Organic Roma Tomato Seeds

Days to Maturity: 76 from transplant

Determinate

Here it is: the classic variety for canning and saucing, now available as organically grown seed. Also known as plum or paste tomatoes, Roma is a small, thick-walled, flavorful tomato just right for crushing into savory sauces that hold spice beautifully and yield a rich, authentic, meaty tomato tang.

You can expect dozens of 2- to 3-ounce, pear-shaped bright red fruits on very heavy-bearing plants. Roma Organic is a determinate plant, meaning that it sets its crop all at once, which makes harvesting and canning these tomatoes much simpler. Instead of picking newly ripened fruit all summer long, with Roma Organic you can get it all out of the way at once—or, if your growing season permits, make 2 or 3 plantings so that you have multiple harvest dates throughout the summer and fall.

These bright red, thick-walled, heavy tomatoes are simply superb for pastes and sauces. They have very few seeds, which also speeds up the canning and saucing process, and their interiors are a perfect blend of gels and solids. For concentrated flavor, Roma Organic simply cannot be improved upon.

Resistant to verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt race 1, and nematodes, Roma Organic is a good producer in a wide range of garden conditions. It's a fine "first tomato" to try if you are new to gardening, but seasoned pros of the garden will appreciate its heavy yields and fantastic flavor, too.

Start seeds indoors 5 to 6 weeks before the last frost date. Plant outdoors when danger of frost is past and night temperatures consistently remain above 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If an unexpected late frost is forecasted, protect young plants with plastic sheeting or other cover. Set plants 2 to 2½ feet apart, and stake them to hold up their generous crops.