I grew Romeo this year and they do not look quite like the ones in your link picture, mine are huge and equally as big as those- but are more blocky at the stalk end- more like a sweet pepper shape but much longer- so I dont quite know what to make of them as the seed came from a reputable seed supplier here in the UK, and were advertised as giant plum shaped tomatoes- the biggest must weigh in at around 1-1/2 pounds or more. ???

I forgot to mention that those in the pic are Big Mamas. Yes, the Romeos are blockier at the stem end. I made the mistake of planting them in rows side by side, and they are all sprawling everywhere. I have to trade the vine back to where it was planted, to see and know for sure which tomato is which variety for sure.

the seed came from a reputable seed supplier here in the UK,
Was the seed sold as Hybrid, or do you know?

the biggest must weigh in at around 1-1/2 pounds or more.
There's a couple of particularly big ones not quite ready to pick, but when I do, they will be weighed and photographed. I can't believe I grew those little romas for so many years, not knowing there was anything any better as far as a paste type tomato.

Sue

I purchased Romeo seeds from Peters Seed two years ago and grew them last summer from bought seed. We got some up to 1.75 pounds with most being around one pound.

My understanding is they are open pollinated and the vine grown from saved seed seem to confirm this.

I've got Big Mama F1 and F2 seeds but never grew the F2s out. My understanding is Big Mama is hybrid in the F1.

Thanks Hoosier/Bill.

Do you remember if maybe Big Mama was more prolific, producing many more tomatoes per plant, than the Romeo? I really am unsure myself, since they are all so close, running over the top of one another, doing their usual 'sprawl' thing.

I'll likely be saving seed of both regardless. Sure wish I would have bagged some blossoms, or segregated them some...sigh.

On a side note Bill, I think I have some Goose Creek out there somewhere with a small tag, compliments of seed you shared with me a few years back. Of course the blossoms were not bagged on those either, but I think I got good germination from what I started, and still have some GC left....I remember the plan was for me to grow them, and save 'us' some fresh seed...sorry to say, I am such a disorganized tomato mess. 2009 is going to be different...I swear!

Sue

Don't worry about it, Sue. I got plenty of Goose Creek seeds and no plan to grow them again soon.

I also have a blue million other seeds that you may be interested in for 2009. Drop me a line at tomatohead48@hotmail.com if you think about it. You're lucky to have any kind of tomato garden in Indiana this year considering our wacky, wet, wild and fungal spring followed by a sweaty summer and this just past awful August.

Bill

Don't worry about it, Sue. I got plenty of Goose Creek seeds and no plan to grow them again soon.
Ok...great. I can strike that off my list of worries.

I also have a blue million other seeds that you may be interested in for 2009.
Hmmmm...just so you know, I know you are an enabler, enabling me!
Though I don't 'need' any new (to me) varieties for probably umpteen years, I sure cannot pass up a chance to at least find out what you might have that I don't....I admit I am addicted and weak,.

By next season I hope to have some great tomato cages that I can just plop a variety here and there...out by the road, up the road, down the road, out on the corner, as I have lots of road frontage here.

You're lucky to have any kind of tomato garden in Indiana this year considering our wacky, wet, wild and fungal spring followed by a sweaty summer and this just past awful August..

Considering the past 2 seasons have been a bust for me (problems and the plants got absolutely no attention after being planted out), this has been a late, but great season for me. I was just thinking I will welcome the tomato season nearing the end as I have been trying to keep up with pretty well all that ripens as I hate seeing them rot, and everyone close here grows there own and have too many also. I've lost a lot to rot, insects, sunscald, and critters, but there are still more than enough for my fresh eating and canning needs. I guess I will just continue canning until I run out of jars, which will never happen.

Sue

Well I finally picked 2 of the biggest ones that I knew were Romeos, and got them to hold still long enough to get a pic.
One was 14+ OZ and the other was 15+ OZ. There is still a much bigger one out there, but it is still totally green.

Sue

Great pictures.

Sue and Bill - How do they look inside?? Are they dry or juicy??

They're almost devoid of gel ... maybe a tablespoon or so ... very dense and very few seeds ... all meat. You have to completely dissect them to find any seeds to save.

Another thing I liked about Romeo is that you can cut them into quarters longways and then fillet the skin off. That way you can make fresh salsa immediately without blanching to peel them.

Here's an average size Romeo:

The Romeo on the left weighed 1 pound - 12 ounces:

The beefsteak tomato in that picture is Potato Top and it weighed the same as the Romeo.

How do they look inside?? Are they dry or juicy??
They are the meatiest tomato I have ever had the pleasure to grow and eat. The 'meat' is moist, but there is little excess juice in the seed cavities. The seed cavities are quite small, and contain surprisingly few seeds.

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Boy Bill, That is one huge Romeo. There is one in the garden, still green, that looks like it is probably that big, or bigger!

Sue

from western Australia, don't have the Romeo's in Australia yet

WOW these are truly impressive tomatoes for a paste type.

I acquired some Romeo seed this past year and grew them and
indeed they were very large tomatoes - all that is described
above. However, I didn't find them nearly as tasty as another
slightly smaller paste type - Opalka.