Roma tomato: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
How do you sow 'Roma' tomatoes under cover?
To sow 'Roma' tomatoes under cover, allow around six to eight weeks before planting is possible without frost and in warmed soil. Timing depends on your climate and available cover. Avoid sowing too early if you lack enough light to keep plants sturdy until planting.
Fill small pots with drainage holes or a module tray with fine, free-draining seed compost, preferably peat-free. Moisten it before distributing seeds. Cover lightly, around 0.5 cm according to the packet, and water gently. Label 'Roma', the precise selection if given, and the sowing date.
Aim for germination around 20–25 °C. Maintain steady warmth and moisture without standing water. After emergence, remove any cover and provide plenty of light. Ventilate in mild weather without exposing seedlings to cold draughts.
At two to four true leaves, move plants into individual pots for continued growth under cover. Preserve roots and avoid crushing the stem. This is not final planting: a height of 10 cm guarantees neither suitable weather nor warm enough ground. Gradually harden plants off before the final move outside.
How do you plant 'Roma' tomatoes?
How to care for this plant
-
Remove side shoots
If you train an indeterminate tomato on one or two stems, look for small shoots between a leaf and the main stem. Remove only those you do not want to keep, preferably while small, without removing flower trusses. Leave determinate bush tomatoes to branch naturally. If you do not know your variety's growth habit or prefer to let it grow freely, do not prune routinely. Between reminders, check new shoots when harvesting.
-
Install plant supports
If your tomato variety needs support, fit a sturdy stake or string when planting. Tie the stem loosely and check ties as it grows. Bush varieties may not need staking.
How do you harvest 'Roma' tomatoes?
