Maglia Rosa is excellent for containers and small spaces - Page 17

smithmal · January 2, 2020

How is the production of pink tiger vs MR? Is the flavor the same? If not, what is the difference regarding flavor? Also, since a pic was recently provided how do people like the production and flavor of Marzano Fire?

Greatgardens · January 3, 2020

How sweet is MR? I really like sweet Cherry tomatoes (and not cherry tomatoes that taste like a regular tomato , but perhaps a bit sweeter). I have MR seed that I purchased, but still have not grown it.

How does it do with splitting? I know that you are supposed to pick them before being really ripe for best flavor.

Are there any brix measurements available? Brix doesn't tell the whole story, but certainly is an indicator of sweetness.

BigVanVader · January 3, 2020

Fred is my spirit animal. This past year I only planted 4 tomato plants. 3 were Fred's varieties. Growing his cheery tomatoes on a cattle panel trellis was an epiphany. Never pruned, never watered, never sprayed, all the tasty little tomatoes we could eat till frost.

Fred my youngest son Thomas absolutely loves Blush & Maglia. He would eat 15-20 tomatoes a day & he was 1 year old! We call him Big T because...well HE BIG.

Labradors2 · January 3, 2020

Last year, I grew Maglia Rosa and Pink Tiger. I found that the Pink Tiger plant was bigger, but I grew it in the garden in a tomato cage where it did very well. I didn't like the flavor as much as Maglia Rosa (which I grew in a 3 gallon container), although I'd say that production was about the same, considering the different sizes.

If you've ever tried Blush, the flavor of of MR is similar. Sweet, complex, tropical and better than that of a regular cherry tomato.

Maglia Rosa never splits for me, and I know that Fred says to eat them before they are fully ripe, and I do (especially at the beginning of the season), but I like everything REALLY ripe and MR is no exception. To me it tastes great at all stages of ripeness, but is best when really ripe.

Please grow it this year Greatgardens. I don't think you will be disappointed. For me, it was the best tasting tomato of the 20+ varieties (large and small) that I grew last year

.

Linda

Fred Hempel · January 3, 2020

When I was developing Maglia Rosa, my tasting panel members were me and my 2 elementary school kids. So, that might explain the kid-friendly flavors. And Blush was my son's breeding project starting when he was 8 years old and he chose the parents to use in the cross -- Maglia Rosa and Zucchero (Sugar).

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Fred is my spirit animal. This past year I only planted 4 tomato plants. 3 were Fred's varieties. Growing his cheery tomatoes on a cattle panel trellis was an epiphany. Never pruned, never watered, never sprayed, all the tasty little tomatoes we could eat till frost.

Fred my youngest son Thomas absolutely loves Blush & Maglia. He would eat 15-20 tomatoes a day & he was 1 year old! We call him Big T because...well HE BIG.

Fred Hempel · January 3, 2020

I like the flavor of Maglia Rosa over Pink Tiger (which is a larger plant).

If you need a larger plant, I think Pink Bumblebee flavor is also superior to Pink Tiger and Pink Bumblebee plants are also typically more vigorous and disease resistant.

The other thing worth mentioning is that when grown in a large tomato field, Maglia Rosa has at times been a disease magnet (because of it's dense, low-growing nature). However, when grown as the tomato row, as one crop in a diversity of crops, it tends to have far fewer disease issues. This first became apparent to us when Seeds of Change dropped Maglia Rosa, and a few frantic small growers contacted me saying that they "had" to have seed. No one else was selling it at the time, and we were not growing it because we had moved on...

But things are cyclical and now it is the top selling variety at our website.

smithmal · January 3, 2020

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labradors2

Please grow it this year Greatgardens. I don't think you will be disappointed. For me, it was the best tasting tomato of the 20+ varieties (large and small) that I grew last year

.

Linda

Linda,

Thanks for the response. I'm definitely going to try and grow this variety this year and will purchase from https://store.growartisan.com/.

Individuals in this thread mentioned due to MR's lack of backbone it's better to let it sprawl down rather than supporting it. I intend to grow it in 2' high above ground container boxes. I'm thinking that it will get longer than 2' and touch the ground. How were others dealing with this to prevent rot and disease if/when touching the ground?

Also, my understanding is that this bush like tomato plant requires a good amount of space to sprawl, but do you really need to allocate 4' of space? I generally use the drop line technique so I can grow as many varieties as and not be concerned about overcrowding and air circulation concerns.

Thanks!

Fred Hempel · January 3, 2020

It is much easier to keep Maglia Rosa off the ground if you use a smallish tomato cage. It is pretty difficult to trellis up.

RJGlew · January 3, 2020

Don't forget Garden Gem F1 from Klee's lab at the University of Florida. One parent is Maglia Rosa, and I have found it produces very tasty tomatoes. Lots of folks seem pretty happy with them in containers too.

http://www.facebook.com/pg/Garden-Ge...=page_internal

Labradors2 · January 3, 2020

I use small (collapsible) cages (that I bought at the dollar store) which fit on my 3 gallon sized pots. This way, Maglia Rosa doesn't need a lot of space all around her and I can bring the container inside during inclement weather. Another way to manage the growth would be bamboo stakes and string. My MR plants don't grow more than about 3' tall.

Linda

GrowingCoastal · January 3, 2020

I got 5 lbs from this one grown atop an old ladder in a 3 gal pot.

