I have just transplanted these, they are about 5-6 inches tall.
Should I be snipping out the side shoots, and Im still unsure after a google search wherever these will be a very tall plant or a smaller one.

These seem to be growing pretty slowish, I didnt plant these too late have I?

i think san marzano are an indeterminate so you take out the side shoots

Yeah, I'm growing San Marzano and I've found them to be a bit slow, although the stems do appear very thick. I was wondering if they were a bush type, but everyone says they're not, so I've been pinching out the side shoots and growing them as a cordon.

Yes, you do take the side shoot's out, I grew these last year they can be a little slow to start with, 5" to 6" is small but they should make up for it. The tomatoes have a dimple in the end which I thought looked rather cute, but that's just me they're great for making sauces with there full of flavour.

Watch your watering, I had big problems with BER last year on mine.

Originally Posted by womble

Watch your watering, I had big problems with BER last year on mine.

Im growing these this year for the first time. My plants are now 4 foot tall.
Im now concerned about BER.

What is BER

Wow - 4ft, lucky you. Mine are somewhere just over about 12inches or so (and first flowers showing). I put great big poles in next to them as I understood they got very tall.....but it looks a bit over the top at the moment with these little fellas at the bottom! Grew something similar last year (donated by an Italian neighbour) and I agree with Ginger Ninger - they make great sauces!

BER - I'm guessing is blossom end rot.

Right now, I've just sprayed mine to try and avoid the blight that has taken hold of my 2nd early spuds...

I'm trying these too, I have sown them twice now, none of the first ones came up, I'm a newbie and probably started a little early. Now I have a grand total of one plant from sowing eight or ten seeds :-( Maybe I should invest in a heated propagator next year?

Since it was well behind, I gave the best spots in the greenhouse to other tom varieties, but it is finally catching up now and is around 3 or 4 feet. I have been pinching out the axils and now at last I have signs of two sets/trusses of flowers forming.

Fingers crossed we both get a great crop, Deltz!!

This is my third year growing San Marzano and the seed packet says it's a semi-determinate - may require support and sideshoots removing if it grows too big. And in my experience it does grow too big! It's a complete thug and will take over the greenhouse if you let it - but it does give lots of good tomatoes which I find are excellent for roasting!