavor. One of the best processing
types you'll ever find. From Italy at least 30
years ago, via Mr. Bisignano (finalist in Victory
Garden TV contest of 1984) for whom the tomato
named.

"BLOCKY" MARZANO---70-80 DAYS--INDET. San Marzano
type plants, seeds originally from El Salvador.
Most fruits are red, lobed or ribbed like a bell
pepper, but still a plum shape like the original
San Marzano, about 3 inches long by up to 2 inches
wide/square, in clusters of 4 to 8 or so.

BUTTER AND BULL HEART*--75-80 DAYS--Nice, 3-4"
pink, heart-shaped fruits, almost coming to a
rounded point on the bottom on many; very good
flavor; a good tomato for canning or slicing.
Originally from Jenny Virsnieks, a Latvian
immigrant now living in ★★★★★★★★ City, WI.

ERNIE'S PLUMP--75-80 DAYS--Cooks down to the the
reddest, richest, flavorful sauce ever! 8 -12oz.
fruits are a most unique shape: "plump" double
pears with a tiny blossom scar, almost a wide
bell-shaped. Rich beyond words. Extreme producer.

HEIDI--75 DAYS--Medium sized INDET. plant that
bears thick walled paste type fruits with tender
skin. Originated in Cameroon. 2.5" pear shape, red
paste fruit, rich tomato flavor, high yields.

HERMAN'S YELLOW--75-80 DAYS--Droopy foliage type
INDET. Golden to pale orange heart shaped, with
intense but balanced flavor, with slight hints of
citrus; 12-16oz or more.

HORVATH--75-80 DAYS--Perhaps my biggest surprise
in cooking-type tomatoes. The plant was grown in a
4 gallon bucket (maybe 3/4ths full) with drip
irrigation and put out huge, blocky, pointy plums,
some 6 inches long by 3 inches wide. Very few
seeds inside. Very meaty and solid. Great for
sauce or canning. Family heirloom of the Horvath
Family, Edison, NJ, original seed from an area in
Italy on the Adriatic Sea.

JOE'S PLUM--75-85 DAYS--Indet. Huge red 8-12oz.
plums with solid flesh, not many seeds and sweet
rich flavor. Plants produce high yields. Big (up
to 4x5"), blocky, red, very meaty fruits; great
for canning but I loved them fresh. Originally
from Charles Daidone, NJ, who got seeds from a
gardener named Joe who got seeds from Italy.

KALMAN'S HUNGARIAN PINK*--77-82 DAYS--INDET.
Hungarian heirloom imported by Kalman Lajvort of
Edison, N.J. 8-10oz for me using drip fertigation.
Outstanding flavor & production; somewhat barrel
or plum shaped pinks.

KHIRHIV--75 DAYS--Indet. A large elongated plum
shaped red with great flavor. Can be used fresh,
for sauce, or canned.

KORNEY'S CROSS F6-T--65-70 DAYS--An intentional
cross between a determinate rugose leaf red
beefsteak pollinated by Black Plum; F5 seed
produced 2 different versions, this one is a
2-2.5"+ brown/mahogany slightly plum-shaped fruit.
This version is slightly taller than it is wide,
more plum shaped, and slightly more solid than
KORNEY'S CROSS F6-W. Thick walls, tangy acidic
flavor, great for salsa or whole canning. Stays on
plant well, keeps on counter for a while.

MARTINO'S ROMA--75-80 DAYS--DET. Rugose leaf.
Great flavored heavy yielder of 2-3 oz Red
plum/pear type fruit, possibly the highest
yielding of all the Roma types. 3 in. long. These
paste-type fruit are meaty with few seeds and
almost no juice, perfect for cooking, salsa, etc.
Compact determinate plants.

ORANGE BANANA*--85 DAYS--Indet. Orange Banana was
the clear winner of an autumn paste taste at the
Shipmans in Maine. Sweet flavor of Sungold but
with more depth, makes a great sauce by itself, or
adds a fruity complexity to other sauces. Orange
fruits 3-4" long avg 4-5 oz.

POWER'S HEIRLOOM--80 DAYS--INDET. Clear yellow
large paste type plum tomato, 4-7 oz. usually 3"
long with a slight point on the blossom end. Very
productive and pretty. Sweet, juicy. Heavy set of
light yellow fruits with pale yellow almost white
flesh.

PRUE--80-85 DAYS--INDET. Wispy almost floppy
leaved plant. The tomato of Mr. Henry Prue, an old
timer born at the turn of the century who started
gardening back in the 1920s-30s. Somewhere between
plum and heart shaped, very meaty, can vary in
size from 3" wide at the top and 4" long with a
nipple, to being 4" wide and 5" long. About 5-12oz
though some bigger, occasionally hitting a pound
or more. Prue starts turning a pinkish/red in a
variegated pattern and parts are green while other
parts are getting red--at first uneven ripening at
early stages, though it ends up solid red.
Sometimes thought to resemble a "Charley Brown
Christmas tree" with scrawny sparse leaves that
often look twisted or flopping over! It's taste is
very good, quite different from many other reds, a
somewhat earthy taste, not all that sweet, the
essence of what tomatoey would be, all sorts of
tastes linger on the tongue after you've taken a
mouthful.

