Tomato Roma

The American mid-season Roma tomato is ideal for beginner gardeners who don't yet know exactly how to care for a crop. The variety has good immunity and productivity.

Tomato Roma was bred by American breeders and belongs to the determinant category. On the territory of Russia, the variety is not very common, since it is not included in the State Register. This means that there are no official seed suppliers.

The variety was developed in the 1950s. Gained wide popularity in Holland.

Tomato Roma is recommended to be grown in the southern regions in the open field. In colder climates, the plant will only grow in a closed greenhouse.

The bushes, due to their peculiarity, have a limited growth force. On average, the height is 60 cm; in warmer climates, the stems grow up to 70-75 cm. The crown is semi-spreading, leafy. The stem is powerful, strong. But, despite its short stature, it is better to tie the bush to a support due to the severity of the fruit.

The leaves are large, oblong, slightly pointed towards the end, rich green, matte. The veins are pronounced, especially on the posterior surface. The plates are rough to the touch. They curl up from a prolonged drought, and from direct sunlight they will begin to turn yellow and fall off.

The inflorescence is simple. The flowers are small, light yellow in color. Basically, the growth of the bush stops after 2-3 inflorescences are formed on the stem. From 4 to 6 fruits are laid on one brush.

When forming a bush, you can leave 1 main stem and 2 side shoots. The bush is compact, so it does not need a lot of space.

Many gardeners note that thanks to its good immune system, the variety perfectly tolerates a number of fungal infections. The bushes do not require increased care, so even a beginner can cope with their cultivation.

It is worth noting that Roma tomato has good keeping quality, so long-distance transportation of vegetables is not scary.

Of the minuses, the need for crown formation and pinching is noted. Especially you need to pay attention to weather conditions - the culture does not like prolonged rains and temperature drops. Under these conditions, the yield drops, and the plant begins to hurt.

Fully ripe fruits have a red tint. The vegetable is oval-cylindrical in shape. A slight ribbing descends from the stalk along the fruit. The size of the berry is medium, and the weight varies from 60 to 80 g. The skin is firm and does not crack. Thanks to this, subsequent transportation and heat treatment of the fruit is possible.

The flesh is firm, fleshy and not watery. Inside, two large seed chambers are formed.

Vegetables are suitable for fresh consumption and for salads. They are good for winter harvesting and conservation. When frozen, they do not lose their taste and density. Berries tolerate heat treatment well, therefore they are suitable for hot dishes. It can also be used in the preparation of lecho, pastes, juices, sauces and jams.

There is a bright sweet aftertaste. The vegetable has a characteristic tomato flavor.

The variety is a representative of the mid-season group of vegetables. From the appearance of the ovaries to full maturation, 105-125 days pass.This schedule can change up or down, it all depends on the region of cultivation and the amount of sunlight. By the type of fruiting, it belongs to long-term. Therefore, the harvest takes place in several stages from July to August.

With minimal care, 0.5-0.8 kg can be removed from one bush. With good care - 1.5-2 kg. An average of 6-8 kg is removed from 1 m2.

In the 20th of March, you can harvest seeds for seedlings. They must be soaked in a small container of water. Before planting, it is worth reading on the label whether all disinfecting procedures have been performed. If not, then the seeds should be soaked for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then rinse in running water.

Fertile soil is poured into seedling boxes. Experienced gardeners recommend calcining the soil in a heat treatment oven for disinfection, but no more than 25 minutes. Or, in this way, seedlings are processed.

There are two ways to sow seeds: in a trench or in holes. The depth should be 2 cm, and the distance should be from 3 cm (for a trench). After that, everything is plentifully spilled with water from a spray bottle and covered with a film.

The drawers should be removed to a warm place. Under the film, the temperature should be +25 degrees for the seeds to sprout well. This process takes 5 to 8 days.

Seedlings are fed with nitrogen-based liquid mixtures. It has a beneficial effect on plant growth and planting.

Seedlings dive in the presence of several strengthened leaves. The new container must have a volume of at least 700 ml. The soil in containers can be mixed with wood ash.

10 days before planting in the ground, the site is dug up and fertilized. The soil should be light and slightly acidic, then the culture will germinate in it without difficulty. At the same time, the seedlings are taken outside for acclimatization. Planting starts from May 15th to June 5th.

After diving into the ground, the seedlings are plentifully spilled with warm water, 1-2 buckets under the root. The next procedure is performed in 4-6 days.

The compactness of the bush and crown allows you to plant several plants in a small area. The distance between the seedlings should be 50x40 cm. In this case, the density will not be exceeded, and the culture will be able to develop normally without stress.

Tomato Roma is famous for its unpretentious care. Germination in open and closed ground does not take much time and effort. For a good harvest, the following tips must be followed.

• Watering. One bush should have at least 3 liters of warm settled water. All procedures are performed early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun is not active. Irrigation is carried out every 5-7 days, depending on the weather.

• Passionking and crown formation. Despite the determinancy of the variety, stepchildren appear actively throughout the season. It is worth removing them when they reach a length of 3-5 cm.The number of stems is 2-3.

• Top dressing is done every 14-20 days.It is introduced in liquid form immediately after watering. This is necessary so that the roots do not get burned. Among organic fertilizers, a solution of mullein or chicken manure, manure and wood ash is used. Among the minerals, preference is given to potassium salt, saltpeter or superphosphate.

• Daily ventilation of the greenhouse. The temperature in it should not exceed +30 degrees, otherwise the seedlings will begin to dry out and wither.