50 Seeds-Organic Roma Tomato -Non GMO- SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM-V025
Grow Organic Roma Tomatoes and enjoy Fresh, healthy tomatoes all year round
Roma tomato or Roma is a plum tomato popularly used both for canning and producing tomato paste because of their slender and firm nature. Commonly found in supermarkets in some countries, Roma tomatoes are also known as Italian tomatoes or Italian plum tomatoes
Scientific name: Solanum lycopersicum 'Roma'
Higher classification: Tomatoes
Rank: Cultivar
Fruit Weight: 60 g (2 oz)
Plant height: 1 metre (3 feet)
Vine: Determinate
Season: Perennial but can be grown as Annual
Zone:3-11
Space :14-20"
Soil: Well drained Ph 6.0-6.5
Germination Days: 10-14 Days
Sun: Full
Temp:70-75 F (21-24 C)
Roma tomatoes are egg or pear-shaped and red when fully ripe. They have few seeds and are a good canning and sauce tomato. While Roma is an open-pollinated variety, in general it is not considered an heirloom tomato. Maturing in less than three months, the plant itself grows to 1 meter (36 inches) in height and the single fruit weighs about 60 grams (2 oz).[4] The vines fruit heavily, making Roma a popular variety with gardeners who do a lot of home canning.
The Roma tomato variety has become the face of paste tomatoes and we often call all paste tomatoes by that name. Technically, these tomatoes are a specific variety of paste tomato.
? They are meatier than slicing tomatoes, making them a favorite for cooking down into thick, rich pasta sauces.
? These small, elongated tomatoes are firm to the touch and contain fewer seeds and less moisture than many other variants.
? These meaty tomatoes typically grow about three feet tall and can be cultivated outdoors in a garden bed or planted in a container. They?re a great option for gardeners who are short on space.
? They are determinate, so they?ll all ripen within a narrow window of time ? not throughout the season.
Growing Roma tomatoes
A Roma tomato plant doesn?t need a lot to thrive. In fact, they have been found to be some of the easiest, hardiest tomatoes to grow. They tend to be a sturdy plant, producing flavorful nuggets of tomato goodness in the heat of the summer.
Water, soil, and sun exposure
All tomatoes love sunlight and, in optimal conditions, should receive eight hours of full sun exposure each day. This is true for growing Roma tomato plants as well.
Take care to give your Roma tomatoes sufficient water on a regular schedule. Don?t oversaturate the soil, especially if you?re attempting to grow your Roma tomato plant in a pot.
Romas thrive in rich, nutrient-dense earth, but they perform best in light, loamy soil. Take care to ensure the soil can drain properly and won?t trap too much moisture. If you?re a soil tester, make sure the pH levels are between 6.2 to 6.8 before planting your seeds to ensure optimal growth. I admit, though, I?ve had great luck growing Roma tomatoes and have never tested my soil.
Fertilize your Roma tomatoes every couple of weeks.
Using natural fertilizers like fish emulsion or seaweed-based fertilizers will give your growing Roma tomatoes a boost. And be sure to consider starting a compost pile if you don?t already have one ? this rich organic matter is perfect for fueling your roma tomatoes? growth.
How much space do Roma tomatoes need?
Roma tomatoes don?t need too much space to grow, but you should give them a little breathing room. Leave a foot or two of space between each tomato plant for prime growing conditions. Here?s how to figure out how many tomato plants you?ll need for your family.
Temperature
Roma tomatoes grow best in temperatures that range between 55 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (12-32 C); don?t Plant them too early in the season. Take it from me: You might think you?re getting a jump on the growing season, but plant them too early and you?ll come to know the phrase ?failure to thrive.? Wait until you?re well beyond the final frost of the year before planting tomatoes of any variety to avoid issues.
Growth habits
As soon as your Roma tomato plants are tall enough, begin to stake them off the ground. You can use traditional tomato stakes or tomato cages to accomplish this pretty easily.
Roma tomatoes are determinate, which means they stay fairly compact. There?s no need to prune them. Feel free to remove any leaves or stems that look scraggly or malnourished, but don?t trim back too much of your Roma tomato plant. Otherwise, you?ll be losing out on some of your harvest.
Pests and other problems
Roma tomatoes are resistant to many of the diseases and pests that plague gardens, making them a great choice for a beginning gardener or one planting in an area prone to pests. Most varieties are resistant to fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt, two common problems that plague garden plants. However, they are still susceptible to a couple of common garden pests you?ll need to watch for.
One of the biggest threats to tomatoes are tomato hornworms. These bright green caterpillars enjoy nothing more than chomping on tomato leaves, leaving your plants ragged and sad. Handpicking them is the best way to remove them from your garden naturally. You can deter hornworms by adding a companion plant nearby.
Other problems Roma tomatoes face as they grow come from poor growing conditions.
Blossom end rot emerges as a big black spot at the bottom of ripening fruit. This is the result of too little calcium, likely caused by a deficiency in the soil. To correct this, incorporate extra eggshells into your compost pile. The added calcium can help correct this blight.
When to pick Roma tomatoes
Since Roma tomatoes are determinate, instead of ripening at various times throughout the season, all of your tomatoes will ripen at roughly the same time. They?ll be ready to harvest around three months after they?re first planted.
Watch your tomatoes closely as they grow and give them special attention as they ripen, ensuring they receive enough water to thrive.
You?ll want to pick Roma tomatoes in part based on what you plan to do with them. If you?re going to incorporate your tomatoes into a fresh salsa or salad, or you?re going to stew them down into a rich pasta sauce, you?ll want to pick them when they?re table ripe ? bright red, firm to the touch, and no longer increasing in size on the vine.
If your plan is to can your tomatoes for future use, let them ripen a little longer. Pick them when they?re a little darker red and slightly softer to the touch for optimal canning.
What to do with Roma tomatoes
Because they naturally contain less liquid than slicing tomatoes, Roma tomatoes are a perfect choice for drying. Sun-dried tomatoes are usually Romas. These tomatoes are also sweeter and more acidic than many other tomato variants. This makes them a very popular choice for slow-cooking or simmering down into flavorful sauces for pizzas and pastas.
The properties of Roma tomatoes also make them a prime choice for canning and preserving. Give this tomato chutney a try. They also hold up well in fresh salsas. As you can see, there is no shortage of reasons to include a few of these tomato plants in your garden!