How to Grow Roma Tomato
Wikimedia Commons
Roma Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum 'Roma'
vegetableRoma is a determinate paste tomato variety prized for its oblong shape, meaty flesh, and low seed content, making it ideal for sauces and canning. This classic Italian heirloom produces compact, bushy plants that yield abundant fruit in mid-season. Known for its rich flavor and excellent keeping quality, Roma remains one of the most popular processing tomatoes for home gardeners.
Looking for a specific variety?
When should you plant Roma Tomato in your zone?
Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.
Example Roma Tomato timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
-
Plant Roma Tomato
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
-
Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
-
Harvest Roma Tomato
Around Jul 1≈ 75 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Roma Tomato dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 5-9; can be grown annually in cooler zones with proper timing
Sign up free to see if Roma Tomato grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.
Get my Roma Tomato timeline →Growth Stages
Seedling
3-4 weeksSmall plants with 2-4 true leaves emerge 7-14 days after planting. Cotyledons (seed leaves) appear first, followed by true serrated leaves.
Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Provide 14-16 hours of bright light daily under grow lights positioned 2-3 inches above seedlings. Maintain 65-75°F. Thin to strongest seedling if multiple sprouted together.
Vegetative
3-4 weeks (from transplant to flowering)Plant develops strong root system and bushy foliage with multiple side shoots. No flowers yet; focus is on leaf and stem growth.
Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days before transplanting outdoors. Transplant when 6-8 inches tall with several true leaves. Plant deeply, burying stem up to first leaves. Install stakes or cages at planting time. Water consistently and apply mulch to retain moisture.
Flowering
2-3 weeksSmall yellow star-shaped flowers appear in clusters along main stems and branches. Determinate varieties like Roma flower prolifically throughout the plant.
Maintain consistent watering during flowering to prevent blossom end rot and flower drop. Apply balanced fertilizer or switch to lower-nitrogen formula. Keep temperatures between 65-85°F; heat above 90°F or cold below 55°F reduces fruit set. Remove lower leaves for air circulation.
Fruiting
4-6 weeksGreen oblong fruits develop from flowers and enlarge over 4-6 weeks. Fruit gradually turns from green to light pink to deep red at maturity. Determinate variety concentrates most fruit ripening within 2-3 week window.
Continue consistent watering; fluctuations cause cracking and blossom end rot. Prune lower leaves (6-12 inches from ground) for disease prevention. Support heavy fruit clusters with twine tied to stakes. Monitor for pests and diseases. Reduce nitrogen fertilizer to avoid excessive foliage.
Harvest
2-4 weeks (harvest window)Fruit reaches full red color and yields slightly to gentle pressure. Skin develops characteristic deep red hue and fruit detaches relatively easily from vine.
Harvest when fully red for best flavor, or pick at 'breaker stage' (just beginning to blush) to ripen indoors if season is short. Cut stem with pruners rather than pulling. Store at room temperature (65-70°F) away from direct sun. For sauce-making, harvest all ripe fruit at once when plant finishes producing.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
-
Hand-pick regularly; use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray; encourage parasitic wasps; remove host plants nearby
-
Use insecticidal soap; neem oil; reflective mulches; yellow sticky traps; spray with water to dislodge
-
Spray with strong water stream; insecticidal soap; neem oil; introduce ladybugs or lacewings
-
Increase humidity; spray with water mist; neem oil; predatory mites; sulfur dust
-
Remove infected lower leaves; improve air circulation; mulch to prevent soil splash; apply copper fungicide; rotate crops
-
Remove infected foliage; improve air circulation; avoid overhead watering; apply copper or chlorothalonil fungicide; destroy infected plants
-
Plant resistant varieties; practice crop rotation; sterilize tools; remove infected plants; improve soil drainage
Uses
Pasta sauces and marinara
CulinaryRoma's meaty flesh, low seed content, and rich flavor make it the preferred variety for homemade tomato sauce, marinara, and pasta dishes. The oblong shape and dense texture allow for easy processing and smooth sauce consistency. [source]
Canning and preservation
CulinaryThe high solid content and balanced acidity (pH around 4.3-4.5) of Roma tomatoes make them ideal for home canning, salsa, and tomato paste without additional pectin or thickeners. [source]
Cooking and fresh eating
CulinaryWhile primarily a paste variety, Roma tomatoes can be enjoyed fresh in salads, sandwiches, and salsas for their meaty texture and concentrated tomato flavor, though they have fewer seeds than slicing varieties. [source]
Lycopene and antioxidants
MedicinalRoma tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked to prostate health and reduced cardiovascular disease risk. Cooking tomatoes increases lycopene bioavailability compared to eating raw. [source]
Storage and winter use
HouseholdRoma's excellent keeping quality and shelf-life allow preservation through canning, freezing, drying, and sauce-making for use throughout winter months, reducing reliance on store-bought tomato products. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Harvest Roma tomatoes when fully red and firm but yielding slightly to gentle pressure, typically 75-85 days after transplanting. For canning and sauce production, pick ripe fruit early morning when flavors are concentrated. Determinate varieties like Roma produce most fruit within a 2-3 week window, ideal for processing. Vine ripening provides best flavor; breaker stage fruits can finish ripening indoors if season ends early. Store at 65-70°F, never below 55°F. Ripe tomatoes keep 3-5 days at room temperature.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Roma tomatoes were originally developed in Italy in the 1950s specifically for sauce production, making them a relatively modern variety compared to many heirloom tomatoes.
- 🌱 The determinate growth habit means Roma plants concentrate their fruit production into a 2-3 week window, making them perfect for once-over harvesting for canning rather than continuous picking throughout the season.
- 🌱 Roma tomatoes contain more solids per fruit than standard slicing tomatoes, sometimes producing sauces with up to 50% less water content, which is why they became the standard variety for commercial tomato processing.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.
Get your personalized Roma Tomato planting timeline
Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Roma Tomato seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.
Get my Roma Tomato timeline →