Q. I know Roma tomato plants are determinate in their
growth but if I keep them healthy will they set a fall crop for me?
growth but if I keep them healthy will they set a fall crop for me?
A. All I can tell you is what I think will happen if it
is a determinate tomato and how to prune it for fall production. There are a
lot of unknowns involved but this should give you the best chance.
is a determinate tomato and how to prune it for fall production. There are a
lot of unknowns involved but this should give you the best chance.
Roma Confusion
Roma tomatoes are a certain type of tomato good for making tomato paste because they dont have a lot of water inside the fruit. So sometimes Romas are mixed with paste tomatoes and plum tomatoes and called paste types. Yes, Roma is determinate but paste types are predominantly indeterminate. So check what you got.
Determinate Vs Indeterminate
Determinate
tomatoes are plants that are bush-like and produce fruit over a short time so it’s
easier to pick. Indeterminate tomato plants grow as tomato “vines” and produce
fruit spread out along these vines over a longer time. So-called Roma tomatoes
are considered paste or plum tomatoes and many of these types can be either
determinate or indeterminate. It’s good to know which you are buying for proper
spacing and management.
tomatoes are plants that are bush-like and produce fruit over a short time so it’s
easier to pick. Indeterminate tomato plants grow as tomato “vines” and produce
fruit spread out along these vines over a longer time. So-called Roma tomatoes
are considered paste or plum tomatoes and many of these types can be either
determinate or indeterminate. It’s good to know which you are buying for proper
spacing and management.
Fall Pruning
All
plants need new growth to set flowers and fruit. For Fall production we want to
stimulate new growth when air temperatures are entering the mid 90s. While
indeterminate tomatoes can be cut back a lot in the Fall because they are so
long, determinate types are cut back less due to their smaller plant size. Prune
the plant back enough to provide for new growth but not enough to open the
plant canopy for sunburn. Follow this pruning with water and fertilizer.