Description
Days to Maturity: 80 DAYS
Size: 1/10 gram
Classic Italian favorite with high yields; excellent richly flavored tomato for preserving.
Prized for its firm pulp, low seed count and easily-removed skin. Medium-sized fruits are slightly larger than Roma VF but smaller than Gilbertie and Amish. Resists cracking and holds well both on the vine and in storage. Heavy yields.
Soil Nutrients and Requirements
Tomatoes yield best in clay or loam soils that are well drained and high in organic matter. They can tolerate acid soil as low as 5.5, but they prefer to grow in 6.0-6.8 range. Using calcitic lime or gypsum can help to maintain a base saturation for calcium or 65-80 percent. Use a high phosphorus fertilizer for transplants. Take care not to over-fertilize with Nitrogen as this can result in more foliage but lower yields.
Planting depth: 1/8-1/4".
Plant spacing: for determinate varieties 12-18", for indeterminate 24-36".
Row Spacing: 4-6’ centers. Greenhouse Tomatoes- maintain 4 square ft/plant.
Days to maturity are from transplants. Start seeds 6-8 weeks before planting date. Optimal soil temperature for germination is 75-85°F; seeds in colder situations will germinate very slowly. Do not start too early; transplants will suffer if allowed to become root bound and leggy. Harden off transplants by reducing water and nitrogen fertilizer. Transplant outdoors after danger of frost has passed. 
Black plastic is recommended is cool climates especially to help warm the soil, keep moisture even and cut down on weed pressure and soil borne diseases.
Floating row covers can provide extra warmth in the early season, but be sure to remove when temps are warmer than 85 degrees.
For varieties requiring staking, place stake in row every two or three plants, tie twine to end stake and walk down one side of the row, looping twine around each stake until the end. Return down the other side of row, again looping twine around each stake, so that plants are sandwiched between two sides of twine.
Harvest tomatoes fully ripe for best flavor. Tomatoes can also be harvested green or at first blush and ripened off the vine at temperatures above 70°F.
