[woodburner]

Some tomatoes are yummy in salads, but boil away to nothing when cooked, so my query is, what varieties are good for puree and passata?

[mumofstig]

Plum tomatos are best IMO and there are many varieties to choose from, and some of the beefsteaks are quite solid with few seeds as well.

I grew San Marzano and purple Ukraine last year, tall varieties, both of which I can recommend
Roma are quite good, but as they are a bush variety they are all ready at once and that's it, whilst the tall growing ones carry on till it gets too cold, so overall I think the tall ones are more productive.

Sites like Seeds by size do an incredible long list of paste varieties, which is useful, even if you choose to buy your seeds elsewhere

[Stoatus]

I have grown Costoluto Genovese for the past three years. They are great for sauces - I figured the Italians should know a thing or two about that! Not bad in salads either. Need to be under glass though.

[8doubles]

I am growing 10 tom plants in the greenhouse this year (cutting down a bit ) 2 gardeners delight 2 beefsteak 1 sungold and 5 Amish Paste.
Amish Paste are a very good eating and bottling plum tomato of large size with very few seeds. Third year of growing them , they are very good.

[Trillium]

San Marzano's are the #1 plum tom of Italy as it also has the most flavour. I grow it and Roma and always end up with far more than I can use. A lot of people I know tried Amish paste and not one of us did well with it. I grew them from seed and also bought some commercial plants, but neither did well.

[woodburner]

Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions.
Am I right in thinking that they are all indoor varieties? They all sound 'mediterranean', so I'm thinking they probably need more sun and warmth than we get. I know Marmande isn't half as good grown here as in the south of France.

[Havengore]

evenin' Woodburner.   Down here on the Essex riviera,  Roma grows very well outdoors.  Produces sold fleshy toms that cook down brilliantly.  great for pasta, amazing in chutney.  They seem to love that good ol' clay. 

[Janeymiddlewife]

evenin' Woodburner.   Down here on the Essex riviera,  Roma grows very well outdoors.  Produces sold fleshy toms that cook down brilliantly.  great for pasta, amazing in chutney.  They seem to love that good ol' clay. 

Ooooh Havengore, I thought Roma were tall variety - I'm growing mine outdoors, next to the brick walls on the patio so they are sheltered, still not very happy with the weather, think they might need some magnesium. Fingers crossed for a good crop then - when were yours ready to pick in the tropical summer we had last year then?

[madcat]

In the Cotswold uplands I grow Roma and San M outside very successfully - always assuming that spraying for blight is done religiously!   

[Havengore]

evenin' Woodburner.   Down here on the Essex riviera,  Roma grows very well outdoors.  Produces sold fleshy toms that cook down brilliantly.  great for pasta, amazing in chutney.  They seem to love that good ol' clay. 

Ooooh Havengore, I thought Roma were tall variety - I'm growing mine outdoors, next to the brick walls on the patio so they are sheltered, still not very happy with the weather, think they might need some magnesium. Fingers crossed for a good crop then - when were yours ready to pick in the tropical summer we had last year then?

janey !  so sceptical !   Trust the roma.   Should be ready early September onwards given some half-decent weather. 

[PennyS]

I vouch for Roma too - have grown them outdoors successfully down here in Oxfordshire.
Lovely flavour.

[woodburner]

Thanks folks. I reckon I'll give Roma a go.