Squatty Romas

[curly_kate]

Because I had a massive failure of my tomato starts this year, I had to buy them. The Romas look really healthy, but they aren't getting any height on them. There are tons of suckers coming up out of the ground, though. I've grown Romas before, and have never seen anything like this. Is there a bush variety of Roma? I don't remember seeing that on the tag, but it's the only thing I can think might be the issue.

 

[baymule]

Suckers coming out of the ground? Count it a blessing, dig them up and plant more! (never heard of multiplying tomatoes either) haha

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

I'm experiencing the same thing with my Roma's this year, also bought as starts because my own starts flopped over on me. They were very rootbound when I got them, which may be the reason why the plants are so short. (My lone Black Seaman plant is doing great compared to the other tomatoes, dwarf variety.) I don't think that they're dwarf romas, but it's always possible.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one having a bad time with tomatoes.

 

[mydogdory]

I have a Roma tomato plant. It has a couple baby tomatos on it. It's bushy and on the shorter side but no suckers sticking out from the bottom. Maybe dig some of the dirt out from under it and see what happens? Since you've planted tomatos before im sure their not but are they buried too deep?

 

[digitS']

I have paste tomatoes this year for only the second time ever. The first was really an accident.

Most paste varieties are determinates, I'm fairly sure (another characteristic they I nearly always avoid). The varieties were developed to be harvested all at once, for processing. They may have a long season of growth but that moment of harvest comes and goes.

San Marzano seems to be one of the few indeterminate paste varieties. It has a long season of both plant growth and fruit production.

I don't much about the Heinz determinate variety I have this year. My tomatoes have really just begun to establish themselves and grow.

Steve

 

[Smart Red]

I'm experiencing the same thing with my Roma's this year, also bought as starts because my own starts flopped over on me. They were very rootbound when I got them, which may be the reason why the plants are so short. (My lone Black Seaman plant is doing great compared to the other tomatoes, dwarf variety.) I don't think that they're dwarf romas, but it's always possible.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one having a bad time with tomatoes.

SeedO, I practiced restraint when confronted with your purple peas, but I have tried three plantings of Black Sea Man this year and none germinated. Any chance you could enjoy the ambrosia and send a few seeds to me for next year's planting?

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

Smart Red, If I get at least one fruit I will send you some seeds. It's not looking good though, at least not at the moment. The tomatoes (along with the peppers) are flowering, but any forming fruits are aborting; I think the night are still cold.

Oh and if I do manage to get seeds there's a good chance that you could get crosses (plenty of bees and many different varieties around my Black Seaman plant).

 

[curly_kate]

I even found the plant tag, and there's no mention of them being determinate. It's been a weird year in the garden....