Tomato (Roma)

Roma is an open-pollinated determinate paste tomato that goes in after the Mar 28 last frost, grows to a fixed compact 3-4 foot size without pruning, then delivers one heavy concentrated flush of oblong, meaty fruit over a few weeks in mid-summer before the plant winds down well ahead of the Nov 12 frost.

1. 1

   Sowing Seed Indoors

   Late Jan to mid-Feb, about 6-8 weeks before the Mar 28 last frost

   You'll see Seeds are flat tan-yellow ovals. Within 5-10 days at 70-80F a pale hooked stem emerges, followed by two smooth oval seed leaves, not yet the true serrated tomato leaf.

   Do Sow 1/4 inch deep in sterile seed-starting mix under grow lights kept close to the tray, with gentle bottom heat if the room is cool.

   Details
2. 2

   Seedling and Hardening Off

   Weeks 2-8 after sowing, roughly mid-Feb through late Mar

   You'll see By 4-6 weeks the plant has several sets of true leaves and a compact, bushy habit; Roma seedlings tend to stay shorter and denser than indeterminate seedlings at the same age.

   Do Pot up to a larger container as roots fill the cell, then harden off outdoors gradually over 7-10 days before transplant.

   Details
3. 3

   Transplanting Into the Bed

   After Mar 28 last frost, once soil has warmed

   You'll see A ready transplant is 8-10 inches tall with a thick stem and 4-6 true leaves; lower leaves may look a bit tired if the plant sat in its pot a while, which is fine since they get buried.

   Do Strip the lower leaves and bury the stem deeply, either straight down or on a slight angle, so most of the buried portion can grow new roots.

   Details
4. 4

   Establishing

   Weeks 1-3 after transplant, roughly early to mid-Apr

   You'll see New top growth resumes within about a week of transplant; leaves stay deep green and firm in the morning. Afternoon wilting that recovers by evening is normal in the first week.

   Do Water deeply 2-3 times a week rather than lightly every day, and mulch to even out soil moisture.

   Details
5. 5

   Vegetative Growth Without Pruning

   Weeks 3-7 after transplant, roughly mid-Apr through late May

   You'll see The plant branches out on its own into a compact, bushy shape with multiple stems, each of which will eventually carry flowers and fruit. Growth naturally slows and levels off once the plant reaches its predetermined size, typically 3-4 feet.

   Do Leave suckers alone and let the plant branch freely; simply tie or clip stems to the cage as they grow for support.

   Details
6. 6

   Flowering

   Weeks 6-9 after transplant, roughly late May into June

   You'll see Small yellow flowers cluster along the main stem and its many branches, appearing in a compressed window rather than trickling out over months.

   Do Let bees and wind handle pollination in the open garden; hand pollination is rarely needed outdoors but can help in a screened bed or hydroponic setup.

   Details
7. 7

   Fruit Set and the Concentrated Harvest Flush

   Roughly 75 days from transplant to first ripe fruit, then a short concentrated flush, weeks 8-14 after transplant into July

   You'll see Oblong, blocky paste fruit forms in clusters and swells over a few weeks, then ripens in a heavy, concentrated flush rather than trickling in a few tomatoes at a time. Watch the blossom end (bottom tip) of developing fruit for a flat, water-soaked, darkening spot, the sign of blossom-end rot.

   Do Water consistently and evenly through fruit development, and harvest the whole flush over its short window since Roma does not keep setting much new fruit afterward.

   Details
8. 8

   Seed Saving

   During the main harvest flush, from a fully ripe, healthy fruit

   You'll see A fully ripe, true-to-type Roma fruit with no cracking or rot is the best candidate for saving seed.

   Do Ferment the seeds in water for a few days to strip the gel coat, then rinse and dry thoroughly before storing.

   Details

Techniques — transplant, prune, propagate, divide, seed