Roma VF Tomato – Determinate or Indeterminate Growth Habit?

Roma VF is a popular paste tomato variety ideal for sauces, canning, and juicing. But an area of confusion for some gardeners is whether Roma VF tomatoes are determinate or indeterminate plants Let’s clarify the growth habit of this versatile tomato.

What is Roma VF?

Roma VF is an improved, open-pollinated version of the classic Roma tomato. It was bred by the Joseph Harris Seed Company in the 1960s.

The “VF” in the name stands for verticillium and fusarium resistance – two common tomato wilts. Roma VF has stronger disease resistance than the original Roma variety thanks to crossing Roma with a wilt-resistant tomato line.

Like all Roma types, Roma VF is a plum or paste tomato. It produces prolific yields of oblong, red tomatoes averaging 2-3 ounces. The fruits have meaty interiors with few seeds, ideal for cooking down into sauce.

Roma VF matures in 75-80 days on compact plants. It offers higher yields and better flavor than many hybrid paste tomatoes.

Is Roma VF Determinate or Indeterminate?

Roma VF tomato plants are determinate. Determinate tomatoes stay compact, reaching a fixed mature size. Their growth is limited, with most fruits ripening over a 2-3 week period.

Determinate varieties are sometimes called “bush tomatoes” since they don’t sprawl out indefinitely like indeterminate types Their restrained habit makes determinate tomatoes well-suited for containers, small spaces, and caging or staking

Indeterminate tomato plants keep growing taller throughout the season. They bloom and set new fruit continuously until frost arrives. Indeterminate varieties require much larger cages or trellising to accommodate their vining growth habit.

So Roma VF is a determinate paste tomato. Its compact, upright growth habit is an advantage for home gardeners without much space. Determinate types also ripen their crop over a shorter window which is useful for canning and preserving.

Growing Tips for Roma VF Tomatoes

Here are some tips for successfully growing Roma VF tomatoes:

• Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost. Transplant seedlings when they reach 6 inches tall.

• Space plants 18-24 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart. Roma VF reaches 3-4 feet tall when mature.

• Cage or stake plants to support the heavy crop of plump fruits. A 5-foot tall tomato cage is sufficient.

• Pinch off lower leaves and suckers to improve air circulation. Focus the plant’s energy into fruit production.

• Ensure consistent moisture, especially when fruits start ripening. Irregular water causes issues like blossom end rot.

• Harvest ripe fruits promptly by twisting gently. Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight.

• Expect yields of up to 20 pounds per plant! Enjoy fresh, canned, frozen, or turned into tomato sauce.

How to Use Roma VF Tomatoes

Thanks to their meaty interiors, few seeds, and rich flavor, Roma VF tomatoes shine when cooked down into sauces and paste. Their flesh easily separates from the skin when blanched and peeled.

Some favorite ways to use Roma VF tomatoes:

• Pizza sauce – Simmer crushed Romas into a rich, intensely flavored pizza sauce.

• Pasta sauce – For a smooth sauce, remove skins and seeds before blending. Add garlic, herbs, etc.

• Soup – Roast or simmer halved Roma’s into tomato bisque and other soups.

• Canning whole – Roma VF tomatoes hold their shape perfectly when canned or pressure processed.

• Tomato paste – Cook down juice and flesh into a thick, concentrated paste. Freeze in ice cube trays.

• Juice – Extract the flavorful juice from Roma’s for drinking, cocktails, and cooking.

• Dehydrate – Excellent dried as tomato leather or reconstituted as sun-dried tomatoes.

While not the best choice for sandwiches or salads, Roma VF is the perfect tomato for sauce-making. A few plants will produce bowls full of sauce and paste for enjoyment all year long.

Other Determinate Tomato Varieties

If you like the controlled habit of Roma VF, here are some other determinate tomato varieties to try:

• Celebrity – Reliable hybrid with disease resistance and blunt, red fruits.

• Roma – The original determinate paste tomato, but less disease resistant than Roma VF.

• San Marzano – Classic Italian sauce tomato with extra-long and pointed fruits.

• Oregon Spring – Very early determinate tomato, maturing in just 58 days!

• Bush Beefsteak – Produces large, meaty red fruits on a dwarf plant.

• Taxi – Yellow determinate cultivar makes tasty sandwiches and salads.

Compare these to popular indeterminate tomatoes like Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, and Mortgage Lifter. The growth habit you choose depends on your gardening goals and space limitations.

Finding the perfect tomato varieties for your climate and needs is part of the fun. Roma VF is a classic determinant paste tomato that reliably pumps out mountains of oblong red fruits. Now you know why it stays so compact and manages its growth – the determinate habit!