RIO GRANDE--75 DAYS--Determinate. Rugose-leaved,
compact growth. Seems very disease resistant - A
super canner, out produces anything I have seen.
Fruit larger & twice as much as Roma. Giant plum
shaped to globe shaped. Expect 4 quarts of sauce
per plant. NOTE: MINE CONTINUOUSLY TOPPLE THE
CHEAP 3-RING HARDWARE STORE CAGES.

ROSALIE'S PASTE*--80 DAYS--INDET. A large bright
red heart shaped paste. Meaty with nice flavor.
Heavy production. 3 x 4-inch, pointed. A great
sauce tomato. Good concentrated flavors. Juicy
enough to make a good slicer too.

RUSSIAN 117--80-85 DAYS--Large red heart-shaped
fruit is often doubled like side-by-side hearts,
up to 1 lb. or more. Great taste, solid dense meat
and not many seeds. More productive than the
typical oxheart types.

SLANKARD'S*--75-85 DAYS--Large pink blocky hearts,
many 1lb or more, quite productive, mild, meaty.
Large (4-5"), very few seeds; great flavor;
excellent canner. Family heirloom Michael Byrne of
MI.

SOJOURNER SOUTH AMERICAN*--80-55 DAYS--INDET.
regular leaf. Large to very large blocky plum
shaped fruit. Extremely heavy for its size! Bright
red with excellent, wonderfully sweet flavor. Said
to keep setting fruit in 100 weather and drought.
Sometimes a bit slow to fully ripen but you WILL
be rewarded. NOTE: THIS WAS A GREAT SURPRISE,
SWEET & MEATY, PLUS STILL A LITTLE JUICY, MOST
3-4" X 2-3"W. EARLIER THAN CLAIMED.

SPECKLED ROMAN--75 DAYS--Up to 5"x3" tapered red
fruits with stunning wavy golden orange stripes;
fruits meaty and with excellent flavor; very
productive.

TEN FINGERS of NAPLES ( Dix Doights De Naples
)*--Clusters of elongated plum tomatoes! Heavy
yields on tall vines produce plenty of fruits in
bunches of 4 to 8 or more, lots of elongate little
blocky bright red paste tomatoes. Firm meaty
tomatoes with little seeds, excellent tomato for
cooking, paste, puree, etc.

UKRAINIAN HEART--75-80 DAYS--A "Huge" surprise for
me! These were large to very large pinks, almost
triangular wedges, one of the best tasting
varieties I grew this past season. Large pink, 5",
round fruit, high shoulders, flat sides, sweet
flavor, to 1.5 lbs.

UNCLE STEVE'S*--70-80 DAYS--Italian plum of Steve
Messina, 6oz and up plum type tomato, nice and
meaty, great for cooking, and sauce, juicy enough
to eat fresh too. Mine were HUGE blocky plums,
some 5-6 inches long and over 3 inches wide when
grown in a 4 gallon bucket with drip irrigation!
Uncle Steve's, Horvath, and Yugoslavian were my
biggest "cooking tomato" surprises of the season.

WAGNER'S ITALIAN--70-80 DAYS--Indet. Deep pink
elongated/pointed plum shaped paste tomato. This
was beautifully aromatic, tasty and sweet, good
enough to eat fresh. Very rare for a plum/paste
type, since most are red and really dry--Wagner's
was juicy enough for fresh eating, or in salads,
and a beautiful deep pink color.

WES*--75-80 DAYS--INDET. Wispy oxheart type
foliage. Large heart shaped red fruits, often with
blunt bottoms (no points) and some almost huge
doubles. Great flavor; cut it open and smell the
intense aroma; not many seeds. A great tomato!

YUGOSLAVIAN--75-80 DAYS--A great yet unusual
tomato. Deep pink almost plum-shaped to
pear-shaped fruits, some doubles, produced all
season for me. Wonderful aroma when cut open, and
great taste too! A slight bit of hollowness on
some, but juicier than a paste type tomato. 4-6oz
fruits about 2 inches by 3 inches, the doubles
were up to 4 inches wide. Was great, my favorite
sliced on white pizza all season long.

Roughwood Golden Plum--Indet. Potato Leaf. Orange
fruits resemble 2 plum tomatoes grown together;
was a stable F9 cross of Yellow Brandywine x San
Marzano. up to 5oz.

Sarnowski Polish Plum--4-6 oz. mostly plum-shaped
red paste type tomatoes on sprawling vines. Good
flavor and yield. Family heirloom brought to NY
from Poland in 1890s. Indeterminate.

Wuhib--3" long 3-chambered dry, meaty paste tomato
on semi-determinate 3' vines; quite productive
and somewhat larger than San Marzano, but more
difficult to prepare for drying due to odd number
of chambers. NY MA C 96 From Tadessee Wuhib of
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

[camochef]

I used to grow Roma's, but got tired of their constant "ber" and Opalka became my favorite paste tomato. I found it to be a great snacker while working in the gardens. Then we had that cold wet year...2009 and they really went downhill in that type of weather. Wessel's Purple Pride became the paste tomato of choice for me that year. (a cross between Cherokee Purple and Sausage). It was not only tasty but great looking too It was almost a purple/green metalic color.
This year I'm trying Kukla's Portugese paste. Will see how they do.
While not a paste or a plum, Lillian Maciejewski's Poland Pink is a great sauce tomato with very little seeds and extremely meaty! Good eating too!
Camo
my favorite sauce tomato= Cowlick Brandywine/Cherokee Purple combination.