Greatgardens · January 4, 2020

@GrowingCoastal-

Thanks for posting the picture. I've probably missed some, but that is one of the very few photos I've seen of MR in a container. (It really does produce for a relatively small plant!)

I plan to give it a 10-gallon grow bag with a cage around it.

-GG

Labradors2 · January 4, 2020

I should think you'd easily get two MR's in a 10-gallon grow bag GG

.

Love that picture Growing Coastal! What a great idea

.

Linda

clkeiper · January 21, 2020

maglia rosa is my favorite. I grow mine in the ground in a greenhouse so I can somewhat control the water. the less water the more intense the flavor. it is fabulous.

Shrinkrap · March 1, 2020

@Greatgardens Here us my Maglia Rosa, in a container early in the season in 2018.

January 3, 2020	#242
Greatgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,124	...bump How sweet is MR? I really like sweet Cherry tomatoes (and not cherry tomatoes that taste like a regular tomato , but perhaps a bit sweeter). I have MR seed that I purchased, but still have not grown it. How does it do with splitting? I know that you are supposed to pick them before being really ripe for best flavor. Are there any brix measurements available? Brix doesn't tell the whole story, but certainly is an indicator of sweetness. Last edited by Greatgardens; January 3, 2020 at 08:06 AM.

January 3, 2020	#246
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	I like the flavor of Maglia Rosa over Pink Tiger (which is a larger plant). If you need a larger plant, I think Pink Bumblebee flavor is also superior to Pink Tiger and Pink Bumblebee plants are also typically more vigorous and disease resistant. The other thing worth mentioning is that when grown in a large tomato field, Maglia Rosa has at times been a disease magnet (because of it's dense, low-growing nature). However, when grown as the tomato row, as one crop in a diversity of crops, it tends to have far fewer disease issues. This first became apparent to us when Seeds of Change dropped Maglia Rosa, and a few frantic small growers contacted me saying that they "had" to have seed. No one else was selling it at the time, and we were not growing it because we had moved on... But things are cyclical and now it is the top selling variety at our website. __________________ Artisan Seeds -- www.growartisan.com

January 3, 2020	#248
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	It is much easier to keep Maglia Rosa off the ground if you use a smallish tomato cage. It is pretty difficult to trellis up. __________________ Artisan Seeds -- www.growartisan.com

January 4, 2020	#252
Greatgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,124	@GrowingCoastal- Thanks for posting the picture. I've probably missed some, but that is one of the very few photos I've seen of MR in a container. (It really does produce for a relatively small plant!) I plan to give it a 10-gallon grow bag with a cage around it. -GG Last edited by Greatgardens; January 4, 2020 at 08:02 AM.

January 21, 2020	#254
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	maglia rosa is my favorite. I grow mine in the ground in a greenhouse so I can somewhat control the water. the less water the more intense the flavor. it is fabulous. __________________ carolyn k

January 2, 2020	#241
smithmal Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Sykesville, MD Posts: 42	How is the production of pink tiger vs MR? Is the flavor the same? If not, what is the difference regarding flavor? Also, since a pic was recently provided how do people like the production and flavor of Marzano Fire?

January 3, 2020	#243
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	Fred is my spirit animal. This past year I only planted 4 tomato plants. 3 were Fred's varieties. Growing his cheery tomatoes on a cattle panel trellis was an epiphany. Never pruned, never watered, never sprayed, all the tasty little tomatoes we could eat till frost. Fred my youngest son Thomas absolutely loves Blush & Maglia. He would eat 15-20 tomatoes a day & he was 1 year old! We call him Big T because...well HE BIG.

January 3, 2020	#244
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,894	Last year, I grew Maglia Rosa and Pink Tiger. I found that the Pink Tiger plant was bigger, but I grew it in the garden in a tomato cage where it did very well. I didn't like the flavor as much as Maglia Rosa (which I grew in a 3 gallon container), although I'd say that production was about the same, considering the different sizes. If you've ever tried Blush, the flavor of of MR is similar. Sweet, complex, tropical and better than that of a regular cherry tomato. Maglia Rosa never splits for me, and I know that Fred says to eat them before they are fully ripe, and I do (especially at the beginning of the season), but I like everything REALLY ripe and MR is no exception. To me it tastes great at all stages of ripeness, but is best when really ripe. Please grow it this year Greatgardens. I don't think you will be disappointed. For me, it was the best tasting tomato of the 20+ varieties (large and small) that I grew last year . Linda

January 3, 2020	#249
RJGlew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 645	Don't forget Garden Gem F1 from Klee's lab at the University of Florida. One parent is Maglia Rosa, and I have found it produces very tasty tomatoes. Lots of folks seem pretty happy with them in containers too. http://www.facebook.com/pg/Garden-Ge...=page_internal

January 3, 2020	#250
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,894	I use small (collapsible) cages (that I bought at the dollar store) which fit on my 3 gallon sized pots. This way, Maglia Rosa doesn't need a lot of space all around her and I can bring the container inside during inclement weather. Another way to manage the growth would be bamboo stakes and string. My MR plants don't grow more than about 3' tall. Linda

January 3, 2020	#251
GrowingCoastal Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Vancouver Island Canada BC Posts: 1,253	I got 5 lbs from this one grown atop an old ladder in a 3 gal pot.

January 4, 2020	#253
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,894	I should think you'd easily get two MR's in a 10-gallon grow bag GG . Love that picture Growing Coastal! What a great idea . Linda