Root size difference: black krim vs roma

10 years ago

I transplanted a stack of tomatoes today to larger pots. These were my first plantings of the year, and I way back in March I forgot to label the two varieties, thinking I'd have no problems remembering which side is which down the line.

Twelve of the seedlings were one side of the tray and the remaining thirty-siz were on the other. One type is Black Krim slicing tomato which is an heirloom type, and the other is a Roma hybrid.

I thought I'd figure out what is who when they started to develop true leaves. Yet they still looked identical from the surface up when those dark hairy leaves did show themselves.

So when I began transplanting the tomatoes, I started with the middle section which had to be Roma. To my dismay they each had wimpy roots, and I picked the best from the 36 cups. Then I moved on to the remaining 12, wondering how I would pass these plants on to friends or into my garden if I didn't know what type they were. (Tomato surprise.)

I cheered up when I gently removed the first of the last seedlings. Much to my surprise, it had a very long and noticeably vibrant little root system, at least four times the size of the best Roma. The next was the same, and pretty soon I knew these must be the minority Black Krim.

I wonder if the Roma tomatoes disliked something in their environment or if it just how they are genetically.Thoughts, anyone? Anyhow I'm impressed with the Black Krim roots no matter what..

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Comments (4)

seysonn
10 years ago
You should've tagged them at the time you sowed the seeds.

There is no way to tell tomatoes from their leaves/growth or roots. The only thing is the leaf type: Tomatoes are of 2 major leaf types : REGULAR and POTATO leaves. For example, if you had just two kinds of tomato plants, one with regular leaf and the other potato leaf then you could tell which one is which but if they all were regular leaf , TOUGH you cannot tell in seedling stage.
digdirt2
10 years ago
I wonder if the Roma tomatoes disliked something in their environment or if it just how they are genetically.

IME with them it was the former, not the genetics of the variety.

Dave
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vinemaple
10 years ago
Hi there bardamu,

Romas and Black Krim have pretty different leaves when you really look at them--and I have seen a multitude of each of these popular varieties which I love and which I sell more of than almost any other plants save Sun Gold.

Romas are determinate and early on show a stout bushiness and are a little more yellowy green and more rugosa-like in leaf than most other tomato seedlings. They are very distinctive.

Black Krim leaves have just a slight hint of the weepiness found in all those deelicious heirloom "paste" or oxheart types, and also have a bit of silky hair or halo on the darker green leaves.

Hope that helps.

Vine
bardamu_gw
Original Author
10 years ago
I appreciate the responses. My seedling mix media was peat moss and vermiculite. I made a new mix with existing mix and amendments: plenty of perlite and a tiny bit of composted material. As soon as I transplanted tomatos and other seedlings to the new media, even ridiculously tiny basil seedlings, the plants rebooted into health and vigor without exception.