How to Grow Roma VF Tomato From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

Roma VF is the classic red, egg-shaped paste tomato, prized for its thick, meaty walls, few seeds, and low moisture that cook down into rich sauce. It grows on a compact determinate bush and ripens a concentrated crop in about 75 days, so you can can and cook in big batches at once. The VF in its name means it carries resistance to Verticillium and Fusarium wilt, keeping plants healthy and productive. Grow it for the best homemade sauce, paste, and passata.

This is the quick guide to Roma VF. For the full step-by-step on starting seeds, transplanting, feeding, and troubleshooting tomatoes, see our complete guide to growing tomatoes from seed.

Quick start

Start Roma VF seeds indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost, keeping the soil at 70 to 80F until germination. Transplant outdoors once frost has passed and the soil is at least 60F, burying two-thirds of the stem for strong roots. As a compact determinate bush, space plants 18 to 24 inches apart with a cage or light stake. Expect a concentrated crop of red, egg-shaped paste tomatoes in about 75 days, ripening together so you can cook down big batches of sauce at once.

Best tip

Roma VF carries VF resistance to Verticillium and Fusarium wilt, so plants stay healthy where soil diseases are common. For the best sauce crop, water deeply and evenly and mulch well to prevent blossom-end rot, which paste tomatoes are especially prone to; in short-season areas its early, determinate set means a reliable canning harvest even in cooler summers.

At a glance

Botanical nameSolanum lycopersicum

Plant typeWarm-season annual (determinate)

USDA zones3 to 12 (grown as an annual)

SunFull sun (6 to 8+ hours)

Days to maturityAbout 75 days from transplant

Height3 to 4 feet (determinate)

Spacing18 to 24 inches apart

WaterDeep and even; 1 to 2 inches a week

Uses

Roma VF is the classic paste tomato, prized for sauce, passata, ketchup, and paste because its thick, meaty flesh and low seed and water content cook down fast into rich sauce. It also cans, freezes, and dries beautifully, making it the top pick for stocking the winter pantry.

Frequently asked questions

How many days does Roma VF tomato take to mature?

Roma VF ripens in about 75 days from transplant, and as a determinate it sets most of its paste tomatoes over a short window, which is ideal for batch cooking. Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost to have a big sauce crop by late summer.

Is Roma VF tomato determinate or indeterminate?

Roma VF is a determinate (bush) tomato that grows to a compact 3 to 4 feet and ripens its crop over a concentrated window, perfect for making sauce in big batches. It needs only a cage or light staking and does not require pruning of side shoots.

What do Roma VF tomatoes look and taste like?

Roma VF produces red, egg-shaped plum tomatoes with thick, meaty walls, few seeds, and low moisture, giving a rich, concentrated tomato flavor. The VF in its name means it carries resistance to Verticillium and Fusarium wilt, so the plants stay healthy and productive.

What is Roma VF tomato best used for?

Ready to make your own sauce from scratch? Start with a multi-variety tomato pack, grow a big batch of Roma VF paste tomatoes, and follow our complete guide to growing tomatoes from seed for every step.

Tomato Roma VF SeedsHeirloom, non-GMOHeirloom Roma VF — classic paste tomato for rich sauces and canning.$4.99

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Want more tomatoes? These value packs pair Roma VF with other varieties:

14 Unique Tomato and Tomatillo Variety Pack14 tomato & tomatillo varietiesFourteen heirloom tomatoes and tomatillos in one pack — the easiest way to grow a whole rainbow of varieties.$19.99$16.99

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14 Herbs & Veggies Salsa Mix Seeds Variety Pack14 salsa-garden varietiesEverything for homemade salsa in one pack: tomatoes, peppers, onion, cilantro, and more.$19.99$17.49

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20 Vegetable Seeds Variety Pack20 vegetable varietiesA full vegetable garden in one pack, tomatoes included, plus nineteen more garden staples.$21.99$17.99

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By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.