Striped Roman Tomatoes

[johnkaplantech]

I've tried these a few times, and finally this year I am getting a good yield, and they are delicious. They have a deep, rich tomato flavor that is not too acidic - much better than you would expect for a roma-type. I use them for slicers as well as sauces and they stand up in taste comparison to other heirloom slicers. They are especially good in salads cut into wedges where you can see the pretty orange and red stripes.

The plants have long, thin, droopy "halloween" leaves, and fruits grow in clusters of 2-5. They tend to be fussy and delicate in the nursery, and I sprout a lot more than I need to get a few survivors. Up until this year I've been lucky to get a few fruits from each plant all season, so they've been frustrating and low-yield. But finally this year I have a few surviving plants and have gotten 3-to-5 a week for the past few weeks. If you can get them to thrive, they are worth it for beauty and great flavor.