The Roma Tomato is a favourite sauce tomato all around the world. The plum fruits weigh 60-80 grams. Roma is a determinate or with other words a bush tomato; but the plants are vigorous and mostly treated as semi-determinate.

Did you know that most tomato-based products on supermarket shelves are made from Roma tomatoes? This incredible tomato variety accounts for a vast proportion of the commercially-produced tomato crop, thanks to its impressive yields and excellent disease resistance. But what about home gardeners – should we be adding a few Roma tomato plants into our gardens this summer? Let’s take a look!

What are Roma tomatoes?

Roma tomatoes are one of the most common types of plum tomatoes. Red in colour and with dense, firm flesh, these medium-sized tomatoes have few seeds and minimal liquid content. When mature, Roma tomatoes are egg-shaped and weigh in at around 2 ounces per fruit.

Roma tomato plants are a determinate variety, meaning they produce their crop in one large yield rather than gradually throughout the summer. Determinate tomato plants grow to a set height – around 3-5 feet in the case of Roma tomatoes.  In contrast to indeterminate tomato plants, determinate varieties do not normally need pruning. However, the vigorous growth habit of Roma tomato plants means that they can be treated as semi-determinate, and careful pruning can result in a larger yield of tomatoes.

Where do Roma tomatoes come from?

Roma tomatoes are also known as Italian tomatoes or Italian plum tomatoes, but this doesn’t mean they come from Italy! Roma tomatoes are a hybrid variety, created in the 1950s by selectively crossing different types of tomato plants to enhance certain characteristics. In the case of Roma tomatoes, one of the plants used to develop this variety was the San Marzano, an Italian plum tomato, which is most likely where the Italian name comes from. These San Marzano tomatoes were crossed with Pan American and Red Top tomatoes to increase their size whilst retaining the thick, dense flesh.

What are Roma tomatoes used for?

Roma tomatoes are primarily used for cooking. The dense flesh and low seed and water content make them ideal for making tomato puree, and most canned tomato producers use Roma tomatoes. These flavoursome plum tomatoes can also be eaten raw, but the tough skin can be quite unappetising.

In the kitchen garden, a row of Roma tomato plants can produce a considerable yield for canning and long-term storage. Because they are a determinate variety, they produce a large crop over a short period, with each plant yielding 20 to 30 pounds of fruit. If you’re considering growing Roma tomatoes, make sure to have a plan of how to process and store your crop when it arrives.

Roma tomato varieties

Roma tomatoes are plum tomatoes, but they are so well-known that now the name ‘Roma’ is used to describe many different types of plum tomatoes. True Roma tomatoes combine the characteristics of San Marzano tomatoes with larger Pan American and Red Top tomatoes, making them one of the largest plum tomato varieties. However, there are some other variations of this iconic tomato that you may come across:

·       Plum Roma tomato

The plum Roma tomato type is the original hybrid variety, with dense flesh that is ideal for canning and making tomato puree. Plum Roma tomatoes have been around since the 1950s, and are a popular choice for many home gardeners.

·       Roma VF tomato

The term ‘VF’ indicates that these Roma tomatoes are resistant to certain diseases – in this case, verticillium wilt and fusarium wilt. Roma VF tomatoes are identical in shape and size to the original type but are less likely to suffer from these detrimental diseases.

·       Cherry Roma tomato

Cherry Roma tomatoes are much smaller, bearing fruits around 1” long. These smaller fruits are normally eaten fresh in salads, as their size makes it impractical to process them for cooking. Cherry Roma tomato plants are compact and ideal for growing in containers and hanging baskets.

Step-by-step guide to growing Roma tomato plants

Roma tomato plants are a joy to grow – these resilient and fast-growing plants are incredibly vigorous and easy to care for, making them the ideal choice for home growers. Plus they produce an abundant crop of delicious tomatoes, ideal for cooking up all your favourite tomato-based recipes!

1.     Sowing Roma tomato seeds

Like all tomato seeds, Roma tomatoes need consistent warmth to germinate - between 20-28 Celsius is ideal. Propagators and heat mats provide the optimum conditions for tomato seed germination, and your seedlings should start to emerge within a week. Keep the soil moist but avoid overwatering, as this can cause the seeds to rot.

