When Is a Roma Tomato Ripe?

Roma tomatoes are determinant plants.

People generally plant Roma tomatoes for use in sauce, paste and canned tomatoes. Roma is a type of plum tomato with a plump cylinder shape. Plant and maintain them much the same way as other garden tomato varieties. Allow Roma tomatoes sufficient time to ripen on the vine before harvest. These tomatoes usually have the richest flavor.

About

Roma tomatoes are firm tomatoes containing less water and few seeds than other tomato varieties. They've a meaty flesh and are relatively easy to peel, which makes them ideal for cooking and processing. Certain varieties, such as the Cherry Roma, are sweet and are eaten raw in salads or as snacks. Roma tomatoes have pink, orange and red skin, depending on the cultivar.

Care and Maintenance

Roma tomatoes don't require special care and maintenance. They grow best in loose, aerated soil providing ample drainage. They require lots of sun exposure and irrigation. Roma tomatoes typically produce fruit ready for harvest within 75 to 80 days of planting. Roma tomato plants usually grow and develop at the same rate, so fruit is often ready for harvest at about the same time.

Harvest

Harvest Roma tomatoes when fruit is firm and uniformly colored. If tomatoes are still developing color development but temperatures are predicted to exceed 90 degrees F, pick them early and bring them indoors to complete ripening. Harvest them early if temperatures are forecasted to drop below 60 degrees F when tomatoes are almost mature. Store them in a location with temperatures of about 70 degrees F, which is sufficient for Roma's to develop full color.

Ideal Ripening Conditions

Roma tomatoes need consistent temperatures to ripen. They ripen when temperatures range from 55 to 77 degrees F with the optimal ripening temperatures between 68 and 72 degrees F. Humidity of 85 to 95 percent enhances the ripening process.

Extreme Conditions on Fruit Development

Temperatures above 85 degrees F limit fruit development. Higher temperatures prevent Roma tomatoes from developing full color. The fruit's firmness is also affected by high temperatures. Cooler temperatures affect the ripening process as well. A Roma tomato exposed to temperatures below 55 degrees F ripens more slowly, and the fruit takes longer to develop color. The fruit may be damaged in prolonged periods of cooler temperatures.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Tomato
• University of Florida IFAS Extension; Handling Florida Vegetables Series -- Round and Roma Tomato Types; Steven A. Sargent, et al.; Aug. 1, 1989
• Garden Channel: Growing Roma Tomatoes