How to Grow Amish Paste
Solanum lycopersicum
Amish Paste is a beloved heirloom tomato variety prized for its rich flavor and reliable performance in garden beds. Gardeners choose this warm-season crop to enjoy deep, beefsteak-style fruits that thrive under full sun conditions.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Amish Paste: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Amish Paste is not usually started indoors.
This variety is a warm-season crop that should only be planted outdoors after the last spring frost once the soil has warmed up.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8 before planting. As a warm-season crop, you must wait until after the last spring frost when the ground is fully warmed to plant outdoors; do not sow indoors for transplanting as this variety is best started directly in the garden. Sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep, expecting germination within 7 to 14 days.
Space plants 24 to 36 inches apart to ensure proper air circulation and growth. Install sturdy cages or trellises immediately since these vines can reach heights of one to ten feet. Provide consistent moisture by watering regularly, as the plant requires high water levels to prevent cracking. Apply mulch around the base to retain soil moisture and feed the plants throughout the season.
Watch for tomato hornworms, aphids, flea beetles, and stink bugs; inspect leaves frequently and remove pests by hand or use organic controls. Monitor closely for late blight, early blight, fusarium wilt, and bacterial canker, ensuring good airflow to reduce disease risk. Harvest the fruit approximately 85 days after sowing when they reach full size and color.
When to Plant Amish Paste
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May | — | October – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | — | September |
| Zone 3 | April | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | — | September – October |
| Zone 5 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 11 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January | — | April – June |
Companion Plants for Amish Paste
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor
Attracts pollinators and may repel tomato hornworms
Helps break up soil without competing for nutrients
Repels aphids and may improve tomato growth and flavor
Deters nematodes and whiteflies with natural compounds
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Repels aphids and provides ground cover to retain moisture
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Both attract corn earworm/tomato fruitworm, increasing pest pressure
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
