I am growing a RomaTomato for the first time, as a sauce tomato. It is the heirloom Amish Paste variety. I'm intrigued, and little concerned for planning greenhouse realestate, at how enthusiastic the seedling is growing. It is larger than the Beef Steak tomato started at the same time. I'm wondering if anyone can share experience with growing these Roma type of fellas, how much space, growth habit etc. It looks already like it will need some training once transplanted. I'm really unsure also how many tomatoes to expect from one plant ( keeping in mind my season ends in early to mid September at the latest). Any shared experience would be appreciated.
I have grown the San Marzano and VF, Roma and Super Roma types as well as a couple of others. San Marzano is my fav. I have never grown your sort, so I cannot comment on those. I grow them in a greenhouse and therefore need an indeterminate sort, so this is a property of importance to me. I hope that you will have success with these and hope to hear how it goes for you.
Thank you Sjoerd. Do you find the Romas need a little more room than your other eating/slicing indeterminate types of tomatoes? I'm going back to removing suckers and training this year. No more wild tomato greenhouse jungles for this girl.
We grew a lot of Romas a few years back but I can't tell the plants from the other varieties from looking at the pictures Mel
Mel— no, I do not find that they need more room than the other ones that I grow. Here a pic: I recall another type of Roma called, “Big Mama”.
Zigs and Sjoerd… your grdening /growing skills are amazing . Beautiful pics of tomatoes and peppers and so much more. My goodness you guys have a huge…Green Thump. I do enjoy all your pics and learn so much from you sharing your videos and more.
Amish Paste is a nondeterminate variety with tomatoes that ripen over a fairly long time. Most Roma (I grow Roma VF) is small, bushy, determinate, plant with fruit that ripen over a couple weeks or so. If you want to make tomato sauce, a determinate is better because they ripen more or less all at once. There are some other good sauce or paste tomatoes too. I like Roma VF because they cook nicely, very meaty, good flavor. They are open pollinated, so seed saving is an option (I do). I usually also grow some modern ones, for more productivity. You can train your Amish Paste like any other indeterminate (I did). I thought they tasted good, but were too watery to cook down. I don't grow them now because I like determinate types better. I lay a cardboard mulch and let them flop down. With the cardboard, I don't have disease problems. My best sauce tomato for production was "RangerF1" but now they are either too expensive, or I can't find them. I also like "Supremo F1". I've grown "Tiren" F1, which made huge, dry, paste tomatoes but it was indeterminate and did not make a lot at the same time.
This is a real interesting thread and is making me thinking of when will mine have its first fruit. Good luck Mel
I grow Amish Paste tomatoes every year. I prefer them over Roma. I find they don't grow larger than any other tomato that I grow. In fact, mine are usually a little smaller. I grow most of my tomatoes in raised beds, but grow a couple of rows of Amish Paste in ground so maybe that is why.
Thank you Pac. That was a very nice thing to say. I was thinking about getting that Green Thump insured. I would be up the creek if something happened to it.
careful what one wishes...the carnage of larger household scale sauce production is well shown on the YouTube's. I only have 18 San Marzano this year. I am planting staggers so I don't pull a hamstring or something.
Thank you so much everyone. I really appreciate the feedback. I decided on a Roma variety in January and I could only find one at the seed company I was placing an order for, so Amish it was I have to place my indeterminte tomatoes carefully, or they can shade much of the remaining greenhouse for many hours of the day. @Zigs your greenhouse's always look so professional. Thanks for letting me know about the growth. @Sjoerd - those look delicious and so healthy! Are the elongated ones San Marzano? What do you enjoy about those particular ones? @Daniel W - I appreciate knowing that there is a meaty determinate one that I can save seed from. Time is always against me where I doth garden grow. @Netty - I'm happy to hear you grow the Amish Paste also and have success. Thank you. @KK Ng - I am also so excited to see your first fruit. How are they doing? They looked so healthy last photo I saw. Sjoerd's method really worked well for you.
Miz Mel— I believe that they are indeed San Marzano, but I am not sure which ones. It is an old foto. The reasons that I like them are that I find them good ones for my canning and they have been dependable in terms of germination and performance. When choosing a tom sort, like choosing a potato sort or fruit sorts requires a bit of investigation to see what works best in your area. I sometimes test these advised limits, and that is totally on me if they do not perform well…I have discovered what works the best here and I stick to it most of the time. Of course not much for me is written in stone and I do enjoy trying new things every season. I think you may have wound up with a good candidate. Amish Paste is well known and has always had good press. You’ll do alright. Just keep the plants and the soil that they are in as warm.
Mel they are doing great, they have flowers but still no fruits yet. Yes Sjoerd's method really worked well for me.
Wish I had some input I myself am growing the Amish Paste for sauce for the first time. Started 3/19 seedlings are growing and doing well