If you don’t have a propagator or heat mat, there are some simple ways to increase the chances of successful Roma tomato seed germination. Place the seed trays inside a clear plastic bag to create a mini-greenhouse, and place this in a warm location – an airing cupboard is ideal. Once the seeds have germinated, move them onto a sunny windowsill.

2.     Planting Roma tomato plants

Roma tomato plants must be kept in a warm, well-lit location until all risk of frost has passed. These warm-season plants need an abundance of sunlight to thrive, so a south-facing windowsill or conservatory is ideal. Make sure to water seedlings regularly, but avoid getting the stems and leaves wet.

Plant your Roma tomato plants in their final growing location in late spring, once the soil has started to warm up. In cooler areas of the UK consider laying plastic sheeting or cloches over the soil for a week or so beforehand to warm the soil.

Roma tomato plants should be planted 60-80 cm apart in fertile, well-draining soil. They can be grown outdoors or in a polytunnel or greenhouse. Good companion plants for Roma tomatoes include marigolds, basil, and garlic.

3.     Caring for Roma tomato plants

Roma tomato plants are a determinate variety, but their vigorous growth habit means they are normally treated as semi-determinate. Your young Roma tomato seedlings will quickly grow into a sprawling, bush-like plant, and just a little careful pruning will significantly increase the number of tomatoes it produces.

Prune semi-determinate tomato plants when they are 8-12 inches tall by carefully removing all shoots below the first flower cluster, except from the one immediately below it. This will increase airflow around the base of the plant, reducing the risk of airborne diseases such as blight.

If you wish, this might be all the pruning you do to your Roma tomato plants, in which case they will produce a reasonable crop of tomatoes that all ripen at the same time. Alternatively, remove some of the growing stems as the plant grows larger, aiming to leave around four main branches that grow in different directions. Pruning semi-determinate tomatoes in this way will stimulate the plant to produce more flowers, prolonging the harvesting period. It also opens up the plant structure and increases airflow, helping to reduce the risk of disease.

Because Roma tomato plants produce such an abundant yield of tomatoes, it is a good idea to support them with a tomato cage or stake to prevent the stems from snapping.

4.     Harvesting Roma tomatoes

Roma tomatoes should be harvested when the fruits are a deep red colour and feel firm to the touch. If they start to feel soft, they are slightly overripe and should be harvested as soon as possible.

Because Roma tomatoes ripen simultaneously, they can be harvested by cutting the entire truss off close to the main stem of the plant. Alternatively, pick each tomato off the truss by hand as it turns fully red in colour.

Growing Roma tomatoes in containers

Growing Roma tomato plants in containers is a great way to produce a crop of delicious plum tomatoes for cooking. Planting Roma tomatoes in pots enables you to place them in a sunny location in which these heat-loving plants will thrive.

When growing Roma tomatoes in a pot, make sure to use a nutrient-rich potting compost that is formulated specifically for tomatoes. Slow-release fertiliser granules will provide additional nutrients throughout the growing season, and a layer of mulch will help to improve water retention and suppress weeds.

How to process Roma tomatoes

With a single Roma tomato plant yielding 20-30 pounds of fruit, be prepared for some fun but messy tomato processing days! The aim with Roma tomatoes is to remove the skin, central core, and any seeds and juice, retaining just the dense flesh to make smooth tomato-based sauces.

To process Roma tomatoes, make two shallow cuts over the base of each tomato, forming a cross. Drop the tomatoes into a pan half filled with boiling water for around 3-5 minutes to loosen the skin. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and drop them into a bowl of iced water to cool them down.

Next, cut out the central core from each tomato, gently removing any seeds with your finger. The skin should slide smoothly off the exterior of the tomato, leaving you with just the fleshy section. It is a good idea to process tomatoes over a bowl to catch any juices that you may wish to use later. Peeled and cored Roma tomatoes can be stored whole, chopped, or pureed, lasting up to 12 months in the freezer or 18 months if preserved using an approved canning method.

Keep watering the Roma plants in dry spells (twice a day preferably), especially when the plants are flowering and when the fruits are setting. No need for side-shoot removal, as this is a bush variety but you will have to support the vigorous plants during the summer, and you may have to tidy them up a bit by removing some of the lower leaves and some of the unnecessary side shoots. Read about how to grow tomatoes in details here.