That's a lot of sauce: How 2 home gardeners grew a whopper of a tomato

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Bethlehem Township couple is crediting a hot climate, constant watering and a little TLC in growing their largest tomato in more than 50 years.

Frank and Teresa Salamone, of 3300 block of Bethman Road, spent six weeks readying for their tomatoes inside a 70-square-foot garden in their back yard. Their son, Sal Salamone, said the couple got the seeds for the "Hungarian Heart" tomato from a family friend.

"It's very common for gardeners to exchange plants and/or seeds," Sal Salamone said. "We believe it promotes more healthy plants and crops. It's also a way to share with our friends, especially when we come up with something new or better."

But even before the tomatoes were transplanted into the garden in late May, Teresa spent weeks watering them on soil trays indoors.

Several weeks ago, Teresa began to see one of the Hungarian Heart tomatoes growing much larger than the others. When she looked closer at it, she said it resembled three tomatoes growing into one.

"Like a 'Siamese triplet' of tomatoes," Teresa said.

Once a suspected groundhog began to nibble a it, Teresa knew it was time to pick it, Sal said. The family weighed the tomato and it came in at 4 pounds.

"That's the largest of any produce she ever had by far," Sal Salamone said.

How it began

Frank was raised in Argentina and Teresa was raised in southern Italy, where gardening was a part of their heritage. When the couple both came to the United States at age 17, they continued the tradition.

Today, they have more than 50 tomato plants filling the garden. Other produce includes eggplant, hot and sweet peppers, corn, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, broccoli rabe, cucumber, lettuce, swiss chard, escarole, peas, string beans, fava beans, potatoes, garlic and onions.

Sal Salamone said the family uses all of the produce regularly in their cooking. The tomatoes especially are used for Teresa's secret pasta sauce.

"My parents each year grow over 50 tomato plants in order to can their tomatoes for the entire year" Sal Salamone said. "My parents will can as many jars as possible so my mother can take care of her four children and grandchildren when it comes to her special tomato sauce."

Teresa gave away a small part of her secret.

"The secret to making great sauce is starting with home-grown tomatoes," Teresa said. "There's no substitute for fresh ingredients and high-quality extra-virgin olive oil."

Good season

The heaviest tomato recorded weighed 8.41 pounds and was grown in Ely, Minnesota, in August 2014, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The Salamones credit the enormous tomato with a good growing season.

If there's too much rainfall, it can ruin the crops, Sal Salamone said, but a heat wave of temperatures into the 90s can actually help the crops as long as they are properly watered.

"The crops are looking better this year than other years," he said. "We have a well so we are constantly watering the garden."

According to the Seed Savers Exchange, Hungarian Heart tomatoes are known to be enormous, totaling on average up to a pound. The variety is said to have originated in a village about 20 miles from Budapest around 1900.

When asked what his mother plans to do with her largest tomato ever, Sal gave a chuckle.

"It's already made into sauce," he said Sunday. "I am watching the pot right now."

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

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