VegetableTomato
Roma VF Tomato
Roma VF is a determinate paste tomato bred for reliability and flavor, producing compact plants (18-36 inches tall) laden with meaty, tangy fruits perfect for sauce and preservation. This open-pollinated heirloom variety matures in 75-80 days from transplant and grows vigorously in zones 3-10, thriving in full sun across garden beds, raised beds, and even containers. Its strong disease resistance package, including Fusarium Wilt, Verticillium Wilt, and Tobacco Mosaic Virus, makes it a dependable choice for gardeners in challenging climates, while its concentrated flavor and dense flesh have earned it a place in kitchens worldwide.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
36 in
Height
TypeDeterminate
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-10
Size
36in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
Roma VF earned its reputation through a combination of compact determinate growth, exceptional disease resistance, and flesh so meaty and flavorful it's been a paste tomato standard for generations. The plant's ability to thrive in containers alongside traditional garden plots gives you flexibility in how you grow it, whether you're working with sprawling beds or limited space. Plant it, stake it lightly, and watch it produce a concentrated burst of fruit all at once, making it heaven-sent for anyone planning to can, sauce, or dry tomatoes in bulk.
Common Uses
Roma VF is a workhorse in the kitchen, prized specifically for tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato sauces, and stews. Its meaty texture and tangy flavor concentrate beautifully when cooked down, making it the obvious choice if you're planning to preserve large batches. The dense flesh means less water to strain out, so your finished sauce is richer and thicker than you'd get from slicing tomatoes.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost date, sowing 1/4 inch deep in moist seed-starting mix at 70-75°F. Provide bright light (grow lights or a sunny south-facing window) once seedlings emerge. Water from below to keep foliage dry and reduce disease risk.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after hardening off (7-10 days of gradually increasing sun and wind exposure) once soil temperature reaches 60°F and frost danger has passed. Space plants 18 inches apart with 36 inches between rows.
Harvesting
Harvest fruits when fully red, typically 70-79 days from transplanting. For the finest flavor, leave tomatoes on the vine until they're uniformly red and yield slightly to gentle hand pressure. Determinate varieties like Roma VF produce most of their fruit in a concentrated window, often 2-3 weeks of heavy picking. Once fruits reach full size and color, they'll detach cleanly with a light twist.
Pruning
Light pruning helps Roma VF perform well. Remove a few of the lowest leaves once the plant is 12-18 inches tall to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure; this also directs energy upward into fruit production. Avoid heavy pruning since determinate types fruit all at once and need foliage to protect ripening fruit from sunscald. Remove only damaged or diseased leaves as the season progresses.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Solanum lycopersicum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Solanum
Growth Habit
Determinate
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)