Roma tomatoes are smaller and longer than some varieties of tomato.
Roma, or paste, tomatoes have less water than other types of tomatoes, making them ideal for sauces and salsa. The fruit weighs about 3 ounces, and the plants are determinate, meaning they remain compact.
Determinate and Indeterminate Tomatoes
Determinate varieties of tomatoes include the Roma, which is a compact plant that stops sending out new vegetative growth when the plant reaches maturity. Indeterminate types of tomatoes can reach 6 feet in height or more, depending on the soil conditions and weather. Determinate tomatoes often produce a large crop at one time and after that produce a smaller number of tomatoes scattered through the remainder of the summer growing season.
Typical Height
Under good growing conditions, you can expect your Roma tomato plant to reach about 4 feet in height. It might grow a little taller or stay a bit under this height, but determinate varieties such as the Roma typically grow to this approximate height.
Growing
Plant young plants in the garden after the final spring frost. Be sure to amend your soil with plenty of organic compost and other organic materials, such as fallen leaves. Keep your Roma tomatoes well watered by planting them in a basin that you can flood with water, but reduce watering when they begin to form flowers and set fruit. You can give them a feeding of a plant food designed for vegetables about one month after you plant them, but don't feed them after they begin to set fruit because the nutrients will cause the plant to form excessive foliage at the expense of fruiting. Because Roma tomato plants stay compact and the tomatoes are relatively small, you might not need to stake your plant.
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