Pantano Romanesco & Market Wonder

cottonpicker · December 3, 2007

Has anyone grown either Pantano Romanesco Or Market Wonder, two Italian varieties. Taste??, productivity??

LarryD

October 21, 2019

I know this is super late, but as no one's replied, I figured I'd add my two cents.

I haven't grown Pantano Romanesco, yet, but I've read lots of reviews that make it sound like it ought to be extremely popular for taste, production, and other qualities.

I have grown a tomato labeled Market Wonder, from seeds obtained from wintersown.org in the fall of 2014. I grew a few plants in 2015, in not-ideal conditions. The seedlings grew quite large. It had a small amount of heat-tolerance. The fruits were firm, flattened, and blocky, with Brandywine-type taste qualities (but I'd rather eat it than a Brandywine type). They were bigger than salad-sized, but not by too much. I'm thinking it's maybe a 70-day tomato. I wouldn't describe it as mild in flavor (it was fairly potent). Another taster really seemed to like it. In the conditions I had it in, it wasn't super prolific, but I got fruit. I want to grow it again in better conditions, but I still haven't done it.

I had three plants. One was shaded and crowded in a raised bed. One was a cutting of that one, right next to it. The other was in a sunny area with soil that tomatoes struggled a lot in.

There are two varieties that Market Wonder could refer to. I'm not sure which one mine was/is.

slugworth · October 21, 2019

I gave away a couple of romanesco plants in May,mine were duds but the guy I gave them to wants to grow them again next year.
He runs an Italian restaurant so he must know good from bad.

Old chef · October 21, 2019

Well, I just had the Romenesco for dinner tonight. It's delicious. It is also beautiful. Small spiral cone shapes as opposed to the more bud like cauliflower.
I have a problem with all brassicas. So I don't grow them.

Old chef

Nan_PA_6b · October 22, 2019

Old chef, there's the brassica vegetable Romanesco and the tomato variety called Romanesco. I think they're discussing tomatoes. That said, I do love the look & taste of the "geometric cauliflower"

PS- grew Dark Galaxy this year from your seeds. Excellent taste & gorgeous looks!

Tormato · October 22, 2019

Pantano Romanesco was a dud, here. But, the vast majority of red globes and red beefsteaks are duds in my garden.

slugworth · October 22, 2019

I think it was too hot and rainy for them.

December 3, 2007	#1
cottonpicker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SE PA..near Valley Forge Posts: 839	Pantano Romanesco & Market Wonder Has anyone grown either Pantano Romanesco Or Market Wonder, two Italian varieties. Taste??, productivity?? LarryD __________________ "Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause". Victor Hugo

October 21, 2019	#2
shule1 Guest Posts: n/a	I know this is super late, but as no one's replied, I figured I'd add my two cents. I haven't grown Pantano Romanesco, yet, but I've read lots of reviews that make it sound like it ought to be extremely popular for taste, production, and other qualities. I have grown a tomato labeled Market Wonder, from seeds obtained from wintersown.org in the fall of 2014. I grew a few plants in 2015, in not-ideal conditions. The seedlings grew quite large. It had a small amount of heat-tolerance. The fruits were firm, flattened, and blocky, with Brandywine-type taste qualities (but I'd rather eat it than a Brandywine type). They were bigger than salad-sized, but not by too much. I'm thinking it's maybe a 70-day tomato. I wouldn't describe it as mild in flavor (it was fairly potent). Another taster really seemed to like it. In the conditions I had it in, it wasn't super prolific, but I got fruit. I want to grow it again in better conditions, but I still haven't done it. I had three plants. One was shaded and crowded in a raised bed. One was a cutting of that one, right next to it. The other was in a sunny area with soil that tomatoes struggled a lot in. There are two varieties that Market Wonder could refer to. I'm not sure which one mine was/is. Last edited by shule1; October 21, 2019 at 07:22 PM.

October 22, 2019	#5
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	Old chef, there's the brassica vegetable Romanesco and the tomato variety called Romanesco. I think they're discussing tomatoes. That said, I do love the look & taste of the "geometric cauliflower" PS- grew Dark Galaxy this year from your seeds. Excellent taste & gorgeous looks! Last edited by Nan_PA_6b; October 22, 2019 at 10:35 AM.

October 21, 2019	#3
slugworth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: connecticut,usa Posts: 1,150	I gave away a couple of romanesco plants in May,mine were duds but the guy I gave them to wants to grow them again next year. He runs an Italian restaurant so he must know good from bad.

October 21, 2019	#4
Old chef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Long island Posts: 456	Well, I just had the Romenesco for dinner tonight. It's delicious. It is also beautiful. Small spiral cone shapes as opposed to the more bud like cauliflower. I have a problem with all brassicas. So I don't grow them. Old chef

October 22, 2019	#6
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,959	Pantano Romanesco was a dud, here. But, the vast majority of red globes and red beefsteaks are duds in my garden.