To prevent problems like blossom end rot and split skins, water plants deeply once a week instead of providing more frequent shallow watering.Plants require between six and eight hours of full sunlight each day.When planting, install cages or stakes for support to prevent root disturbance later on.Adding lime or Epsom salts to the planting hole helps with calcium uptake and aids in the prevention of future problems like blossom end rot.The ideal soil pH level for healthy growth is between 6.2 and 6.5.Use a cloche or plant cover if cold, wet, or windy conditions set in.Harden off seedlings gradually, and only transplant outdoors when nighttime temperatures no longer drop below 50☏.‘Romas’ are naturally robust and hearty plants, but there are a few things that will help ensure a bumper harvest! Or if you prefer, wait until your local garden center is stocked with seedlings to choose from. Once seedlings grow to about six inches tall, you can begin to harden them off in preparation for planting outdoors. If you’re new to seed propagation, this guide has all the details you need on how to grow tomatoes from seed in six easy steps. Seeds are best started indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date for your region. Starting from SeedĪll tomatoes need a long growing season. When eaten fresh, these tomatoes have complex flavors that are both sweet and tangy.īut the fullest flavors emerge with cooking, where they deepen and intensify – they’re perfect on the grill, roasted, or slow cooked. Plants can be determinate or indeterminate and produce ample clusters of fruit that may require cages, stakes, or trellises to provide support for heavily laden branches. The bright red, rose, or yellow fruits are oblong, with an egg or pear shape, and typically measure two to four inches long. You may see ‘Roma’ referred to as Italian or Italian plum tomato, and the name is commonly used as a generic term to describe a paste tomato.Īn early variety, ‘Roma VF,’ was bred in 1963 for its resistance to both verticillium and fusarium wilt.Īs a result, most cultivars – including those now classified as heirlooms – have the same resistance, thanks to this early breeding. We can thank the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service for creating the first ‘Roma’ hybrid in 1955.īut it does have Italian parentage, being a cross of the famous and flavorful ‘San Marzano’ – an open-pollinated heirloom cultivar native to the volcanic soil in the region around Mount Vesuvius – and ‘Pan America.’ ‘San Marzano’ Although distinctly Italian sounding, ‘Roma’ is actually an American hybrid.
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