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Growing Orange Roma Paste Tomatoes in the Vegetable Garden

Begin seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your estimated final spring frost date. Use a well-draining potting or germinating mix to start the seeds. Plant two seeds per cell and cover the seeds. Water them in with a gentle stream such as a mister or spray bottle to avoid rinsing the seeds away. Water regularly and use a clear plastic dome to increase humidity and moisture. As soon as the first seedling emerges, ensure the tray receives full sun either in a sunny windowsill or with grow lights positioned a few inches above the tray. If using, remove the greenhouse dome once the seedlings have developed true leaves. Thin the seedlings to one per cell by removing the weaker seedlings when they have reached two inches tall. Fertilize once they have two sets of true leaves. Transplant the seedlings into larger, 4 or 6-inch pots once their root systems have developed beyond the cell’s capacity. Using biodegradable pots will make transplantation into the garden easier.

Practice crop rotations to avoid soil-borne diseases and resource depletion. Before transplanting into your garden soil, the seedlings should be hardened off gradually to acclimate to the sunnier, windier conditions. Transplant the seedlings into the garden once the danger of frost has passed. Bury a calcium supplement in the soil beneath the seedlings. Bury the stems a few inches deep to encourage more root development. Remove the lower leaves that can’t reach the sunlight and any suckers rowing in between fruit-bearing branches. Fertilize with compost, worm castings, or another granular fertilizer when planting into the garden. A 4-6-8 blend is generally a good balanced mix for tomatoes. Use a sturdy structure like a tomato cage to support the plant as it starts to get larger. Prune the bush periodically throughout the season to remove suckers and bottom leaves. Fertilize once more in mid-season. The best soil pH is between 6.2 to 6.8. Water regularly to ensure proper nutrient uptake and avoidance of disease. Avoid standing water. Limit disease spread by not getting water or mud on the leaves. Protect the plants from any cool weather; they are not cold-tolerant. Garden quilts or other protections can be used if cool weather below 45 F is expected.

Harvesting Orange Roma Paste Tomatoes

Tomatoes are ready to harvest when entirely yellow with no green left on the fruit. Gently clip or twist the fruit off the stem. Orange Roma is an indeterminate bush and will have fruit ready to harvest at multiple times throughout the season. The harvest can last 8-16 weeks or right up until the first frost of fall. Harvest the yellow tomatoes promptly to encourage more fruit to set on and ripen before the end of the season.

About Orange Roma Paste Tomato Garden Seeds

Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. The heirloom yellow-fleshed version of Mountain Sweet which was popular in the 1840s in markets throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Tomatoes are great sources of vitamin C, even after being processed for preservation. They are a great way to ensure proper nutrient consumption throughout the winter. Tomatoes are also low in fats and sugars, making them an easy addition to various diets with numerous restrictions.

Indeterminate variety tomatoes need more structural support than determinate tomato plants. Indeterminates will continue to grow all season long until the frost kills them. There are many solutions to finding the right support system, but popular choices include stacking tomato cages for single plants and the string and post method for rows of plants.

Orange Roma plants are notorious heavy-yielders, but too much nitrogen in the soil will result in lots of foliage and few fruits. The fruits are large and striped with deep yellow flesh and a high sugar content. They are sweet and tasty.

Tips From Our Gardeners

"If you have struggled to grow tomatoes in the past and you’re not sure why, I would recommend getting a soil test done at the beginning of the season. This can indicate the pH level as well as which nutrients may be abundant or low. You can then amend the soil as needed and your tomatoes will have a much better chance of thriving!"

- Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer

Other Resources

• Guide to Tomatoes

Orange Roma Paste Tomato Seeds Per Package:

• 300 mg packet - Approximately 65 Seeds
• .25 oz - Approximately 1,700 Seeds
• 1 oz - Approximately 6,800 Seeds
• 4 oz - Approximately 27,200 Seeds
• 1 lb - Approximately 108,800 Seeds

Non-GMO Orange Roma Paste Tomato seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.