Roma vs La Roma (?)

[ast117]

OK.........so what's the diference between Roma & La Roma tomatoes? I have had a problem with Roma tomatoes andend rot every year. Will I have same problem with La Roma?

[kelleyville]

I can't answer your question but I just keep buying those cheapo seeds from Dollar General called Roma, and they do great every year. Last year they were slow to grow but when they got started they exceeded five feet tall. They even grew after I choppe them down to five feet, then yanked them out of the ground and potted them when we moved. Everyone said it was slim they would survive but the silly things did better in the pots after all that!

I am going to watch this thread to see if anyone knows the answer to your question!

Kelley

[jhp]

I've grown both in different years, not side by side. I have to say, I was not impressed with LaRoma. Grew it last year and it was only so-so yield wise in an otherwise great tomato year. Although larger in size, La Roma's fruits were light in hand and almost hollow. Roma produced loads when I grew it last time. I'm trying it again this year.

If I were to recommend a roma type, it would be Viva Italia. They produced a great yield, very thick, heavy fruits, and tasty. I make sauce with mine. Last year my viva italia tomatoes won first place at the local fair in the plum tomato category. My spaghetti sauce made mostly with viva italia and some others thrown in, won first place as well. Viva Italia will be in my garden over and over again.

Blossom End Rot has not been an issue for me (knocking on wood!) so I can't speak to that issue.

Hope this helps.

Jen

[dice]

BER is basically a calcium deficiency disease (cell walls in
the bottom of the fruit collapse from lack of calcium). They
can get it if the soil is deficient in calcium (roma type tomatoes
seem to need more calcium than average to avoid it; one year
a couple of romas had it, but nothing else did in the same
bed; the next year I added gypsum in spring and none of them
had BER in the same place).

They also can get it if the soil has enough calcium but it is too
dry when fruit are forming (there has to be moisture there to
dissolve the calcium ions before the plant can absorb them).

In high-nitrogen soils in hot weather, even with sufficient
calcium and moisture, the calcium can all end up in the leaves
of the plant, with not enough left for the fruit. Pruning off lower
leaves helps prevent it for that reason (the excess beyond what
the leaves can accept goes to the stems, roots, and fruit).

Uneven, feast or famine watering is also sometimes cited as a
cause of BER.

[barkeater]

I've noticed too, that most people with BER problems who say they apply enough lime, the problem is caused by shallow tilling. The roots don't penetrate more than the 6" tilling depth, so even a slight drought is enough to dry out where the roots are.

Nowadays, the tillers at the rental places aren't the big 8 hp models, but the one speed, 6 hp models. That is why I dig mine with a shovel. You get at least 12" deep, and with a pH of 6+, you'll never have BER unless there's a severe drought or your ground is pure sand.

Personally, I think shallow tilling is at the root of many tomato problems for gardeners. (pun intended ;-)

[kelleyville]

Since this thread was about Roma's I thought I might ask another question-how tall are Roma's supposed to get? Daves plant files says anywhere from 24-48 inches, however mine were taller than me last year and got to five and six feet easy. Another Roma question- Everything I read says bushy, mine were not bushy ever and seemed to be competing in height with my better boy hybrids last year to see who could get the tallest.
Last question, were my romas just a fluke last year?

Ok not last question...Romas are also listed as determinate. These romas kept growing up till the time I put plants in the garage and still made a few tomatoes in the garage! Again was this some fluke with my Romas?

Cheap seeds from Dollar General.

I am confused on where to put these in my garden and they need to go somewhere fast even if it is into pots!

Thanks
Kelley

[dice]

I don't know if my romas were determinate (I don't even know
if they were exactly that cultivar; I got them as someone else's
spare seedlings, and I only guessed that it was a roma looking
at and slicing up the fruit), but the plant stayed quite small
compared to some obvious indeterminates that they were
planted near.